While I know most of you probably prefer your favorite pair of leggings over your favorite pair of jeans, but I beg to differ. I love jeans. I do. I always have, and I always will. But not just any jeans, the perfect fitting jeans. And while my perfect pair of jeans may not be YOUR perfect pair of jeans, I want to share how to find that perfect pair.
So what makes a pair of jeans perfect? I judge jeans based on their wash, feel, price, style, cut and of course fit. It can seem overwhelming with so many denim lines and styles available but I’m here to help. I’m sharing my steps to finding the perfect jeans below, but contrary to what you might think, it doesn’t involve heading to a mall and spending 4 dreadful hours trying on jeans. Because really, what could be worse than that? So luckily for you, this takes place in the comfort of your own home.
A few years ago I decided I was tired of spending $150 + on a pair of premium denim, then paying to have them hemmed, driving them to my tailor to hem them with the original hem for an extra $20, driving back to the tailor the next week to pick them up, and finally, half a car payment and a week later I could wear my jeans. The other thing that annoyed me about most of the premium denim I swear every single pair of premium denim fit completely different. So, began the perfect jean hunt.
I decided I was going for jeans under $100 and ordered skinny jeans (my go-to) from every place I could possibly think of. (Loft, STS, Lucky, Old Navy, & Articles of Society, just to name a few) Some brands I had tried before, and some I had never even heard of. I tried different lengths, rises etc.
Trying them on at home has so many benefits. A. I can try them on with whatever shoes and/or top I’d actually be wearing them with. ( You know that feeling when you go to try on a top in a dressing room and you don’t even have real pants on?) B. I could wear them around the house to see if I’d have problems with them stretching out too much, not enough, etc. C. You don’t have to suffer the embarrassment of bringing 287,642 things into the fitting room.
So here’s what makes up the perfect jeans for me:
- They must have stretch in them. Rigid 100% denim just does not work for me. (It could be the opposite for you)
- Apparently, I have short legs. This was news to me, but when I order my jeans in short, they are so much more flattering, they fit perfectly, and don’t bunch.
- Hi-rise is my preference, I swear I look like I lose 5 pounds whenever I put them on. They tuck my hot mummy tummy away perfectly.
- Priced under $100
- Good variety of washes
- Comfortable
So I bet you’re wondering what jeans are my favorite. For me, it’s the AE Hi -Waisted Jegging. I also dabble with the regular jegging, Highest Waist Jegging, and girlfriend jeans. So what’s so great about them? First of all, they fit amazing. They’re comfortable, I don’t have to worry about constantly adjusting them and pulling them up. The price point is perfection, most jeans are under $60, and they always have sales. And I know you might be thinking “American Eagle?” I know, I know. But I’m telling you, I’ve literally converted all my friends. Because they’re THAT good!
You can also find me in a pair of Abercrombie skinny jeans. I find that they stretch out just a tad and are the slightest bit less flattering than the AE jeans but they are super comfortable, so cute, and they have a great variety. ALSO, on sale frequently!
Here are some of my faves:
Top Row: Star jeans // Dark Gray Distressed jeans // Blue Distressed jeans
Bottom Row: Distressed jeans // Striped Jeans // Frayed Bottom jeans
Tips & Tricks
- Determine a price range that’s comfortable for you and identify brands that look interesting to you.
- Start with your most worn style. For me, skinny jeans are my go-to so I conducted my search just for skinny jeans.
- Try different rises, lengths etc.
- Try each pair on with items you’d actually wear them with.
- Take pictures of yourself, from different angles. Sometimes, the mirror just doesn’t do it.
This is the longest blog post I’ve written so far, and I loved putting this together. Please let me know if you found this helpful and what else you’d like to see!
Comment with your favorite jeans!
XO,
Kerri