You have a pair of straight-leg jeans that fit perfectly at the waist, but the legs feel outdated. You want to give them a modern, slim fit without buying a whole new pair.

Yes, you can make jeans into skinny jeans by tapering the inner leg seam¹. This DIY project² gives old denim new life by creating a custom, modern silhouette with basic sewing skills³.

I’ve been working with denim for over two decades, and I’ve seen styles circle back time and time again. Altering jeans is a classic trick that lets you keep your favorite denim in rotation, no matter the current trend.

It's a fantastic way to be sustainable and get more life out of your clothes. At my factory, DiZNEW, we deal with precise measurements⁴ every day, but this is a change you can easily make at home.

It’s all about reshaping the leg to fit your personal style.

How can you turn normal jeans into skinny jeans?

You're ready to start your DIY project but feel nervous about sewing. You don’t want to make a mistake and ruin a perfectly good pair of jeans.

First, wear the jeans inside out and pin along the inner leg seam to mark your desired slimness. Then, sew along this new line, checking the fit as you go.

This process reminds me of my early days. Back in the 1970s, when flared jeans went out and skinny drainpipes came in, everyone I knew did this.

We’d take our old flares and machine the inner leg seam, from the crotch all the way down to the ankle.

The trick is to taper the seam more as you get below the knee for that classic skinny shape. The most important step?

Before you make a final cut, always check that your foot can still fit through the ankle opening. Here’s a simple guide to follow:

DIY Skinny Jean Guide

Step	Action	Pro-Tip from My Experience
1. Pin for Fit	Wear the jeans inside out. Have a friend help you pin the excess fabric along the inseam until you get the skinny fit you want.	Use safety pins if you're worried about getting pricked while taking them off.
2. Mark the Line	Take the jeans off carefully. Use tailor’s chalk5 or a fabric pencil to draw a smooth line connecting the pins.	A curved ruler can help you get a smooth, natural-looking line from the thigh to the ankle.
3. Test Your Stitch	This is my best advice. Use a bright, contrasting thread and long stitches on your sewing machine to sew along the line.	This temporary stitch is easy to remove if you need to make adjustments after trying the jeans on.
4. Final Stitch	Once you’re happy with the fit, sew over the line again with a matching thread color and a small, strong stitch.	This ensures the seam is durable and will hold up to wear and washing.
5. Finish It	Trim the excess fabric about half an inch from your new seam. Use a zigzag or overlock stitch on the raw edge to stop it from fraying.	This gives your DIY project2 a professional, clean finish inside.

Can you alter jeans to make them skinny?

You’re looking at different pairs of jeans in your closet and wonder if any type can be transformed. You're not sure if the fabric or original cut works for this kind of alteration.

Yes, you can absolutely alter most straight-leg or bootcut jeans to make them skinny. The project works best on jeans that already fit you well in the waist and hips.

In my experience, altering jeans is one of the most common requests a tailor gets. It’s also a very achievable project to do at home.

The best candidates for this are jeans that you already love the fit of around the top. The alteration focuses almost entirely on the legs, from the thigh down.

Denim with some stretch in it is often more forgiving and comfortable for a skinny fit, but this alteration works beautifully on 100% cotton denim⁶ too.

The final fit will just be more rigid and structured. The easiest way to do this is by taking in the inseam (the seam on the inside of your leg).

This method preserves any special details on the outseam, like a selvedge edge, and it’s a straightforward line to sew.

What does Gen Z think of skinny jeans?

You see a lot of fashion articles online declaring that skinny jeans are "over," mostly thanks to Gen Z. You feel a bit out of sync and wonder if this style is even worth wearing.

Gen Z has largely embraced looser fits like baggy and straight-leg jeans. However, fashion is personal, and while skinny jeans aren't the top trend, they remain a wardrobe classic for many.

Trends are always shifting. Right now, it’s true that Gen Z’s fashion choices are heavily influenced by the comfort and nostalgia of 90s and Y2K styles.

This has brought looser silhouettes to the forefront. On platforms like TikTok, you'll see wide-leg, cargo, and "dad" jeans everywhere. But in my line of work at DiZNEW, I see the full picture.

While we are producing a massive volume of baggy jeans for brands, we are still getting orders for skinny and slim-fit styles. They haven't disappeared.

Instead, the skinny jean is evolving. You now see more "slim-taper" or "skinny-straight" styles that offer a middle ground.

At the end of the day, trends are just suggestions. The most important thing is to wear what makes you feel confident and comfortable.

Conclusion

You can easily alter jeans into a skinny fit with a sewing machine. While trends lean towards looser styles, creating a custom fit that you love is always in fashion.

---