Choosing the perfect denim can be a daunting task because each brand and style has a unique fit. But having a pair that won’t need to be replaced is the prize for spending so much time in the changing room.
The largest disadvantage of denim may be its promise. The correct jeans, in our imaginations, may transform us into the hot girl next door, a rock star a la Tina Turner, a waif-like model off duty, or just as content (read: carefree) as the late actress Jane Birkin looked when she wore them to the 2021 Cannes film festival.
But before you discover a pair that fits, you frequently put on many pairs, endure bunching fabric, and pull in the incorrect places when attempting to match your ideal jeans to reality.
Those who recall the era when slim, low-rise jeans gained popularity in the 2000s are probably also plagued by memories of their time spent bouncing up and down in dressing rooms, attempting to shape themselves into poured-on pairs, all because they were misinformed to believe that they should purchase jeans in the smallest size available.
My current favorite jeans are the vintage Hugo Boss styles. I was seeking for Levi’s from the 1980s when I bought them. However, I found that the fashions of that era were far too generous in the hips and much too small at the waist. At the encouragement of a very friendly salesperson, I tried on the Hugo Boss pair, and they fit perfectly, right down to the leg length. That’s the mystery of buying jeans, though, style and brand fits differently, so key is persistency.
An investment in longevity is incredibly valuable.
Candice September, a beauty artist and Peeper Keeper founder, places emphasis on fabric composition, weight, and feel when shopping for jeans. “Since I come from a streetwear background, durability is really important to me,” she remarks. She discovers that thick, 100% cotton jeans are often the best because they will eventually become more comfy and mold to your body form.
She likes Acne, Our Legacy, and Toteme and searches for pristine denim when purchasing new pants. Stretchier materials are more prone to lose their shape over time, so if you’re choosing anything with stretch, a thicker denim with very little elastane will last longer.
“You need something that will hold up well and recover well from wear and cleaning. The cloth will sag in places like the waist, crotch, and knees if it is excessively thin.
The co-founder of the sustainable store Agora and author of the newsletter It’s Not Sustainable, Anna Foster, suggests ELV Denim (she was interviewed for this article prior to Darke). According to Darke, the company reimagines classic jeans into “incredibly flattering” new versions.
As an alternative, she advises looking to companies like Citizen of Humanity’s Goldsign that support regenerative cotton production. Similar to September, she stays away from clothing that contains elastane or Lycra mixes since they are less durable and because it is difficult to recycle pants made of these blends. “Investing in a timeless style that will last through multiple wears and seasons is the most beneficial thing you can do with jeans,”
The creator and designer of ELV Denim, Anna Foster, only uses old jeans in her creations. Her designs combine two worn-out pairs of jeans into a single, fresh style, so she is familiar with how various compositions and weights of fabric wear over time. According to her, jeans made of thick, stiff fabric will maintain their shape and support your body’s natural curves, making hard denim a simple way to identify high-quality clothing.
She made the decision to design jeans with adjustable seams when she founded the company, allowing for the maintenance of the ideal fit over time. “I think it’s the same for everyone,” she says, “I search for the ideal fit that fulfills me.” “Your jeans will be the item that works the hardest in your wardrobe, so choose denim which is designed to last.