The real trend this season is denim, especially vests. They are appropriate to wear not only with trousers, but also with various styles dresses or skirts. Unfortunately, such clothes are quite expensive, and not everyone can afford to buy them. Therefore, handmade will come to our aid. We will tell you how to make a vest from a denim jacket with your own hands. It's very simple, cheap, and most importantly - original.

Turning an old denim jacket into a fashionable vest

In order to realize your plan and give it to an old denim jacket new life, you just need to rip off the sleeves from it and finish a few seams. As for decorations, it all depends solely on your imagination and taste preferences.

To work you may need:

  • Scissors;
  • Threads in color;

Important! Using a sewing machine, you can make several decorative stitches with multi-colored threads.

  • Chalk, bar of soap or tailor's marker;
  • Set of sewing pins;
  • Sewing ripper;
  • Needle;
  • Sewing machine;
  • Various decorative decorations.

Let's get started

In order to make a vest from a denim jacket with your own hands, you need to adhere to the following order:

  1. Apply the contours of the future armhole to the product.
  2. Trim the sleeves with an extra 1cm for further finishing of the seams.
  • Can be sewn using an overlocker.
  • Another option is to pull out several threads along the edge to achieve a casual fringe effect. IN in this case It is very important to take into account the presence of such decor in advance, since it is necessary to leave an extra couple of centimeters during stripping.

Important! The fringe can be bleached. Thus, the future product will look more original.

  • Cover with braid. It needs to be sewn to the armhole cut with a 5 mm seam.
  • Sew using a sewing machine. When choosing this method of processing seams, you should take into account that the seam must be even. In order to achieve this result as much as possible, the product must first be swept away.
  • Decorate with fabric. In this case, it is best to choose cotton materials.

Important! It will look very stylish if you use the fabric you used to trim the edges to make an original applique on the back.

This concludes the main stage of work. You can wear the vest as ready product, or you can give it a more stylish and extraordinary design.

Choosing future decor

You can decorate the resulting vest using a wide variety of available materials - colored buttons, beads of various shapes, rhinestones, fringe and ribbons.

Today the most popular decorative elements are the following:

Metal rivets

They create the effect of punk or rock style. If you decide to use this type of decoration, then the first thing you need to do is to think through the future pattern or design according to which you will place the rivets. Thanks to this solution, you will be able to lay out the ornament evenly and calculate the most accurate number of decorative elements.

Important! Using a chalk or tailor's marker, the design should be transferred to the fabric.

When starting the process of decorating with rivets, it is important to remember that they are attached using a special machine. If you don't have one, you can use a rivet gun, which is sold in every sewing store.

Important! You can cheat and buy imitation rivets that have a self-adhesive backing.

Lace

The combination of denim and lace is a hit this season. Therefore, the choice of this material is very large, and you can buy both synthetic and natural lace ribbons.

Important! To decorate a vest, it is best to purchase textured lace.

You can use it in absolutely different ways, from edging armholes and pockets to appliqué on the back.

Stones and rhinestones

They can be purchased at a craft and sewing store, and a large assortment only encourages you to create a stylish product. To do this, you need to think through the future drawing and calculate the required number of decorative elements.

Important! Patterns made from colored and different-sized rhinestones look very stylish.

Bows and ribbons

This decor option is suitable if a very young girl decided to make a vest out of a denim jacket. For older people, bows made from the same denim as the vest will look very cute.

Applications

This is a very fashionable trend, so today in sewing stores the selection of various stripes is simply off the charts.

Important! If you have at least some sewing skills and can imagine, you can create an applique using floss yourself.

We use a flag to decorate a vest

Individuals who want to stand out and not be like everyone else most often use the flag to create decor. Agree, how stylish a vest made from a denim jacket looks, which is decorated with various stars and stripes on the back.

Important! The most popular options are the use of the British and American flags.

