****Denim Days - DIY****

I love a good pair of distressed denim...shorts or jeans.  So when I saw this plain denim shirt on the rack at a thrift store it basically jumped in my hand begging for some sanding.  Plus, with the double denim looks popping up everywhere and a few of Rihanna's latest looks it was pretty much fate.  Luckily the shirt was a men's size 14 1/2 so it wouldn't be too oversized but for this DIY you could always use a women's shirt.

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Denim shirt
• Bleach
• Sandpaper or sanding sponge

***One thing to mention is this will get messy.  You will be inhaling denim fibers so you may want a mask and with the bleach it may be best to save this project for a day when its nice and you can either work outside or open up all the windows so there is a lot of ventilation....I don't want you passing out before you get a chance to wear what you made***

WHAT TO DO:

• First step is to get knees deep into sanding.  Now I did not go into this DIY with a plan or pattern for the distressing so it was a complete organic process. If you prefer you can map it all out but that doesn't sound like to much fun..lol.  You can use either the traditional sandpaper or opt for the easier sanding block which is quite similar to the ones we use for our nails.  I chose the block only because it truly is easier.
• Working in small sections, you just want to delicately sand the area until you begin to see the underlying white fibers.
• Once the fibers are exposed, gently begin to tug at them in order to separate them and create the typical distressed strands we are so familiar with.
• Now this will take some time but just continue on until you get the perfect amount of distressing for your taste.

• Now we move on to the bleaching.  There is a couple ways to do this depending on the intended outcome.  I chose to put the shirt into the sink with a bit of water and slowly pour the bleach over it. Personally the simple denim coloring of the shirt wasn't really my thing and I knew I wanted a lighter wash. The areas of first contact with the bleach will end up being the lightest but as the sink began to fill with up, I began to dunk the shirt so that it was completely saturated.  
• Watch the shirt carefully and as soon the minute the shirt begins to lighten up immediately rinse with cold water.

• I then put the shirt through a quick wash cycle with only Oxiclean (only because I just couldn't put it through a cycle without something...a bit of neuroticism I think...lol)
• Throw it in the dryer
• Now wear it out 

I'm seriously itching to wear this with some leather and chunky chain necklace...

Stay tuned and see ya next