DIY Denim Skirt from Shirt + 5 Ways to Wear

For the life of me, I can’t recall who or where I got this denim shirt from. It was likely from a relative or I snatched it from a reject pile during a spring cleaning event (one of my favorite pastimes). Either way, good quality denim is one of those things I can’t pass up.

Originally, I tried sporting it as a light jacket but as luck would have it, the sleeves were humongous for my petite frame. It wasn’t long before I thought of the perfect DIY! It just so happen that denim skirts were making a comeback…not just any old denim skirt but the button-front version. I was inspired to transform this denim shirt into a skirt.

Here’s what I did

1. First thing I did was to remove the sleeves by cutting them off at the seams. I then used a well-fitted skirt as a guide and lightly traced around it using tailor’s chalk. This was to ensure that I had enough material to work with and that the front was symmetrical.
2. Once I traced the pattern, I cut along the new waistline and prepared the skirt for fitting by pinning along the tracings.
3. When fitting, I made sure to accommodate for the waistband (by placing the waistline an inch below my waist), then made any necessary alterations. Once I was happy with the fit, I stitched the sides then removed the excess fabric along the seams.
4. For the waistband, I cut 2 strips 3in wide (1 from each sleeve) that when joined, equals my waistline measurement + 1in seam allowance.
5. Once joined, I folded the band in half lengthwise and stitched both ends leaving a 1/2in allowance. I then pinned the waistband along the waistline and finished.
6. As for the sleeves, I simply stitched the armholes together and then the sides to form a casing. Done!

Incooperating the sleeves and collar was a last minute idea. Below are 5 ways I styled them together.

5 Ways I Styled the skirt

It was a bit of a ‘tight squeeze’ so to speak, but I managed. Haha! I like to utilize refashion pieces as much as possible, which is why I incooperated the sleeves and collar into different looks.

Easy enough, no? Comment below and let me know which look is your fav.