Making holes and scuffs

This decor of denim items has not left the pedestal of popularity for more than one season. In order to create a beautiful decor using holes, you need a sewing ripper:

  • To begin, select and mark the locations of future holes.
  • Next, you need to make several cuts in a row using a ripper.
  • Using the round tip on the same ripper, pull out the cross threads.

Important! In order for the future hole to turn out beautiful and without puffs, the threads need to be pulled out one at a time.

  • During work, you should carefully remove the longitudinal threads.
  • Once the hole is the right size, finish the process and remove the excess thread.

Important! To create abrasions, use sandpaper or a regular kitchen grater.

Changing the color of the product

If you are not satisfied with the color of the vest, you can repaint it in a different color, or create such a fashionable gradient color. To do this you will need fabric dyes and bleach.

Important! The “star” ornament looks very stylish. To do this, you need to dip your toothbrush into the whiteness and use the bristles to spray it over the surface of the product. Leave for several hours, after which you can wash as usual.

Decorate with leather and suede

This is a very stylish combination. You can use these materials for edging, to make a collar, pockets or stripes out of them.

If you decide to make a vest from a denim jacket with your own hands, we suggest you use a few tips that will help during this process:

  1. It is very important that the color palette of the threads you use matches the product.
  2. To speed up the stripping process, use a blade or nail scissors.
  3. If you sew an elastic band to the inside of the back, the product will fit better on the figure.
  4. If the vest is without a collar, then you can decorate it using various decorative chains.

Video material

In order to transform a denim jacket into a vest yourself, you will not need a lot of physical effort and financial expenses. And in return you will receive a stylish and original item, which will not go unnoticed.

Denim vest is one of the main fashion trends the last few fashion seasons. It goes well with light sundresses and dresses, short shorts and bright skirts. However, not every girl has the money to purchase this useful and stylish item, especially since such vests are sometimes unreasonably expensive.

Good way To update your wardrobe without putting a significant dent in your wallet is to make a fashionable vest from an old denim jacket. If you don’t have the right denim, you can use something from someone else’s shoulder, because the vest doesn’t have to be the exact size.

Turning an old denim jacket into a fashionable vest

To give a shabby denim jacket a new life, you just need to rip off the sleeves, finish a few seams and, if necessary, decorate it with various decorative elements.

For work you may need:

  • cutting scissors;
  • threads matching the color;
  • wax crayon or soap;
  • a set of safety pins;
  • sewing ripper;
  • needle or sewing machine;
  • decorations (optional).

The operating procedure will be as follows:

  • To begin, apply new contours for the sleeve armhole to the product. There is no need to carefully rip off the sleeves, since the armholes of the vest should be slightly deeper than those of a denim jacket.
  • Then cut the sleeves according to the markings, leaving about 1 cm for finishing the seams.

Seams can be processed in several ways:

  • pull out several threads along the edge to create a careless fringe;
  • overcast using an overlocker;
  • trim with braid.

If you choose the latter method, then you will need to purchase a suitable tape (1 meter of tape will be more than enough). The tape is sewn to the armhole cut with a 5 mm seam.

Decor options

You can decorate the resulting vest using a variety of available materials, for example, buttons, beads, rhinestones, fringe, ribbons, etc. Let's look at two of the most interesting ways to decorate a denim vest.

Metal rivets

Metal studs will give a simple denim vest a slight touch of punk or rock style. The first thing you need to do is think over a pattern or design made of rivets and schematically mark it on the vest (it’s most convenient to use a special washable marker for this purpose). Then we estimate the approximate number of rivets that we will need.

Now you need to carefully attach the rivets to the vest so that you get the intended pattern. The easiest way to attach them is with a special machine, but usually only professional seamstresses have it. Therefore, we advise you to use a set of tools for installing buttons and rivets, which are available in a large assortment in regular handicraft stores. However, you can cheat and purchase imitation rivets on a self-adhesive basis.

Lace

Rough denim and exquisite lace together make an incredibly beautiful combination.

