Did you see my recent post about the pair of Levi’s 505 hand-me-downs from my son which quickly became my favorite jeans? (Here’s that post about that item of clothing)
It got me thinking about the filters I use in my jean preferences so I can edit down to my favorite styles.
So I did a deep dive! I looked closely at WHY I want to wear these pants all the time to help you make better decisions about what you want to wear.
Whether you’re working with what you have (closet shopping), or need (in-the-store) shopping tips, there are 3 filters that my favorite jeans must meet.
Click play to watch the video where I show you these specific details.
And keep reading for more style advice that’ll help you think more about what you need from your favorites.
Shopping Tips: 3 Filters For Finding Your Favorite Jeans
- Comfort
Our clothes must feel comfortable. That’s a must. But some of our clothes can be even more comfortable than others. And that’s what this pair of jeans is. Maybe it’s because my son broke them in before I started wearing them so they were already somewhat soft. Or it could be that the fabric is thinner than traditional denim. Regardless, the marketing for these pants says, “ They’ve been designed to look good and feel comfortable as he explores the world,” and I’m 100% here for it! Oh, also… they feel like sweatpants.
- Silhouette
Although I’m starting to see the barrel leg jeans shape around town in NYC, I prefer a straight silhouette. I like my pants to drape down easily from the hip with the same width. There is a limitation with shoes, however. These pants don’t look good with sneakers. Possibly because that vibe takes me too far into the teenage boy territory. But definitely because of the hemline. These pants need a heel. Also, knowing your body may help you decide which silhouettes you want to wear.
Click here to get the free style guide that shows you which body shape you are so you know which silhouettes suit you best.
- Hemline
I just worked with a client whose pants were bunching up at the bottom. While this can definitely be a look, if it’s intentional. (You can make ANYTHING your look, as long as you’re intentional with it.) I knew that she wanted a clean, polished style, and the bunching didn’t give that message. She needs to hem her pants.
Sometimes, particularly with a flare leg, I like to wear my hemlines a little long because it elongates the look of my legs. In this situation I’ll always wear a heel so the pants don’t bunch at the bottom. What’s amazing with these hand-me-downs is that they’re already my perfect length! No hamming required. Plus I get to have the original hem on the jeans which is always my preference. (A tailor can re-add the original hemline to shortened jeans.)
Those are the shopping tips and 3 filters I go through to find my perfect jeans. You may notice I didn’t include rise….because all my other jeans are high rise, and these are not. But it’s working for me!
So to find your favorite pair of jeans, pay attention to how comfortable they are (so you actually want to wear them, and you don’t feel like you have to rip them off at the end of the day), the silhouette (ask yourself what you prefer), and the hem (you want them to be just right)!
Then the ultimate test is if you want to wear them over and over again.
Tell me below what brand of jeans you love!
Levis 501’s. But they’re not all alike, so they can’t be ordered online
I’ve noticed that too…they tend to vary in shape and style even though they’re all called 501s.