Board shorts, for those who don’t know, are cool, long shorts that were originally designed for surfers. Even if you’re not a surfer and hate to go into the sea a pair of board shorts are beach wear essentials. Although summer is still a few months away I’m already thinking about my summer wardrobe and thought I’d share a little inspiration to make a pair of board shorts.
Probably the simplest way to make a pair of board shorts is to take an old, worn pair of jeans and cut off the legs above the knee.It’s not really necessary to hem the legs but you can if you want to. Let them fray as this just adds to their character.
Unfortunately wet denim can be quite heavy and abrasive so this style of homemade board shorts is not likely to be suitable for surfing or other water sports. But they look really cool with a vest or t-shirt, a pair of flip flops and a cool pair of sunglasses.
If you are handy with a needle and thread you might like to hem the shorts and add a little customization. I like to remove the denim rear pockets and replace them with pockets made from some attractive, brightly colored material. I will often embroider my home made shorts, add a few custom patches and maybe replace the pockets. I like to wear my shorts with a long silk scarf used as a belt. My boyfriend really loves the way these custom, homemade board shorts look when I wear them.
An alternative to denim jeans is to start with a pair of suit trousers. When cut down into shorts these can look exceptionally cool. Generally you will need to hem these shorts to prevent them from fraying too much. As for the denim board shorts, I always add a few personalized touches. You might like to add a few custom patches, some cool side pockets or a nifty new waist band.
You will find plenty of old trousers, ideal for customisation, at your nearby charity shops. There are always loads of old suit trousers to choose from and you can pat yourself on the back for recycling.
Tags: beachwear, board shorts, clothing, home made, recycled, summer fashion