Sending your jeans to the tailor to get them measured and hemmed is a great idea in many cases – especially if you’ve splurged on the jeans and want to make sure they fit well and last a long time (so you don’t, say, step on the hem and rip it). In other cases, though, it doesn’t make sense to spend $12 to get $20 jeans hemmed – especially if they’re really trendy and you don’t think you’ll be wearing them for longer than a season or two. Or, what if you want to wear them to work today and need to solve the length problem right away? Okay, we’ve got you covered.
There are several options here if you want to shorten jeans without having to send them to the tailor or even whip out your own sewing machine or kit. They’re really simple, and even a novice can do them.
Option 1: Cuff them. This might seem painfully obvious – but hear me out. If you want to shorten jeans, the first thing you should consider is whether they can be cuffed. This takes two seconds, and it’s a non-permanent solution that stylists swear by. Consider a single fold or a couple-fold roll – it depends on the jeans style. Stand in front of the mirror with the jeans on and try one of these three super simple, proven jean-cuffing techniques.
Option 2: Use fashion tape. If cuffing doesn’t work and you definitely want the actual hemline to be shorter, consider using fashion tape to fake it. Take the jeans off and place them flat on the bed or desk. Open the jeans legs, and apply the double-sided fashion tape to the inside of the leg, at the very bottom. Fold the jeans inward so both sides attach to the tape. Pinch both sides of the leg for a few seconds to secure the tape in place. Put the jeans on and look in a mirror to see if the length is right. The good thing about the tape is that it’s not permanent and you can always pull it apart to adjust.
Here’s a video on that technique:
Option 3: Cut them. If you’re feeling really brave, you can get out the scissors and actually cut the hem to make it shorter. Take the pants off and lay them flat on the bed or desk. Using a measuring tape or a ruler and a pen, mark exactly where you need to cut on at least four points on the jean leg. Use fabric scissors or the sharpest scissors you own and slowly cut, following the marks you’ve created with the pen. Raw hems are on-trend, so simply use your fingers or the scissors to fix any imperfections and pull a little bit of the fabric off so it looks intentional.
Option 4: Sew them. Use a pin to secure where you want the new fold to be, then use blue or white thread and a needle to sew the hemline. You don’t even need a sewing machine! Here’s a YouTube video with more detailed steps on how to sew:
SHEfinds | Justine Ingersoll Schwartz
