How To Add Studs to Denim: Tips to Customize Your Jacket

Let’s be real: there are few things that go harder than a crushed denim jacket. The only way to make a denim jacket more badass is to add a couple of punk-rock studs. But you don’t have to drive yourself crazy looking for a jacket that has all your favorite colors and a constellation of stars. All you need is to know how to add studs to denim. Use these tips to customize your jacket just the way you want it.

What You’ll Need

Don’t stress if you don’t know anything about making clothes. All you need to customize your denim jacket with studs is an X-Acto knife, a pair of pliers, and all the studs you want to add to your jacket. Want to make the look even more personal? Mess with different types of studs.

• Spike: a round base with a pointed stud
• Pyramid: a square base with pointed stud
• Dome: round base with a rounded top instead of pointed
• Flat: a round base that is totally flat

How To Add Studs to Denim

Step 1: Pick Your Style

This is the part where you let your style loose. There are more ways to style your jacket with studs than there are studs you can buy. If you’re at a loss, play with some of these stud looks:

• Blocks of studs on the shoulders
• A line of studs going down the sleeves from the shoulders to the wrists
• Studs covering the collar
• Lining the seams of the jacket with studs
• Surrounding the wrists with studs
• Creating designs with studs

If you can’t pick one style, don’t. You can always combine designs or cover the whole thing. Either way, you’ll have a look that will turn heads.

Step 2: Make Your Holes

Once you know where to put the studs, you have to get them into the jacket. If you’re rocking designer denim, chances are you can’t jam a stud in there by itself. That’s where the X-Acto knife comes in. Carefully make holes where you plan to add studs.

Pro Tip

Sometimes, people find it easier to add studs while they’re wearing the jackets, so the studs land in the right spot. If you don’t want to accidentally shank yourself with a stud, put a long sleeve shirt between your skin and the knife or stud while you work.

Step 3: Inset the Studs

Once you’ve got your holes, slip the stud inside. If you’re using quality studs, you’ll probably have trouble pushing back the tabs. That’s where the pliers come in. Push back the tabs, and boom: your jacket has a perfect pop of bling. Repeat until you’ve got all your studs in place.

The only thing more BA than denim clothes with studs are fire clothes with studs, and you need look no further than our Rockstar denim clothing collection for the proof.