How to shop for the perfect pair of Jeans!

What to think about when shopping for Jeans.

Finding the ‘perfect’ pair of jeans is hard. It’s something I help my clients with all the time. I often get asked ‘What style suits me best? What colour should I go for? Rips or no rips? Cropped or wide leg? And what size am I again?’

Here are a few handy hints everyone should know when shopping for Jeans.

What colour wash are you after?

No, I don’t mean how much are you going to wash them, I am talking about the wash of the denim. Personally, I feel every woman should have a few different options when it comes to denim. Have a look in your wardrobe…do you have the same colour denim in several different brands? Maybe this is why you feel like you are wearing the same thing all the time.

A light wash denim is great for daytime and casual outfits. Light denim also tends to work well if you a fair or light coloured hair.

A mid wash denim is the perfect in between, all-rounder. This colour denim is perfect for all your day-to-day needs. It’s the detail of the mid wash denim that can elevate the jeans if you want to wear it smart casual (out for a pub dinner, causal drinks, a BBQ).

A dark wash denim is perfect for a more dressed up, polished jeans outfit. If you have olive or darker skin tone a dark wash denim can be more flattering than a lighter wash. It is also your ‘going out’ jeans that tend to work well with dressier tops, jackets and heels.

What style denim is really you?

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Knowing your style is important when shopping for jeans. It can cut your search down significantly, making your shop more efficient. Half the battle is knowing your body shape. Are you straight up and down? Or do you have more of a curvy figure? Do you have broad shoulders and narrow hips? Or do you have a small waist and a round bottom? Knowing your body shape will then narrow down what Jeans you’re after, for the effect you want the jean to have.

Let’s talk about your rise.

Image: Vox

This point is important: the rise is the distance between your natural waist (is the most narrow area between the top of your hip bone and the bottom of your rib cage) and your crotch. The longer that distance, the more space you have to play with. The shorter the distance, then you need less material (a smaller rise).

High-rise (high-waisted) jeans sit high on your natural waistline. These are great for accentuating your waist, when you are curvy and want to elongate the legs.

Mid-rise jeans typically sit just above your navel between your hip and your natural waist. When you have less space in your waist, sometimes mid-rise jeans end up being high-rise so it’s perfect for these women.

Low-rise jeans sit on the hips. These can be great when you have a broad shoulders and more narrow hips, or when you have really long legs. Low-rise jeans are also great if your shoulders and waist are naturally in-line and you have less of a waist, they keep you in proportion.

Should I go for skinny cut, wide leg, boot leg, straight leg, slim fit, flare jeans or mom style?

Image: Net-a-Porter

For me this comes down to two things. I’m going to say it again, it’s about knowing your body shape AND what shoes you plan on wearing. It’s all about balancing proportions.

Skinny cut are fab for if you want a really tight pair. Have a bigger bottom? Then go for your high-rise pair. Want your legs to look long? Then make sure the jean finishes at the ankle and you wear that pointed shoe (pump, flat or boot). Also perfect if you love a knee high boot.

Wide leg jeans start narrow at the top and get gradually wider at the bottom. Perfect if you are tall and work well with a heel. It is also important here to balance the material at the bottom with what you have on top. Don’t go for a chunky jumper or an oversized shirt. Instead go for a thinner material on top to drape over your silhouette to give you shape.

Boot leg has more material at the bottom. This is super for when you are tall with long legs, and you are wanting them to drape over the shoe. The shoe here is important! Don’t reach for anything chunky (that’s a no to wedges). There is already enough material at the end of your leg. Instead go for a less chunky boot with a heel, a strappy sandal with a heel OR sneaker that has thin material (think converse).

Straight leg jeans are just that. Straight. They don’t taper at the ankle, are super comfortable and are perfect when you want to wear boots, loafers, sneakers or really any kind of shoe. These work well if you have strong legs with bigger calves as they have more room at the bottom.

Slim fit are a nice half way point between skinny and straight, they are more forgiving in space than a skinny. If you still like the fitted look but find skinny toooooo tight then slim fit is great. Petite women: these are great for you!

Flare jeans have a little kick at the ankle. I wouldn’t say these are the most versatile pair of jeans as getting the balance right is hard. Easier to pull off when you are tall, and if you have a show stopping shoe you want to show off.

Mom Style is my favourite, and when you become a mummy you know why! Tighter at the waist, high rise, with more space around the hips and bottom. Then tapered again at the ankle. Perfect for those with wider hips, with a tummy, and don’t want a fitted look. Also wonderful for petite women as they have less material at the bottom. Wear with sneakers, ankle boots or a heel.

What’s an ankle grazer?

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Length of the jean is important when we are talking height. Long legs can wear full length denim and still have their ankle showing. Short legged women need less material at the bottom. The ankle grazer is perfect for the denim styles that are narrower at the ankle. It grazes the ankle of the boot or shoe giving you balance by showing a bit of skin.

Remember to check the stretch!

How stretchy do you like your jeans? You should always check the amount of elastane when shopping for jeans. Anywhere from 0%-2% is generally seen in jeans, the more elastane the stretchier the fabric. Do you run after a small child all day and need a bit of flex in your jeans? Then go with a bit of extra elastane in your jeans (even as little as 0.5% you will notice a difference). Love the stiff feel of a jean? The 100% cotton is your jam.

Need help shopping for jeans? Get in touch xx