How to Fray Jeans at Home in 4 Easy Steps

If you're into fashion trends and DIY projects, frayed jeans might be right up your alley. Not only does this style lend an effortlessly cool vibe to your look, but it can also reinvent a pair of old or unwearable denim. For instance, you can turn your overworn skinnies into a cropped pair that hits

If you're into fashion trends and DIY projects, frayed jeans might be right up your alley. Not only does this style lend an effortlessly cool vibe to your look, but it can also reinvent a pair of old or unwearable denim. For instance, you can turn your overworn skinnies into a cropped pair that hits at the ankles. You might also consider opting for a raw hem to get those floor-scraping jeans to fit your petite figure.

Not sure how to fray jeans? No problem. We turned to experts Mickey Freeman and Nicola Mielke, who let us in on how to land the semi-chaotic bottoms aesthetic — no advanced tailor skills required.

Meet the expert

  • Mickey Freeman is a celebrity stylist. He spends his time between New York City and Los Angeles.
  • Nicola Mielke is the Director of Global Design for Lee Female.

Ahead, our step-by-step tutorial on how to fray jeans.

Step 1: Trace Your Cutting Line

Fraying a pair of jeans involves literally ripping up the material. To avoid making an irreversible mistake, Freeman recommended marking the line you'll be cutting with a pencil to ensure accuracy.

Step 2: Cut the Inseam

Once you know where you're cutting, grab a pair of scissors, such as Singer Fabric Scissors ($5). For best results, Mielke advised making the cut a little longer than desired.

Step 3: Fray

"Fraying" is defined as the literal act of unraveling or wearing a fabric at its edge through constant rubbing or straining. According to Freeman and Mielke's techniques, you can fray jeans one of two ways:

Using Your Hands

Mielke pulls apart the fabric with her hands first to get an authentic fray. 

"If at that point it's still not frayed enough for my liking, I grab a pair of blunt scissors and comb in a downward direction," she told us.

With a Loofah or Razor

Freeman's approach involves using either a travel-sized loofah or a disposable razor to grind against the grain. 

"I always know that I'm going in the right direction as I see the lighter-colored frays start to appear," he said. "Going across the cut with the rough edge of a pair of scissors will give a more worn look as well."

Step 4: Wash and Dry Your Denim

Ever wonder how the frayed material on designer jeans looks so light and fluffy? You can achieve the same look just by popping your distressed denim in the wash.

"After achieving the desired level of wear, I apply non-splash bleach for one hour to the loose threads to brighten them before running the jeans through a wash cycle," said Freeman. When it's time to dry, choose a gentle tumble setting to fluff up the threads, noted Mielke.

This is Ask the Experts, where our favorite fashion know-it-alls share their wisdom. Just because you *can* trust your style instincts doesn't mean you should have to.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qrrSrbClnV6YvK57xZqqoaGfo3ykuM6tn6Kml2S1sMOMraZmnqKWxm62xJqlrA%3D%3D

 Share!