Jasminum rex: DIY Kim Jong-il leather scallop shorts

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A few weeks ago there was a huge sale again at UFF (the biggest chain of second hand stores in Finland). Every day the prices drop by a euro, until finally, on the last day, everything costs 1€. I always find this is a great opportunity to pick up otherwise ugly and unwearable pieces you might be able to turn into something spectacular with just a bit of DIY skills. (Because lets face it, by that time there isn't anything left which would be wearable as it is!) This time I took home a pair of ugly brown lady's (or so I thought) motorcycle trousers. I instantly thought they would make a great pair of shorts, and then got really excited by the idea of scalloping them! I must mention: the tag inside the trousers said "Made in Korea," which of course intrigued me very much. North Korea? Might they have belonged to his supreme leader Kim Jong-il? I dare say he would look saucy in a pair of leather scallop shorts, especially with those platforms he wears! If you want to look as libidinous as the master himself, please follow these simple DIY steps!

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For this project you need: An old pair of leather trousers which fit you around the waist and are loose around the thighs; a piece of cardboard (get use out of old cerial boxes!); a pencil; chalk; a measuring band/ruler/other measuring device and shears.

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01. Start by slipping into the trousers. Stand in front of a mirror and think about what length you want your shorts to be. Remember that they will turn out a little shorter once you do the scalloping. Draw a mark on each leg where you want them cut off.

Take of the trousers and lay them flat. Hold the groin and pull the legs straight, making sure there are no folds or creases. With help of the ruler and some chalk draw a straight line where you are going to cut off the leg. check the lines are at the same level (unless you are purposely going for the unsymmetrical look, which could be cool...) With a pair of sharp shears cut off the legs. Look in the mirror to check they really are the same length!

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02. At this point you will probably have a load of lining hanging out from inside the legs. Fold back the leather and trim the lining, making sure it's so short it won't peek out even when the edges have been scalloped. You can sew the seam to make it more tidy, but it's not the end of the world if you don't ;)

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03. Estimate how wide you want your scallops to be. Measure the circumference of the leg and divide it by the estimate you made. Round up to the next whole number and divide the circumference by this. You will end up with the width of each scallop.

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04. On a piece of cardboard trace a line the length of your scallop. Mark the middle. Draw a line down the middle, making it whatever length you want the scallops to be. (Shorter line for "shallow" scallops and long line for "deep" scallops. Connect the lines by tracing a half moon from one end of the scallop to another. You can do this free hand or with help of a cup, lid etc. Cut out your scallop stencil.

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05. Starting at the outer seam of your shorts, laying the stencil centrally over the seam, start tracing your scallop shape onto the leather with chalk. Start each new scallop where the old one ends and leave a few mm. of space underneath each scallop (more space for mistakes later!)

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06. Cut out your scallops carefully using a pair of sharp shears. Try to cut the corner between each scallop in a rounded fashion - it makes for a softer more finished look. Follow the lines and keep checking in between that you really are cutting the right way!

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07. Your Kim Jong-il shorts are almost finished! To remove the excess chalk marks dip a pice of paper in some oil (cooking oils like olive or sesame work just fine) and wipe the leather with it. You can wipe down the entire shorts with a bit of oil to make it softer and more durable!

Before you finish try the shorts on to see if everything looks alright. Go back to make any corrections.

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08. Voila! Your saucy Kim Jong-il leather scalloped shorts are ready and should look something like those above. I recommend either wearing these with neutral colours and keeping the accessorize to a minimum in order to really let them shine or going absolutely bonkers with colours. I see wooden bangles, african necklaces, a bright yellow blouse, Maasai fabrics wrapped into a turban, bright red nails and tall wedges! Uuuuh yes! (FYI: This is a statement piece. I happened to be in the same airplane as the Dudesons and even they seemed slightly amused.)

Below you can see my inspiration for these shorts. See also: Kim Jong-Il.