Good evening!
Tonight I want to talk to you guys about buying the right pair of jeans. Jeans are great because, just like my previous style recommendations, they are so versatile!
What I mean by that is they can be dressed up or down. A nice pair of all black denim jeans can really pull together a classy, yet casual look for a dinner date; or those same jeans can be worn with a simple t-shirt and still get you complements! (It worked for me!)
However, the big key factor is finding jeans that not only fit your personal style, but actually fit you as well.
So tonight's post will be less focused on direct style recommendations in terms of specific clothing, but serve as a guide for what to look at when buying a new pair of jeans.
Also, I strongly encourage you to TRY ON THE JEANS IN STORE! At least when buying the first pair of jeans, so you know the fit works for you.
So without further adue, let's get started. Below is a list of terminology and what it means in terms of fitment of jeans:
Waist: At face value, you may think this is the overall diameter measurement of your waist, and it is. BUT, does that mean if you measure your waist and get 34 inches, you would buy a pair of jeans with a 34 inch waist size?
Probably not, because for whatever strange reason, most major clothing brands do "vanity sizing", which is when a clothing company produces clothing labeled in smaller sizes, when in reality they are bigger! Which I find a bit funny that it is even done in guys clothing!
So in reality, the waist size listed, could in reality be an inch or twolarger, depending on brand. Which is why I cannot stress enough, the importance of actually going in store and trying the jeans on for a fit reference!
Rise: The best way to describe the rise of a jean, is the measurement from the crotch of the jean to the top of the button at the waist.
So, a lot of times when you are shopping for jeans, you will likely see jeans either labeled high or low rise jeans. Here are examples of low and high rise jeans:
Levis 514 Low Rise Jean
(Photo obtained from Macys.com)
(Photo obtained from levi.com)
See the difference? The low rise has a much shorter cut from the crotch to the top button. The rise of a jean is purely a preference of what you like more. I personally tend to prefer a lower rise jean because I like the way it looks and fits better. But it all depends on your body structure and whether the jeans are comfortable.
A word of caution! If you like a lower rise jean, pay attention to the rise measurement! A low rise jean from Levi's and a low rise designer jean can be totally different. I have seen designer jeans online for men that were labeled low rise and were barely at the hip line because the rise was so short!
Inseam: So when it comes to jeans and their seams, there is an inseam, and an out-seam. The out-seam is the measurement of the outside seam of the jean from the cuff of the jean, to the top of the waist. The inseam is the measurement from the cuff to the crotch of the jean.
This measurement should be an actual measurement that is labeled on the jean.
(Photo obtained from eBay.com)
So on this pair of Levis, they are labeled as W 32 and L 30. W stands for waist size, and as I have said, that is the vanity size and is not a true measurement. The L stands for length, or inseam length. so the length of this particular pair from crotch to cuff is 30 inches.
The inseam is not always 100% accurate, so I personally air on the side of caution and buy a jean about an inch longer that my measurement. I also roll my cuffs with my boots so the extra length helps to give a good looking rolled cuff.
Hip/Thigh Build: This category pertains to the overall style of jean. You likely have heard of jeans listed as skinny, slim, regular, or relaxed fit. These labels are pertain to the cut of the jean around the hip, buttocks, and thighs. This cut is the single most important fit to get right for a successful fitting jean.
Again, this fit is completely dependent on your body structure and will require you to TRY THE JEANS ON! (have you figured out yet that I cannot stress trying the jeans on first enough yet? :) )
Personally, because I am a slim build and have longer legs, I prefer jeans that are slim fit cut because the contour my lower half properly.
Another word of caution! I would avoid any jean labeled skinny, or even loose or relaxed fit. Skinny jeans just look weird and like a denim spandex in my opinion, and loose or relaxed fit are likely going to be a baggy jean that does nothing to contour.
For most guys, you are going to want either a slim cut or regular cut.
Leg Build: The leg build of a jean refers to the type of cut below the knee. Common labels are tapered, straight, and bootcut.
Tapered
(Photo obtained from Pinterest.com)
The tapered cut is more of a form fitting cut which sits closer to the calves and ankle over the other two. This is my personal favorite cut because, just as in this photo, I roll my cuffs with my boots. The tapered cut allows for the rolled cuff look and still remains nice and close to the leg.
If you are going for the rolled cuff look, or just want a jean that fits close at the calve and ankles, this is the way to go.
Straight
(Photo obtained from levi,com)
The name of this cut says it all, it is a straight line cut and is one of the most common cut for jeans. The straight cut is also a good option in my opinion because they can still be worn with rolled cuffs, or can go down around the the shoe or boot better than a tapered jean.
Bootcut
(Photo obtained from kohls.com)
Again, the name of this cut says it all. The bootcut is made to easily accommodate a boot around the inside of the jean. I would personally stay away from this cut of jean because the cut flares out the bottom leg of the jean, and if the cut is too much, the bootcut jean could take you back to the 70's bell-bottom jean style!
So, some closing thoughts for tonight's post. Most of what makes the right fit of jean for you, depends on your preferences and body structure. The key is understanding what the different names for cuts mean and also knowing that most major brands do vanity sizing.
Most importantly,
TRY ON YOUR JEANS BEFORE YOU BUY THEM!!
I encourage you to comment what fit and brand of jeans you have found to work for you!
Also here is a link to Levis website, where I buy 95% of my jeans!
http://bit.ly/2cOCotp
* As always, I am not paid to endorse any of the brands I promote in my blog posts*
