Category: DIY

Step-hem jeans are a big trend right now, with raw hems that are cut higher in the front than the back. (Think: mullet jeans.) You could get the look for $229 with Paige’s Jaqueline jeans, or find a pair of straight jeans in your closet and make your own.

I’m taking scissors to most of my denim these days. At 5’4″, I’m somewhere between regular and petite sizes, but usually stick to the former because they fit me better through the torso, waist, and hips. I’m too lazy/cheap to take my non-designer jeans to the tailor to be hemmed, so I just snip an inch or two off the bottom to make them work. I thought I’d jump on the uneven hem trend bandwagon with a pair of straight jeans I bought on sale at LOFT last year.

The best thing about this denim DIY is it doesn’t have to be perfect: if you want to get technical you can plan things out with a ruler and fabric pen before you make your cuts, or just eyeball it and snip (which is what I did).

Before you get started, try on your jeans to get an idea of how much length you want to remove. I generally cut my jeans about an inch above the ankle;  it’s a comfortable and flattering length for my frame — anything higher and I’m in dangerous capri pant territory — and it works with both flats and heels.

Using sharp fabric shears, cut off the bottom hem of both legs to your desired length. Remember, less is more: cut off small amounts at a time so you have room to even things out or fix any mistakes; much like bad haircuts, you can’t put it back if you hack off too much.

Then cut up the side seams, and across the front. Done.