How to Make Whisker Lines on Jeans

Whiskers give jeans a rugged and worn appearance.

The crease lines that appear on jeans, either at the hips, knees, or cuffs, are called whiskers. They give the jeans the appearance of being worn or aged to perfection. If you've got a pair of pants that's missing whiskers, you can either wait a few years for the whiskers to appear on their own or you can make the lines yourself. With careful placement, the contrasting lines can accentuate your figure or add a more rugged feel to your overall look.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Pumice stone
• Bleach

Instructions

1. Put on the pair of jeans and look in a mirror. Find places where whiskers could accentuate the denim as well as your body. Some places to start are at the hips, above or below the knees, and at the cuffs of the pants.

2. Mark the pants with a pencil in the places where you'd like to add whiskers. The pencil marks will serve as guidelines, so make sure they are visible.

3. Take off the jeans and lay them on a flat surface. A counter top or ironing board will suffice.

4. Dip a pumice stone in a mixture of 3 parts water and 1 part bleach. Then use one end to rub whiskers onto the jeans. Rub back and forth with the stone until the fabric starts to fade, but don't rub so hard that you put a hole in the denim. Remember to balance out both sides of the pants. You don't want one side to have more whiskers than the other.

5. Allow the pants to dry for a day. Then throw them in the washer. If you're not satisfied with the contrasting whiskers, repeat the rubbing process and wash them again.

References

• Jeans and Accessories: How to Distress Jeans