I’ve talked a lot of how your jeans should fit, but today I want to show you the most important parts of jeans so you know what to look for when shopping for jeans. Paying attention to these things will help you find the best pair of jeans for YOUR BODY.

I could talk about how your jeans should fit all day – I even have a big post breaking down exactly what to look for when trying jeans. See that post HERE.

Today I wanted to walk you through the most important things to pay attention with your jeans so you can figure out why certain pairs of jeans are or aren’t working for you.

outfit details: 

OLIVE GREEN JACKET | WHITE V-NECK TEE | GOOD AMERICAN JEANS | GOLDEN GOOSE SNEAKERS | MADEWELL BAG | MADEWELL SUNGLASSES | BUDHA GIRL BRACELETS

How to Shop For the Perfect Pair of Jeans

Remember, everyone has different shapes and sizes of legs and waists and hips, so my perfect jeans may not be right for you. It’ll take some work on your part to try different brands and styles of jeans to find a pair that’s right for you.

But it’s worth the work!

Here is a breakdown of the most important things to look at when shopping for jeans (or evaluating jeans you already own) so you can find the best jeans for you.

RISE: 

• The rise is how far the jeans come up on your waist. You may have to do some experimenting with different jeans to see what’s right for your body shape and your height, but I’d recommend staying away from extremes. Super high rise and super low rise are not ever going to be a classic and long term option. Stick to mid or mid-high.
• When you try on jeans, pay attention to the length of the zipper. The length of your zipper should be at least 3/4 of the length of your rise. Shorter zippers will result in a pointy, bulgy, or bunchy crotch area.

YOKE:

• The yoke of your jeans is the v-shape lines above the pockets on the back of the jeans. The deeper the “V,” the rounder your booty will look. If have a flat bum, look for a deeper V.

COLOR and WASH:

• Dark wash vs. Mid rinse vs. Light wash…which one is best? Honestly this is personal preference. I prefer a lighter wash during the summer, a darker wash during the winter, and mid rinse any time of the year. Dark wash are usually the most dressy and classic option, whereas lighter wash can feel more casual.
• What is whiskering? It’s those faded stripes across the front that make it look like the jeans have been well worn. Sometimes a little bit of whiskering can give the jeans an effortless look, but other times it looks like stripes across your jeans and can cheapen the look. I’d stay away from all extreme whiskering.
• Fading or bleaching down the legs, so they’re much lighter in the front and darker on the sides also cheapens the look of the jeans. I’d avoid it!
• Distressing and holes can be fine sometimes, but as you get older, I’d stay away from major distressing on your jeans. One or two holes in the knee or distressing around the front pockets is fine, but jeans that look like they’ve been attacked by a wild animal are a no-go.

LENGTH

• The length of your jeans will vary depending on the style, but jeans that hit right at the ankle bone, or slightly above, are a great option. They work well with most styles of shoes, elongate your leg line, and also accentuate the narrowest part of your leg.

POCKETS:

• Pockets can make or break a pair of jeans. Here are some things to look for:
  • Pockets should be 3-4 finger widths apart from each other. Wider than that makes your booty look wider! Lay the jeans flat on the floor and put your hand in between the pockets to see how many fingers you can fit in between the pockets.
  • Pockets sizing matters. Bigger pockets make your booty look smaller. Smaller pockets make your booty look bigger. Lower pockets make your booty look flatter, and higher pockets make your booty look rounder.

FABRIC:

• The biggest issues with fabric are comfort and sagging. Everyone wants comfortable jeans, and no one wants sagging. If the jeans are 100% cotton, or 99% cotton, they’re going to be the most stiff and sturdy, and also the most prone to stretching or sagging since they have nothing to give them some stretch and rebound. Look for 95ish% cotton with some percentage of poly and elastane or spandex. That will give them stretch and softness!
  • NOTE: if you buy jeans with spandex or elastane, it can wear out if you wash at high heat. Wash your jeans on cold to avoid damaging or ruining the spandex or elastane in the fabric.

You can see some of these tips in action RIGHT HERE!

I hope this was helpful!

IF YOU LIKED THIS POST, YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 

• How Your Jeans Should Fit 

• A Breakdown of Different Styles of Jeans

• My 6 Favorite Pairs of Jeans