Therefore, as another way to decorate a denim vest, we want to offer you lace trim. In sewing stores you can find many options for lace ribbons - from synthetic braid to real lace woven with bobbins. We advise you to choose cotton, textured lace - on denim it will look more impressive.

How exactly to use lace to decorate a vest is up to you. You can put a thin strip along the edge of the sleeve armhole, you can trim pockets with it or use it as an original patch. Appliques in the form of lace patterns cut along the contour look very gentle.




Important Preparations

First, you need to prepare the “soil” for the upcoming creation of a street fashion masterpiece. The following materials and items should be on the table in front of you:

  • old jeans or store-bought fabric;
  • threads (it is advisable to match the color of the material);
  • needles;
  • safety pins – 3–4 pieces;
  • scissors;
  • ruler and soft measuring tape;
  • chalk or a piece of soap;
  • paper;
  • pencil.



All is ready? Then we pick up a simple pencil and begin the first stage of the fashion operation - design development. Take the creation of the project very seriously, because you will use this blank to create patterns. Think over the style of the product and its cut, and based on own preferences, splash out the idea on paper.

Simple denim pattern

To create a unique vest, you can buy fabric at your local store or take out old things from your closet. Why will the item be unique? Clothes made with your own hands always mean originality and originality, and you are guaranteed not to see the same vest on anyone you know.




When buying denim in a store, the main thing is not to overdo it. With a standard width of 1.5 meters, even a meter of jeans is enough for you. But before you go shopping for material, we recommend that you look around: if you haven’t had time to throw out your old, worn trousers or shirt, it’s time to use them! Take them out of the box immediately unnecessary things, and we will tell you the secrets of creating patterns for a denim vest with your own hands. So, let's go!

To create an exclusive handmade you will need the following measurements:

  • expected length of the product;
  • chest girth;
  • Waist;
  • shoulder length.

If you don't have the skills to take measurements, your favorite T-shirt can come to the rescue. Just attach it to the paper and outline the contours, adding a few centimeters on the sides. This way the vest will lie freely and not create inconvenience when moving. If you want to make patterns for a denim vest for a girl with your own hands of a non-standard shape, change the boundaries of the future project in accordance with the teenager’s own imagination and preferences.




Making a vest from purchased fabric

  1. From the 7th cervical vertebra, set the measured length down.
  2. Draw the neckline taking into account a 2 cm indent along the shoulder line.
  3. Make a 1.5 cm indentation for the back armhole and front.
  4. For the shoulder cut, move 7 cm from the top of the neckline.
  5. Draw a line for the edge of the side (parallel to the center of the shelf at a distance of 2 cm).
  6. From the top of the neckline, lower 5 cm and draw a cut line.
  7. Decorate the bevel of the side and the bottom line of the shelf. The pattern is ready.

Cut out your design and transfer it to fabric. Line the edges with a bar of soap or white chalk. Connect all patterns using safety pins. To begin with, you can walk along the connecting lines with a needle, and then secure the result with a sewing machine. If desired, you can leave the edges without edging - fringe is still in fashion.


This style is perfect for creating an ensemble with a denim skirt, flared denim trousers, and bananas. You can also wear a vest with a T-shirt with an interesting pattern and short shorts.

We sew a vest from old jeans

If you are planning to throw out your old denim trousers, which have been collecting dust on the top shelf for several seasons and are an eyesore, do not rush to implement hasty decisions. Take them out of a secluded corner, wash and dry. The blank for the vest is ready!




