DIY ombre denim shorts,

Dip dye shorts have been quite a sensation recently, and what better to jazz up a pair of mundane denim shorts than to create the Ombré effect ♥ The french word ombragé stems from the English word umbrage, which simply means shaded. I love using stark contrasting colours for this, because it eventually creates a soft gorgeous blend - no matter how different the colours may be at first!

Fabric dyes: $6 each

Denim shorts:  Old pair collecting dust in my wardrobe

Time taken: Less than an hour

I got my dyes from Art Friend (members discounts make my day) but you can get any cheap dyes you find at your local art store. Take note that some cheap dyes may not produce very vibrant colours, so it's good to invest in some good ones! I used Flamingo pink and Ocean blue for this DIY. Here, I've chosen to dip-dye my pair of old denim shorts, which are extremely loose for me, it's probably at least a quarter larger than my actual size. Also, the time taken might vary because it takes some time to dry.

Step 1: Dampen the pair of clean shorts, preferably immersing it in warm water for about 5 minutes. This helps the shorts to take in the dye a lot better later.

Step 2: Create your dye potions, follow the instructions given on the packets and make sure the dye is equally dissolved in the water (different amounts give rise to various proportions) You may also adjust the intensity of the colours by adding more water. Another good tip is to make the water warm so the dye is absorbed faster, and to use non-staining pails!

Step 3: Dip-dye half of the shorts into the darker potion, if I dip it after the lighter potion the colour may run down and affect the intensity and I didn't want that. If you want brighter colours, leave it inside longer! Patting it doesn't help.

Step 4: Leave it out to dry, but not in direct sunlight because strong sunlight may cause the effect to fade. I placed mine on a hanger and left it in the shower for a day.

Voilà, fini.

Tip: Please wear long gloves so the dye doesn't stain when you submerge your hands in, I had different coloured stained hands for a week! (Along with my newly manicured gelish nails)

Going one step ahead, you could create the rugged look by cutting the ends of your denim shorts and tearing the frayed ends. If you make any mistakes (mess ups are natural), you could use clear nail varnish to patch up the ends or just let it be! I'm tempted to make my own with an old pair of denim black jeans, and using the leftover material for a new Macbook sleeve or a pencil case. I'll share more on that if I ever get down to doing it ♥