The colder weather of fall is upon us, and it’s time to put away our summer shorts. One of the biggest trends this year is distressed mom jeans — a very versatile article of clothing that can be dressed up or dressed down. It’s even flattering to all body types. As an alternative to paying full retail price, I suggest making the mom jeans distressed yourself. DIY is always a great way not to break the bank.

What you’ll need:

Mom or boyfriend jeans (Philly AIDS Thrift)

Scissors (Jo-Ann Fabrics)

Tweezers (CVS)

An emery board or pumice stone (CVS)

Chalk (Staples)

Step One:

Try your jeans on and mark with chalk where you want your cuts to be. This is super convenient because you can control where the distress is to accommodate for your the length of your legs, no matter how tall you are.

Step Two:

Cut horizontal lines across the jeans with your scissors. To achieve the patchier cuts, cut random lengths of horizontal lines down the jeans. To achieve the larger boxy holes, cut rectangles down the jeans.

Step Three:

Pull out the vertical threads of the fabric using a tweezer. The vertical threads are typically the blue threads unveiling the white underlayer.

Tip: Cutting two parallel lines stops the thread from running the whole way up the denim.

Step Four:

Glide a pumice stone or emery board across the cuts, giving the jeans that worn in look. Throwing your jeans in the dryer will also give them a similar look.

There is absolutely no way to do this wrong. Make this style your own and have fun DIYing.