There are a few things I pay close attention to when I’m shopping for jeans so I can find the best fit! If you’re doing any jeans shopping soon, I recommend you look at these things.
One. the inseam.
The inseam matters so much. If there is one thing you do for yourself to help simplify your denim shopping, it’s measuring your own leg to know what leg length you have and what jeans will fit your own body best. To find your inseam, measure from the top of your inner thigh all the way down to the floor to know the full length. From there, you can measure an ideal “ankle” length and then you will know what to look for while you shop, depending on your desired denim type.
Two. the fabric/material.
I always look at the materials that make up the denim I’m looking at. If they’re 100% cotton, I know they’ll be rigid with no stretch. If they have a bit of elastane in them, they’ll have some give.
Sometimes the same style of jeans will have different material makeup from wash to wash. The black denim version of the Madewell Kick Out Crop jeans is 95% cotton, 3% Polyester and 2% elastane. These have a fair bit of stretch!
The blue jean, raw hem version of the same style of jeans fits completely differently. It’s made up of 99% cotton and 1% spandex high stretch denim. This is going to be a more rigid fit than the black style of these jeans.
Three. the whiskering/color
Generally, whiskering that hits at the widest part of your hips or legs will draw attention to that area. In the same way, a light fade down the center of the jeans can add visual width. For a slimming style, go for a dark wash with minimal whiskering. I typically look for a medium wash with minimal whiskering, or a light wash with no whiskering.
Distressing, like holes in the knees or texture at the hem, is a personal preference. I learned recently that I don’t love jeans with holes in the knees or a lot of distressing after I tried on 22 pairs of jeans in my closet.
I hope these tips help you in your denim shopping! You can find my favorite jeans on my LTK profile, just search “jeans” in the search box.
And if it’s still in the 90s where you are and you’re still looking for shorts, see my favorite denim here.
comments
Great thoughts on jeans and/or pants! It never occurred to me to actually measure my inseam to see what fits me best. Might need to reevaluate my closet and do some shopping this weekend 🙂
Greetings! Thank you for keeping your advice small(short😁) and to the point. It reins in the interest of the reader and delivers clear and simple to follow directions!
Regards
This is so helpful. I genuinely have not thought to look for whispering but that makes so much sense for how flattering they can be. Thanks for the tips!
Thanks!!