Skinny jeans – trendy, flattering to many figures and more conducive to tucking into tall boots than their boot cut counterparts – can be purchased from both chain retailers and designer boutiques. However, this stylish, in-demand look can be quite expensive to purchase new. Rather than rushing out to buy new jeans to keep up with this trend, turn a current pair of your boot cut jeans into much more versatile skinny jeans by making some simple alterations.
Reach into the legs of your boot cut jeans and turn them inside out. Try them on with the wrong side facing out, and follow the outer stitching down the leg until you reach the point where the jeans no longer fit close to your leg.
Pinch the excess fabric with your fingers and pin with a straight pin. Continue following the seam downward. Gather the extra fabric and pin it, creating a new “seam” of pins so that your pants fit as tightly as you desire. Once you reach the bottom hem of the leg, switch to the opposite leg. Repeat the process, following the outer seam downward and pinning any excess fabric to achieve a tight-fitting shape.
Without removing the pins, take off the jeans. Lay them flat and use chalk to trace along the “seam” of pins on either leg. Make sure the angle of the chalk line blends subtly into the untouched seam on the upper thigh or you may find that your jeans, when sewn, pucker where the new seam begins.
Position the bottom of one pant leg on your sewing machine. Stitch up the leg along the chalk line you drew, stopping when you reach the old seam you will keep at the top. Repeat on the opposite leg.
Remove the pins, turn the jeans so that the right side faces out and try them on. Adjust any necessary spots by turning the jeans inside out again and hand stitching.
When your jeans resemble your desired silhouette, turn them inside out and trim the extra fabric that results between the newly stitched seam and the former seam. Leave about half an inch of fabric along the new seam.