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How to Make Jorts From Old Jeans (Baggy or Fitted)

5 min read · WORN

To make jorts, pick an old pair of jeans, put them on and mark where you want the hem, add about 1 to 2 inches for fraying or cuffing, then cut straight across with sharp scissors and wash them to fray. That's genuinely how to make jorts: one cut, one wash. Baggy jorts come from baggy jeans, so the pair you start with matters more than your cutting skills.

If you've got jeans that haven't left the drawer in months, WORN is being built to show you exactly which ones you never wear, so you know which pair to cut: Start my outfit diary

Jorts meaning, quickly: jorts = jean + shorts. Once a joke, now a staple. Long, baggy jorts are the current look for pretty much everyone.

Pick the right jeans

The best jeans to make jorts out of are ones you already don't wear. Knee rip that got too big? Hem that's destroyed? Waist fits but the length is wrong? Perfect.

What to look for:

Jorts for guys vs jorts for girls

Honestly, same process. The difference is just the starting jeans and the length. Guys often go for knee-length baggy jorts; girls might go shorter and more fitted, or the same oversized knee-length look. Wear what you like.

Measure before you cut

This is the step that saves you. You cannot un-cut denim.

  1. Put the jeans on.
  2. Stand in front of a mirror and decide where you want the finished hem.
  3. Mark it with chalk, a pin or a washable marker.
  4. Add length for the finish:
    • Fraying: add about 1 inch.
    • Single cuff: add about 2 inches.
    • Double cuff: add about 3 to 4 inches.
  5. Take them off and draw the cut line across the leg.

How long should jorts be?

For the current baggy look, just above or right at the knee. For classic cut-offs, mid-thigh. If you're unsure, go long. You can always cut more.

Cutting straight (and longer than you think)

How to cut jeans into shorts without them coming out wonky:

  1. Lay the jeans flat, smoothed out, with the side seams lined up.
  2. Cut the first leg along your line using sharp fabric scissors. Kitchen scissors chew denim.
  3. Angle the cut slightly: a touch longer at the inner thigh than the outer. This stops the inseam from riding up when you walk.
  4. Fold the cut leg over onto the uncut one, line them up, and use it as a template for the second leg.
  5. Try them on. Trim if needed, a little at a time.

This is where most people realize they're guessing. Which jeans do you actually wear? Which ones are dead weight? WORN is being built to remember for you: one photo of your outfit each day, no tagging, and after a month it tells you the four things you really wear and the twelve you never touch. Those twelve are your next DIY project. Start my outfit diary

Fraying vs cuffing vs hemming

How to fray jorts

Wash and dry them. That's the easy version, and you'll get a light fringe. For more:

How to distress the jeans hem and add rips

Want a lived-in look? Rub sandpaper or a pumice stone on the pockets and thighs. For rips, make two parallel horizontal cuts about an inch apart, then pull out the blue vertical threads between them, leaving the white ones. That's the classic way of how to make ripped jeans at home, and it works on jorts too. Pair it with bleach from our how to bleach a hoodie guide if you want a full acid-wash look.

How to cuff jorts

Fold the hem up once, about 1 to 2 inches, then fold again. Iron it flat or tack each side with a few stitches so it stays. Cuffed jorts look cleaner and more put together.

Hemming

If you (or someone at home) can sew, fold the raw edge under twice and stitch around. Clean, no fringe, looks store-bought.

How to make baggy jorts from baggy jeans

How to make jorts without sewing

Every method above except hemming is no-sew. Fray or cuff, done.

Styling your jorts

Find the jeans worth turning into jorts

The easiest jorts are made from the jeans you've stopped wearing. WORN is a planned outfit diary: one tap, one photo of what you wore, and after a month it shows what's in your real rotation and what never leaves the drawer. It's not built yet; sign up and you'll get one email when it opens.

Start my outfit diary

FAQ

How do you make jorts out of jeans without them being too short?

Mark your hem while wearing the jeans, then add 1 to 4 inches depending on whether you'll fray or cuff. Cut one leg, try it on, then match the second. Always cut long first.

What are the best jeans to make baggy jorts?

Straight, relaxed or wide-leg jeans in rigid cotton denim. Men's relaxed fits from thrift stores are popular for everyone because the thigh is roomy.

How do you fray jorts fast?

Wash and dry them, then pull out the horizontal white threads and scrub the edge with a wire brush. A couple more washes and the fringe fills out.

Should jorts be cuffed or frayed?

Frayed looks casual and relaxed; cuffed looks cleaner and a bit more styled. Both are in. If you can't decide, cut long enough to cuff, since you can always cut the cuff off later.

Can you make shorts out of any jeans?

Mostly, yes. Very stretchy jeans may curl instead of fraying neatly, so cuff or hem those instead.

A diary of what you actually wore. One photo a day, one tap. After a month it tells you the four things you really wear and the twelve you never touch.

Start my outfit diary

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