  1. Take a ruler in your hands and start drawing out the pattern. Take the back of the trousers with pockets as a basis.
  2. Draw a figure with seven corners on paper and cut it out. Transfer the workpiece to denim. Do not forget about the 1.5 cm allowance, it is necessary for connecting seams.
  3. Baste the seam allowance with thread, folding it inward.
  4. Sew the topstitching, leaving 5–7 mm at the edges.
  5. Make the second pattern in the same way. As a result, you should have two side blanks for a vest with pockets.
  6. Start processing the trouser legs. You need to cut two harnesses for the vest. First, measure the required distance from a point on your chest to your neck. Transfer the indicated length to the jeans, adding a few centimeters for the seams. Make patterns so that the width of the workpiece gradually decreases towards the neck.
  7. Next, attach the wide edges of the material to the base of the vest, pin them or sew them with thread. Sew the edges using a sewing machine.
  8. Try the product on. If necessary, adjust the length of the neck.
  9. Now sew two harnesses together.
  10. Tuck the edges in, retreating 5–7 mm and sew the seams on a machine.
  11. Let's make the back. This will be a narrow strip connecting the sides of the vest. Measure the width of the back, and cut the necessary part of the fabric, taking into account the additives for the seams. Be careful. The width of this part should match the length of one of the sides of the heptagon with which we made the base of the product.
  12. We process the edges of the back. The vest is ready, all that remains is to make the decor.



Having completed all the steps listed above, you are guaranteed to receive an exclusive item that you can decorate as you wish. We’ll talk about ways to decorate clothes made with our own hands later, but for now let’s move on to studying step by step instructions on turning an old denim jacket into a new trendy vest.

Cutting out an old denim shirt

If you have a denim shirt lying around in your closet that has long gone out of fashion, you can give it a second life by making a spectacular vest. In most cases, you don't even need needles and thread for this. Simply cut or cut out the sleeves - new thing at your disposal. Here you don’t even need to process the edges; the fashion for fringe never weakens.



If the length of the product does not suit you, it can be cut to the desired size. Put the workpiece on yourself and mark the required distance. Cut off the excess - the vest is ready.





Decorating a new vest

If you have already used the above recommendations, you should now have a finished denim product in front of you. To make it unique, you need to decorate the vest in any way you like:

  • Stones and rhinestones. This decoration can be purchased at any craft store. Just mark the places for decoration with a pencil, drip textile glue onto the fabric and place the stones. Press down the decor a little with your fingers and leave the product alone until the adhesive has completely dried.
  • Lace. This decor will always be in trend, rest assured. Lace can be sewn over jeans or used as connective tissue between clothing items. Nowadays, stores offer such a wide selection of this flirty material that you can choose the right option for any ensemble in which a vest will be used.



  • Bows and ribbons. Such delicate decor is used for sewing clothes for teenage girls. A more “adult” option could be bows made from the same fabric as the vest.
  • Scuffs and holes. To create “designer” holes, you can use a blade. Gently move it along the surface of the fabric, and gradually the threads will begin to tear and expose the weave.
  • Applications. Now the seamstress has a wide selection of appliqués and stripes at her disposal that can be glued to a future vest. Those who have embroidery skills can make their own flower or interesting ornament using floss.



  • Studs and spikes. These accessories will help you create a punk rock style outfit. Studs can be used to decorate any element of clothing from shoulder pads to collars.
  • American flag. Sew a fragment of such fabric with stars and stripes to the back or one of the side parts - the effect will be stunning!

Business, as you know, is afraid of the master. And if this master has some secrets, the job will be completed faster, and the result will exceed all expectations. Want to learn tips on sewing a denim vest? Okay, we’ve persuaded you, let’s tell you:

  • To avoid spending hours trying to “dismantle” old denim trousers or a shirt, use a blade and nail scissors.
To avoid spending hours trying to “dismantle” old denim trousers or a shirt, use a blade and nail scissors
  • When using plus size jeans as the starting material, you can simply cut off all the seams for ease and convenience. The small model will have to be cut out.
  • Before sewing all the details, try on the product in front of a mirror. Only after you are sure that the vest fits properly, connect all the parts with strong seams using a sewing machine.

What to wear with a new vest?

Now, after several hours of effort and creation, you see in front of you a new trendy vest. Now it remains to decide what things can be combined with the product. At the end of this article, you will learn what to wear, how to combine and how to complement your new look.


