10 Best Tennis Shoes With Shorts

Best Tennis Shoes With Shorts in 2023

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Hot Summer Shorts to DIY For

A summer staple in the warmer months, there's no need to shop for just the shorts you want.

The Skinny on the Cut Off Short
When the cut off jean was last big in popularity, it was what it said it was, a pair of jeans that was cut off at the desired length and left to fray. It was a way of recycling and old pair of jeans that maybe were too short, too faded, had some holes or stains, etc. So the deal was that when summer came, rather than throw them out, you could take that pair of jeans and cut them down for a pair of shorts. It sounds so simple! And it was.

To think of paying full price for a pair of shorts that look like they are your old worn out jeans cut off is really a little crazy when you think about it. Why not just cut out the middle man (no pun intended) and get your cut offs old school?

Choosing the right jean
The simplest way of choosing which jeans to cut down is to look in your closet, dresser drawers, or wherever you happen to keep jeans you might not wear any more. You might have a pair of flare leg jeans that you loved when in style but might not wear any more, but the tops are still perfectly good and fit you like a dream. Don't toss them, cut them down! Or the pants you got paint on redoing that coffee table you picked up at the flea market? Just cut above the stain. BTW corduroys make super cute and unique cut offs as well, as so khaki type pants (tan or green) so don't limit yourself to just blue jeans. Also, don't miss the opportunity to raid your boyfriend's old stash either. A good jean cut off can fit differently, more loosely, or lower slung than a regular pant, so think outside the box.

If you find you simply don't have any old jeans to cut down, not to worry. Your local Salvation Army, Goodwill, or other charitable thrift store will have tons. Again, you don't have to worry about length or whether they are too short, too long, straight leg, tapered, flared, or bootcut. Just make sure the top half fits well and you are good to go. And if you're the type that gets a little queasy wearing a stranger's old jeans (though really, you shouldn't) you still can get a good deal at the mall or department store. Full length jeans go on sale when the shorts come out and are in most cases a fraction of the price of a pair of the faux cut off shorts. So take them to the register with a shy but knowing grin and soon they will be the shorts of your dreams at a much smaller price.

The DIY Dirty Work
Now for the fun stuff. You've found the jeans you want to alter and have your scissors at the ready. If you've never cut off a pair of jeans, it might seem a little daunting at first. After all, once they are cut there is no going back. So I use the old carpenter's rule of "measure twice, cut once." I also have my own rule of cutting longer than I want at first. After I've cut them the first time and tried them on, if they are too long, I can always cut them more. In other words, bermuda shorts can easily become hot pants, but not the other way around. So use your shears wisely.

So to try to get the length you want, put on the pants, find where you think you would like the line of your jeans to go, and mark with a pencil, pin, piece of chalk, tape etc. in a not so obvious place just below that. The reason for this is, depending on your body type, once the bottom part of the pant leg is removed, the top part may ride up, making the short possibly shorter than you ultimately want it to be. Also, despite your best efforts, your cuts may be slanted or uneven between pant legs. Bear in mind too that these pants will eventually have that great fray you are looking for, so leave room for that too when cutting.

Once you have determined where you are going to cut, make a faint line with some chalk or place a piece of tape to mark where you will cut across the pant leg, as straight as possible. The best way to make sure it isn't higher on one side than the other is to make the line parallel to the hem at the bottom of the pant leg. Now making sure all your fabric is flat on top and bottom, take a deep breath, pray to sewing gods, and make your cut. Before cutting the other leg, try the pants on again and make sure the cut is where you want it to be. Make any adjustments you might need and get ready to cut the other leg. If you haven't made any adjustments to your first cut, the best way to get an identical cut on the opposite leg is to take the piece you've cut off and lay it on the uncut leg to use as a guide. Line up your seams, make sure your fabric is nice and flat on both and cut along the guide. If you've made some adjustments you can do the same thing by folding the top part of the garment in half and use the short line you've cut as your guide. Try them on, make sure everything is lined up and cut the way you want, and voila, you're done! Well, almost.

Beyond the Fray
Now that your new shorts are just the right length and fitting nicely, it's time to get your fray on. The old school way is to just pop them into the washing machine and let the agitator have at it. There will be lots of dangling strings that you can either cut off or leave as you wish. For a little bit of a neater fray, before washing, with a sewing machine sew a straight stitch all around the leg just above the cut line, maybe a half an inch, then wash. This will keep your fraying uniform and neat.

But you don't need to stop there. One of the best things about DIY is that your cutoffs can be customized to your own personal taste and show some of your personality. In terms of fraying, you can continue your fraying by doing some work on the pockets. Using a seam ripper (available at your local fabric store for a dollar or two) pierce and then cut through the top fold of fabric on the front and/or back pockets. Once washed, this will add a little more frayed detail to your shorts. If you're handy with an embroidery needle, maybe add some detail to the seams in some interesting colors. A small bird or flower, perhaps a blanket stitch on the tops of the pockets and waist band, or even an extra running stitch would add a little DIY flair.

I've noticed that patches seem to be pretty popular, as they were in the first incarnation of the cut off. Embroidered patches can be cute, but sometimes too cutesy, so tread carefully. An alternative is a fabric patch in a contrasting shade, color, or even a vintage print. Old school these patches were mostly utilitarian i.e. you had a hole and you patched it ... artfully, of course. So choose a spot that you think would get the most wear and place your patches there. Or take some artistic license and just put them where you think they'll work best. Maybe mix up the fabric patches with some embroidery, a small embroidered patch, or even some painting or silk screen stenciling. Just no puff paints please, unless you are under the age of 10 or over the age of 60. If you're unsure about handling a brush, try an acrylic paint pen instead.

Just the Look, Please
So maybe you dig the DIY or indie aesthetic, but are little short in the mad skillz or time department. Or maybe cut offs just aren't for you. Not to worry. You can still find some pretty cool hot shorts that definitely aren't so ho hum.

My favorite place to look for unique items is, of course, the mecca for all things indie and DIY, Etsy. I found these at Etsy, the sweetest pair of denim shorts with a scalloped hem. I doubt you'll find these shorts at your local mall. Moving some away from the basic short, the romper is also enjoying a bit of a revival this year, and if you've been DIY'ing to try one, this romper / onesie at Etsy is stunning. So much more than just a short and just a cut above casual wear.

If you haven't totally weaned yourself from mass produced (yet) the GAP actually had some patched denim shorts that were pretty cute. I also found this adorable romper at Free People in a muted print that would work great for every day and looks super comfy. You probably don't need to do the whole hat and moccasin boot bit to look indie cool, and maybe a tank or tube underneath will keep you cooler on those really steamy days. But you get the idea.