What I look for in a pair of jeans

Shopping for jeans is one thing that most people hate. I used to be one of those people. Until I found two brands that do jeans that fit me like a glove and are comfy to boot. Those brands are Topshop and Asos. So far I’ve tried several of their jeans styles and I love every pair of jeans I own. There is simply not a single one that I do not wear as they all fit me nicely and look great on. I thought I’d talk you through what I think a good pair of jeans needs.

Three of my favorites: Topshop Jamie, Joni & Leigh

One reason why I think jeans are so hard to shop for is because there are so many different styles. There is just too much choice and that makes it mind boggling to even know where to begin. Do want low rise, mid rise or high rise jeans? Should your jeans be skinny, boot cut or flared? What shade would you like? There are so many factors to take into account, which is why I try not to look too far and I stick to two brands that I know work for me no matter what. These are my criteria:

Comfort – Jeans come in different types of fabric. A true denim, think Levi’s 501, are made of a stiff material. I own a pair of Levi’s 501. I think I only wore them a handful of times. They are flattering on, but because of the stiff material they just aren’t my favorite. You’d have to wear them for years until they soften up and become more comfy. That’s why I prefer my jeans to have a touch of stretch: it simply makes them so much more comfortable to wear.

Fit – With jeans the fit is what truly matters. Most of my jeans have a skinny leg. I like my legs most of my body so I don’t mind accentuating them. Also it makes for a great pairing with many of the baggier tops I own. When it comes to sizing, I struggle mostly with finding jeans that are short enough in the leg. Most jeans are too long on me. That’s why I love Topshop and Asos: they have a petite section and even their regular length runs as short as 30 length.

Color – When I buy jeans I keep it within three color families: black, grey and different shades of denim blue. I used to have a pair of pink jeans, but I never wore them. I prefer different shades of denim blue in different seasons: in spring and summer I prefer a lighter wash than in fall/ winter. Lately I’ve been really into darker denim and pale greys.

Style – I already mentioned preferring skinny jeans, but what is even a bigger game changer for me is the fit of the waist. My favorite jeans are the Topshop Jamies: they have a high waist which makes them go with everything and they tuck in any lumps and bumps that you might not like to put on show. Slowly but surely I’ve also added a few mid rise jeans which I prefer for spring/ summer.

Versatility – Jeans are a great basic and staple in my wardrobe, so that’s what I stick to. I steer clear of patterns, prints and funky colors. If I am buying jeans, I like to keep things simple. That way they go with everything, are easy to combine and hence the cost per wear goes up.

Pricing – That brings me to my last point. Jeans can run extremely expensive. I have a few pairs that cost me more that I don’t regret buying but which were never my favorites. The once I buy from Topshop & Asos all retail for around the €50 mark. To me, that is a good price for a pair of jeans that fulfill all the other needs that I listed above.

What criteria should your perfect pair of jeans meet?