A vest can be complemented with a sheath dress

An irreplaceable thing for everyday looks


There are a lot of options for combining a denim vest, so there is no doubt that you will not be able to use your masterpiece for its intended purpose. Imagine, don’t be afraid of bright and unusual ideas, strive to get away from templates and standards - only a creative approach and the desire to be fashionable will help you create a truly worthwhile thing!

For quite some time now, denim jackets have been popular all over the world, which in some cases replace a cardigan or windbreaker and protect the body from the cold. But recently, denim windbreakers have become increasingly popular; they do not have any special protective function, but rather are an accessory.

Models

Among denim sleeveless vests there is a huge selection of models for every taste and occasion. Let's look at the most popular models this season.

Hooded

Models of sleeveless vests with a hood look slightly careless and hooligan-like, they can be attributed more to sporty style, rather than to casual style. Perfect for a trip to nature, paired with sweatpants and a long-sleeve sweatshirt.

With pockets

As for the presence of pockets in denim sleeveless vests, it is worth noting that absolutely any model can have pockets. They will not spoil the appearance of the product at all, but will only make the sleeveless vest more functional, because you can store keys, a small mirror, and even a phone in the pocket.

With rhinestones

You should be careful with models of denim sleeveless vests decorated with rhinestones, as too much rhinestones can ruin an attractive look. appearance products and simply look tacky and vulgar. But when rhinestones are used in moderation and laid out with a beautiful, interesting design or inscription, the item looks truly beautiful, stylish, even to some extent expensive and elegant.

With lace

A denim sleeveless vest decorated with light lace is a real find for romantic, dreamy ladies, as it looks quite gentle and cute. The decor of dark lace will add some slight insolence and sexuality to the image. But it should be remembered that, as in the case of rhinestones, there should not be too much lace so that there is no overkill. Ideally, decorative stripes and shoulder areas will look stylish.

With stripes

Various types of stripes are also popular when it comes to denim windbreakers or sleeveless vests. These could be, as already mentioned, lace details, possible stripes made of the same denim fabric in the form of slightly frayed pieces of patches, possible various options pictures and inscriptions, to put it simply, the variations of stripes are amazing in their diversity.

Full

In order not only not to create visually excessive volume, but also to reduce it somewhat, you should choose a model in accordance with the size, so that the product does not unnecessarily tighten the body, but also does not dangle like a bag. In addition, you should choose a sleeveless shirt with a length that slightly covers the buttocks, so that you can hide problem areas in the abdominal area, if any.

What to wear with?

Denim items are known for their uniqueness, as they suit many situations and can be combined with many other things. The main thing is to choose the right kit, which, thanks to small details will turn into the most fashionable image. Let's take a closer look at the most stylish combinations of this season.

Denim Shorts and Tank Top

Denim shorts and a sleeveless vest is best to choose the same style, as well as the same shade, so that neither one nor the other item visually stands out from the image. For example, if the shorts have small lace inserts, you can choose a sleeveless vest with the same small lace details; in combination with a tank top or T-shirt, you will get a nice stylish set. But we should not forget about moderation - excesses in any form will not lead to anything good.

Under jeans

In combination denim sleeveless vest There are no restrictions with jeans.

The only rule that must be followed concerns color range– the sleeveless vest should match the tone of the jeans so that the image is complete and harmonious.

With a skirt

Of course, a denim sleeveless vest will look most harmonious with a denim skirt of absolutely any style. But not only that, a sleeveless vest will also go well with almost any miniskirt, combined with a light turtleneck, tank top or T-shirt. In addition, a denim sleeveless vest harmonizes quite well with sun or semi-sun skirts, it turns out very stylish combination, a romantic image with an element of hooliganism.

With a dress

When it comes to dresses, a denim vest doesn’t go with everyone. Summer sundresses knee-length with thin straps, cotton shirtdress, loose fit, some of long sundresses and knitted short dresses - all this good options, suitable for combination with sleeveless vests.

How to do it?

