Board shorts were once worn only by surfers but these days they are must have beachwear essentials. A pair of board shorts are beachwear essentials, even if you’re not a a surfer. 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.
The most basic and simple way to make a pair of custom board shorts is to take an old pair of jeans and simply cut the legs off above the knee.To make these really simply you don’t really need to hem the legs. Letting the hems fray 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. One of my favourite modifications is to remove the rear pockets and add some nice, brightly colored summer material. I like to embroider my home made shorts and add a few custom patches and pieces of attractive, brightly colored material. I then wear the shorts with a long silk scarf threaded through the waist band as a belt. My boyfriend loves the way they look.
An alternative to denim jeans is to start with a pair of suit trousers. These can look really cool when cut down into board shorts, with a few embellishments. You will need to hem most old suit trousers to stop them coming apart. As for the denim board shorts, I always add a few personalized touches. Maybe a colorful new waist band or some side pockets made from brightly colored material.
You can find plenty of old trousers at your nearest charity shop. You will find plenty of old trousers to choose from, ideal for recycling into a fresh and funky pair of board shorts.