How to Rip Jeans
Switch up your style and get that vintage, perfectly worn-in look by distressing your favorite denim to create a cool and individualized pair of jeans.
Ripping your pants on purpose may seem counterintuitive, but there’s no doubt the ripped look is seriously in style. You can revamp your look and easily glamorize a tired pair of pants once you know how to rip jeans.
Before ripping your jeans, plan the placement for your rips so you don’t end up with totally shredded, unwearable jeans.
Decide on Your Denim
Search through your denim collection to find a pair of jeans that will work well to distress. This is all about you, your style and what you like, so pick a pair that’s comfortable and that you find flattering, and that you don’t mind trying out for your first pair of DIY ripped jeans.
If you don’t have the right pair on hand, keep in mind that altering jeans is an easy way to make them longer or shorter as an option before or after you distress. You can also browse our collection of men’s jeans and women’s jeans to pick out a pair you like and then distress them yourself for the perfect look.
Rip With Intention
Put on your jeans and use chalk to mark the places that you want to distress. Great spots to start are areas that would commonly have rips, like the knees, thighs and other high-friction areas. Seams can also be a good place for some minor distressing but be careful not to overdo it or you could damage the stitching.
Think about adding variation into the length of your rip by planning for different sizes. Add in plenty of small detail rips around large rips for an authentic look.
Learn how to make ripped jeans with our quick and simple guide.
Ripping Your Jeans
Difficulty Level: Easy
What You’ll Need: Denim, chalk, tweezers, sharp scissors
How To:
- Use the chalk to draw lines where you want the rips. Create variation to keep it authentic.
- Pinch just the top layer of the jeans and cut over the lines. Make small cuts until you’re sure you like the length you’ve chosen.
- Tweeze out the vertical threads to create the distressed look.
Complete the Customization
You can throw your newly distressed jeans in the wash but put them in a mesh laundry bag or use the gentle cycle on your washer. When finished, trim up any loose threads or excessive fraying that you don’t like. You can always add more holes over time.
Now that you’ve distressed your jeans, consider another DIY project that allows you to change up your style. Try sewing patches on jeans or turn another pair of jeans into cutoff shorts in a few simple steps.
Be sure to tag us with pictures of your finished denim using #myAriat. Complete your look by shopping our line of Western clothing to find a new top to go with your distressed jeans.
