Help with shorts/jeans alternative... for a lycra virgin

I have recently been looking at the Rapha shorts longingly, then looking at my Bank balance with big sad eyes, so I went and bought a sewing machine from ebay for £12 and some smart trousers from uniqlo for £20 and now I have a battleship grey pair and a black pair of Raphaish plus fours!!
(the black ones were an old pair of dockers khakis)
They have the little tab on the hem, buttons, I turned up to just above the chain at full leg extention. all I need to do now is find some cheap cycling shorts cut the pad out and get them sewn in too, I bloody love 'em.

You can make money doing that... http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/hell-yes/