EBDenim Dupe
Have you noticed chains coming back as a major accessory? Want something to spice up your denim game? Well, do I have the DIY for you! These chain panel jeans from designer EBDenim (@EBDenim on instagram) have recently been garnering some major attention & seen on the likes of many an ig baddie. If you’ve seen that $300 price tag like I have, don’t sweat it -- here are some steps to creating a pretty sick dupe.
Sidenote: if you’re financially capable of supporting this lovely designer go ahead and swipe that credit card! Supporting up and coming designers allows them to share their creative vision and validates their artistic journey.
MATERIALS:
Pair of Jeans
1 grommet kit (size 7/16 ‘’ or ⅜’’)
20 grommets (size 7/16’’ or ⅜ ‘’)
Hammer
8 ft of chains
2 locking quick-links
Scissors (or if you’re feeling yourself, Fabric Scissors)
E6000 glue // Sewing Machine (optional)
STEP ONE: Grab a friend and head over to the nearest arts & crafts store in your area (I heavily recommend JoAnn’s Fabrics or Michaels as they’re always having some crazy in-store sales). Take a look at the materials section above and snag everything on the list BESIDES the chains and quick-link – we’ll get there. Finally it’s time for your friend to spring into action and take half your inventory; use their presence to your advantage and send your coupons their way, go and save that coin!
SIDENOTE: if your craft stores only carry eyelets that’s completely fine! The major difference between eyelets and grommets is that grommets are used for a bit more heavy duty work -- think curtains. The only reason I prefer grommets for this DIY is that they tend to come in larger diameter sizes.
STEP TWO: Now, hop back on the bus and head to Home Depot to grab some chains and two quick-links (think carabiner but more heavy duty). Most arts & crafts stores charge a good amount for their “specialty chains” but Home Depot carries chains by-the-foot, meaning significantly more bang for your buck. Now, what type of chain you want completely depends on your style – you could go for the traditional link-chain or mess around with some twisted rope chain. I would recommend at least 8 ft of chain but make sure to guesstimate for your own body and leave room for error. Before leaving the store, make sure to pick up a ¼ ’ zinc-plated quick link. The purpose of this quick link is to cinch the jeans at the top once we’ve threaded the chains through our grommets and make sure they sit just right on your waist (or low rise as that’s making a come back).
STEP THREE: Ok, finally you’re back home, drank some water, and ready to get to the second half of this DIY journey. Grab a pair of jeans and find where the front and back ends meet and create a seam; there should be two long seams connecting the front and back panels on both sides. In the case that your jeans fit your waist nicely, simply measure down the seam to where you want to cut down to and start chopping. If your jeans are a bit baggy or oversized in the waistline, feel free to cut a “V” shape to better fit your waist.
STEP FOUR: Now on the off chance that you have a sewing machine in your apartment, sew down the raw hems you just cut to make sure the ends of the jeans don't fray. Or, if a sewing machine is not readily available, glue down the edges with some E6000 fabric glue – it might take a couple minutes for the glue to really set in so don’t rush the process. Now once the raw hem is no more, bust out the grommets and make sure to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS on how to hammer them in and make sure to cut out X shape slits in your fabric no bigger than the diameter of the smaller grommet piece. I would recommend around 4-5 grommets on each side of your V, so 8-10 grommets per side. Now get to work and start hammering away!
STEP FIVE: With all that physical labor behind us, it’s time to get to the fun part. Take out your Home Depot chains and lace them through the grommets in a shoelace-like pattern. Start from the bottom and as you arrive at your top two last grommets, take out your quick link chain and connect the chains at the top. Make sure to adjust your chains to whatever tightness you’d like as the quicklink will solidify whatever your preferences are.
STEP SIX: Finally we’re done!! Pu$$y stunt on instagram, post that shit to your story, and feel like an absolute bad bitch. Now when anyone stops you and asks “Woah where’d you get those jeans?” you can take pride in the fact that you crafted them yourself <3
Words and Designs by Sumati Wadwha