DIY Pearl Embellished Denim

DIYpearldenim_feature As far as embellishment goes, pearls are pretty high on my list of favourites. I'm not sure if it's their subtle iridescence or their mermaid-esque quality and tie to the ocean, but the love is undeniable.

I remember seeing a fully pearl embellished pair of jeans in a showroom a few seasons ago and though I talked myself out of buying them for the shop (pearl jeans aren't for everyone, after all), I haven't stopped thinking about them since. The ultimate manifestation of street style meets fairy tale, what could be better than mixing precious pearls with lightly distressed denim?

Needless to say, DIY pearl embellished denim has been on my list for awhile now, and upon rediscovering an old denim jacket in my closet recently, I decided it was time to give it a feminine spin and breathe new life into the classic staple.

Materials //

Denim jacket, or a pair of jeans Pearls (I opted for a variety of sizes) Thin Needle Thread (I used clear, but white would also work) Scissors

Instructions // 

Start by laying out your denim and decided where you want to place your pearls. If you'd prefer a more even pattern, I'd recommend creating a pattern by marking where you want to place each pearl with tiny marker dots. I wanted a more random pattern, so I decided not to worry about marking out the placement.

Thread your needle. From the inside of the denim, push the needle through the denim and thread a pearl onto the needle.

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Pull the needle and thread through, and then push it back into the denim, right next to the first hole.

Repeat this process two more times, bringing the needle back through the denim, through the pearl and back through the second hole, for a total of three times. On the fourth time, wind the thread tightly around the base of the pearl three times. This will hold it securely in place.

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Bring the needle back through the denim to the inside, tie securely in a double knot and trim.

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Repeat these steps until you've achieved the desired pattern with your pearls. I opted for a mix of different sizes of pearls in a random pattern that fades out towards the bottom. Et voila! Time to style this pretty little embellished number. I'm most excited to layer it over simple summer dresses and vintage tees, and maybe pair it with a tulle skirt and lace cami combo for a date night.

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