Surely every person has a pair of old jeans lying around in their closet that they no longer want to wear, but it’s a shame to throw them away. And also, I think, many have encountered the problem of high prices, and not everyone can afford to buy some thing. And, of course, everyone knows the situation of a difficult choice, when you can’t find a model that you yourself came up with or even a close one, but you don’t want to take just anything. In all these cases, sewing a denim sleeveless vest yourself would be a pretty good solution, and we’ll look at how exactly now.

From old jeans

You can make a simple vest from old jeans. By making the front part, which extends over the neck, thin at the top and with ends flaring towards the bottom. And tie them together with a small wide strip of denim. The result will be such a simple, but very good option, and also quite simple to implement.


Perhaps jeans are the most versatile item of clothing that has not gone out of fashion for several decades. Only the shapes change, but nowadays you can successfully wear a model from 20 years ago, you just need to slightly transform it. These 17 Cool Ideas for Upcycling Old Jeans Will Really Give an Old Thing a New Look the new kind.

1. Braid



Black braid with pom-poms will help you quickly refresh the look of old jeans. Sew it carefully along the side seams and along the front pocket stitching.

2. Small detail



Carefully cut out the corner of the back pocket and secure it with thread. Decorate the opened area with metal rivets. So insignificant, at first glance, will transform old thing and will give it a new fashionable look.

3. A scattering of beads



Jeans decorated with beads are one of the fashion trends of the season. However, do not rush to spend money on buying another pair of trousers. You probably have a pair of plain old jeans in your closet. Carefully sew a couple of dozen beads to the legs and voila - you are already the happy owner of brand new, trendy pants.

4. Bag



A completely old shirt or jeans can be used to create an original handbag. Of course, to implement such an idea you will need a sewing machine and skills to work with it.

5. Lace



Stylish trousers with a spectacular black lace insert on the sides are an idea that anyone can realize, armed only with scissors, a needle, thread and a piece of guipure fabric.

6. Short vest



Give a tatty denim jacket a new look. To do this, you need to shorten it by about half, tear off the sleeves and fasten beautiful ribbon ties at the bottom.

7. Patches



Extend the life of kids' jeans by decorating the holes in the knees with bright patches with images of superheroes, or transform the rips into funny monsters.

8. Mickey Mouse



Classic plain jeans can be turned into a unique trend piece by decorating them with Mickey Mouse images. Moreover, to implement this idea you will not need any special artistic skills, just a special stencil and a felt-tip pen for fabric.

9. Glamorous fringe



A glamorous fringe ribbon, bright patches, sequins and half an hour of free time - that's all you need for a fantastic transformation of a simple denim jacket.

10. Leather inserts



Do you want to bring it into your casual look notes of daring and sexuality? Decorate a pair of classic skinny jeans with wide eco-leather inserts.

11. Checkered patches



Eye-catching red plaid patches look great paired with classic blue denim. Therefore, if you have a pair of these jeans in stock, it makes sense to pick up scissors, needles and threads and start making their fashionable transformation.

12. Gradient



Unusual painting will help update an old vest. To do this, dilute a little special fabric paint in water, dip the item in it so that the water covers it a little more than half and leave for a while. After removing the vest from the water, place it in the bath and carefully scrub the dye border with a stiff brush. After completing all these manipulations, rinse the vest well in cold running water.

Video bonus:

13. Bright pockets



With the help of scraps of bright fabric you can transform summer shorts in no time. Such a bright detail will undoubtedly attract the attention of others and become the highlight of the image.

14. Unusual divorces



Bleaching your shorts with bleach or dyeing them special paint for fabric. Despite the fact that these methods are as old as the world, they have not lost their relevance even now.

Video bonus:

15. Embroidery

Denim vest with knitted details.


Stylish jacket denim with knitted sleeves and a hood - a perfect example of crossing an old denim vest and a worn-out jersey cardigan.

Video bonus:

Did you know that jeans were originally clothing exclusively for workers? Read more