diy bleached denim shorts

I've always loved the look of  bleached denim shorts, but never had the will power to whip out over $30 for a pair. With summer in season, I decided, why not make myself a pair? 


Materials you'll need:

• a pair of denim shorts
• bleach (like Clorox)
• a toothbrush
• bucket (or something to pour the bleach in and hold your denim shorts)

(Left) Bleaching our shorts (Top and Middle Right) Thrifted shorts and a pair of shorts I didn't wear any more
(Bottom Right) Materials

The process itself is pretty simple! 

1. Pour about two inches of bleach and place your shorts on the side you want to get bleached. My best friend and I wanted the tops of our shorts to be whiter, so we placed our shorts upside down in the bucket (pictured left). 
2. Wait around 30-60 minutes. Make sure to check up on your shorts from time to time. Some fabrics bleach faster than others.
3. After your shorts are bleached to your desired length, get a toothbrush and use the leftover bleach to fade out the edges. Put water on the toothbrush to get a softer blend.
4. Place your shorts in the wash (by themselves so the bleach doesn't bleach your other clothes), then place them in the dryer.

My first pair: The bleach went down further than I wanted, but the end result was better than I expected. You can see how the tips of the shorts are gray and the studded detailing makes the shorts look edgier.

(Left) My denim shorts (Right) My best friend's denim shorts. Hers turned out nice.. so jealous!

Try out this diy on a day where you have plenty of time to spare. I hope this helps and have fun diy-ing! :)