I have a problem. Come fall season, I always find myself buying approximately ten thousand pairs of jeans. Honestly, no human being should own as many pieces of denim as I do. Skinny, boot-cut, faded, destroyed, dark wash and light, I have them all. It brings quite the diversity to my wardrobe – for most of the year. Being the queen of jeans, while great for September through March, does not do me much good during the summer months.

Recently, I’ve started using some old pairs of jeans to turn into denim shorts. I figured by doing this, I could cut the cost of my summer wardrobe while decreasing the jeans pile forming in my closet. However, I had some difficulty at first. It turns out that randomly chopping off most of the jean leg does not result in cute Daisy Dukes, but awkwardly uneven shorts that were probably better off as jeans.

Thankfully, though, I’ve discovered a means of successfully transitioning jeans to shorts. I also discovered multiple ways of making unique pairs of shorts. These projects are fun, because not only can you create cute shorts, but you can get creative with them. Buttons, beads, and lace embellishments can transform a simple pair of denim shorts into a one-of-a-kind fashion statement.

Take a look at the gallery below for different ideas to dress up your DIY shorts.

[Images: top image, gallery images 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]