The first step I want you to consider is the look you’re going for in your denim and think of your wardrobe. Reflect and think about what’s my style. What look am I going for? A darker wash is more polished, timeless, and sophisticated, they also have a natural streamline effect. If you are just looking for the most versatile day-to-night pair that you can dress up or down, you want to opt for a dark or black pair of denim. It has a bit of an edge on a trouser since it will provide a laid back self-assured tone. This is what I recommend for a staple piece, I think it offers a beautiful foundation to build and style an outfit with. It is much more refined and formal than nonchalant because of how this wash but still has this factor because of the material. White and light-wash denim is much more casual, I believe it can give a very clean and crisp look in the summer and spring. Light wash has a more classic earth offering.
White denim strips away the utilitarian for an elegant appeal. Because Dark, medium, and light washes describe the degree of fading that is characteristic of denim. This great for the right occasion or if you’re overall wardrobe has a lighter palette this may be the perfect option for you over a black pant as your staple. It’s important to take note that the lighter the denim, the more casual the jean. This doesn’t mean it can’t be chic, it just will require a different approach when styling. Once you decide on the wash, you can choose the tone: to compliment your complexion I have The Personal Style Analysis Guide: on Seasonal Color Palettes if you need assistance on matching your denim to your tone.
Now step two: Style. There are four fundamental silhouettes: classic, cohesive thin, cohesive full, and a hybrid of slim and full. Then a spectrum of cuts, skinny, flare, bootcut, straight, boyfriend, mom, and wide leg. There are variations such as tapered and relaxed to get the fit that most works for you and with your wardrobe. On this spectrum of cuts, straight is the center, like neutral when you go off to either side you begin to mix different connotations since those cuts carry a history and purpose with them. For instance, flared pants are associated with the 70s, so by choosing this cut you will have this period echo into your looks. This may be perfect for you if you enjoy boho or vintage fashion for instance.
For flared options you want the width to be the same as the top of your thigh to balance the proportion to elongate, for tapered you want to have volume to have sharp lines and softer corners.
The most timeless option for both men and women is classic, straight, and relaxed with the rise well suited to your body type. If you are someone who has a hourglass, straight, or carry your weight in your lower body, mid to high rise will mirror your natural lines best. Since your body has more definition at the waist, the jeans can sit harmoniously here. Lower can be worn, but just be aware that a gap in the back or slipping may occur. If you carry weight in your upper body or have softer narrow lines, mid to low will follow your natural lines. Since you have more definition at the hips it allows for the jeans to sit flawlessly there. The higher rise may be worn, but just be conscious of how the pants will drape.
Obviously, these are just recommendations for the perfect balance and if you prefer another or want to create different proportions that go against your body lines you can play with the rise for a fuller or slimmer look based on your preference. They are great to style different types of looks. For example, I love low rise as it embraces my natural lines, but will wear high rise to pull off a different look and style an outfit. It isn’t always going only for what’s considered best for your shape, you can make choices to go for another look or if you simply like a style you should enjoy it too.
This brings us to step 3, choosing the design elements of the pants. For front pockets you want them in line with your hipbone and end at the center of your side, no matter low rise or high. The closer the pockets pocket the more lifted you will look. You want to make sure it’s not offset though as this creates an inward effect. and if the pocket falls below the bum and touches the leg it will you look flatter. The smaller the pocket the bigger your bum will look, and vice versa the bigger the pocket the smaller you look. Also, the pocket placement is a factor, so higher will create a lifted illusion, and centered will create a full look. If you’re wearing low rise or pockets sit lower the bottom of the pocket should end at above where the bum and leg meet for the most flattering look to make the most of the space.
