I talked about ditching skinny jeans back in 2018. Up until that point nearly the whole female population wore the same style of jeans which changed roughly every decade. I’m glossing over the male population as most of them have worn the same style for decades 😉
Nowadays, there are a huge amount of jeans styles around, I counted over 300 styles in M&S alone! The upside side of this is that there’s a shape that’s perfect for you. The downside is knowing where to start when faced with so many options.
The other bonus is you no longer have to wear the on trend jeans that don’t suit you. I’m so pleased camera phones weren’t a thing in my skinny jeans era and let’s not even go there with low rise!
If you need help to cut through the overwhelming choice, follow these five key tips to help you find jeans you love:
1. Workout what you need before you shop. Ask yourself if you need jeans for work, weekends, going out etc. Decide on a few shapes and colours that you like. If you need jeans for lots of different occasions you’ll likely need more than one pair. Searching for one pair that covers everything is like searching for the holy grail!
2. Try on loads – try at least 3 different shapes and take sizes up and down of your usual size into the changing room. The fit varies so much between styles and the varying denim fabrics, you’ll save time and frustration this way. If you’re after designer jeans head to a specialist denim department such as Selfridges or Trilogy Stores as they’ll guide you.
3. Be prepared to alter the length if needed – don’t be put off if jeans are too long as this is easily sorted. Retailers make them this way as they know they can be shortened as opposed to the other way round! When pinning the hem ensure you try them with the shoes you are going to wear them with.
4. Stick to a few trusted brands – if you are not going to a specialist denim store or department, narrow down your search to three or four brands. Always take a look at the styles they have online before you visit the actual shop. I recommend trying them in person but if you’re shopping online order multiple styles and sizes.
5. Push out of your comfort zone – we humans are creatures of habit and it is easy to return from the shops with the same style you already own. Vow to try on at least two new shapes. Note: New styles take a few minutes for our brains to get used to so don’t rush when trying them and move around for a few minutes before deciding. I see this with clients all the time.
Here are a few bonus tips that I learnt whilst creating denim ranges as a buyer:
A higher price isn’t a guarantee of quality. High street denim retailers buy huge quantities so they can offer you quality fabrics at lower prices.
The same style jeans fit may be altered when it is made in a different colour. That’s because the fabric is treated differently in manufacturing or may be a different denim fabric all together.
Jeans may shrink in the length when first washed so either wash them before shortening them or allow a little extra in the length. They also shrink width ways too but this will recover when you wear them.
Jeans are one of the hardest working items in your wardrobe so it’s worth the effort to find a pair you love. Updating your jeans is a quick way to refresh your outfits and give your wardrobe a new lease of life. Plus you can wear them rain or shine (if they’re not white) so they’ll see you through a drab February until Spring.