Another factor to take into consideration is how distressed it is, if you’re investing in a pair of jeans you want to maximize how it works with your wardrobe and get the most time out of it. Since trends cycle very quickly certain types of distress in design can either create a focal point on the leg that you may not necessarily want with every look or can easily date your jeans and make them less timeless rather than relaxed. The button fly is the traditional closing for denim, but the zipper is much more common now. A button fly has higher durability and provides a sturdy structure. They have a more natural and old-school look due to how denim naturally fades around the shape of the button. They also do add a subtle bulk depending on the angle you look at. The zipper fly will lay flat and is a modern closure that became a staple in the 70s. It gives a bit more stretch and convenience.
Next is step four: fit. So now that you have decided on the look of the jeans you want, you have narrowed down your options and it is time for fit. The first measurement you need to know is the rise which is defined as the distance from the very top of the waistband to the end of the crotch seam. This is crucial in garment construction of denim so knowing this number you can get the most well-suited fit for you. Usually, if the rise of the pants is off, the entire pant will not work on you or if you get it tailored it will drastically change the jeans since that is the foundation of the construction. Regular rise pants are designed to be worn at your natural waist for a true-to-form look, this is your exact measurement. You can add an inch or two to this for high rise, which is associated with a more elegant and sophisticated appearance, or detract to find the perfect low rise for your frame. If you already have a pair of pants you love, you can measure this or you can measure yourself with a tape measure.
I don’t know if this is in bad taste to say, but I feel like I need to and I wish I could word it differently and you’d still understand because I don’t like this phrase but I’m not going to dance around it the muffin top. There is just such a negative connotation. Firstly this has nothing to do with your weight or body type, it’s just the line-to-body interaction of the pants and if it’s making that happen it just means you don’t have the right fit of pants. I know it is terribly cliche to say, but the pants are meant to fit you and not thw other way around. Vanity sizing is very real and this is why knowing your measurements helps when shopping because your size at one brand could be different at another.
So now let’s move to inseam measurement, this is the distance between your ankle and the top of your thigh. The ankle bone’s protrusion is frequently used as the absolute finish. This determines the leg-to-pant interaction along with the overall drape in proportion to the leg. This can slightly differ from pant to pant an inch or two depending on the design, but having your personal inseam measurement makes choosing a pant much easier. The inseam is one of the easiest measurements to alter with a trailer or yourself through how to style it, like cuffs, stacking, or folding for example.
You also need to keep in mind the type of shoes you wear and how you want your pants to stack or interact with your shoes for your perfect pair of denim. Typically if you wear flat shoes you will want an inseam that hits right at the ankle so that there is slight room to allow for the shoe’s silhouette to not be altered or to add visual weight to the ankle which throws off the proportion of both the leg and foot. Also, avoid too much drape so that it doesn’t look like your pants are too big and dragging close to the ground. A clean line will create a more polished look.
If you’re someone who wears heels more, even if it is slight, you can use the extra height to elongate the leg through a drape over the ankle or a streamlined stack at the ankle to the shoe to draw the line down without disruption. This means you can get a pant that is a bit longer than your natural inseam since you’re adding length to the leg without it distorting your proportions. How the fabric interacts with your body comes into play with this.
Last, but not least is the final step of material. Rigid denim is made of 100% cotton, hence structural and straight but moldable over time. The jeans are created with denim straight from the manufacturing facility without being treated, touched, or washed so they might be a little snug at first. You have to break them in, similar to breaking in shoes. Stretch jeans will be typically made of cotton and polyester as well as contain lycra, elastane, and spandex. When selecting stretch denim, the two primary factors to consider are the % stretch and the percentage spandex content.
The amount of lycra, elastane, and spandex yarns utilized in the manufacturing of denim is referred to as the stretch content. In the normal case, this will range from 1% to 4%. The denim fabric’s stretch percentage describes how much it will expand from edge to edge or across the grain. Usually denim with stretch makeup with come already with light curves in the shape, while rigid denim will be angular. It’s best to pay attention to this structure to avoid them becoming worn out, chafing, or gaps. That concludes this guide to denim, I hope that this advice helps you in curating more denim in the future and finding the perfect pair.
