by Let’s start with the question everyone is asking right now. Are skinny jeans dead? This is the hottest denim topic of the moment, so I’m going to dive right in and answer that first. Are you sitting comfortably?
Yes. That’s it, the full answer. Yes, skinny jeans are definitely over it. Ok thank you. Bye for now.
I’m teasing. There is nothing wrong with skinnies. If you want to wear them, you are completely free to do so. Hey, go ahead and wear a bowler hat, if you want it. Or dress with a bustle. Why not powdered wig? You do you! Fashion is not mandatory. But are skinny jeans still in fashion? They are not. I don’t really see their demise as a tragedy, or even a cautionary tale about the flight of fashion. They had two decades in the sun after their Y2K start, which is good news. And a pair of faded jeans is a simple way to show off your fashion credentials.
You asked.
What’s interesting about the concern about the demise of skinny jeans is how important it is to us. What he’s saying is that a pair of jeans we trust is a big deal. We’re emotionally invested in our favorite jeans, which is why we panic when fashion changes the rules. The moment you find a great pair of jeans is like the moment you find a signature lipstick: you feel victorious in life, because the right pair of jeans, like the perfect lipstick, is a wonderful thing to have in your team tools.
Just like lipsticks, there are classic jeans that work for many of us, but there is no one style that suits everyone. My perfect jeans are not necessarily perfect jeans. But the strategies to find the right jeans? Those, my friends, are suitable for everyone. And all the questions – and answers – you need are here.
How to choose a style
When skinny jeans ruled the world, life was blissful, because we didn’t have to think about what style of jeans to wear. On the other hand, if you didn’t find skinny jeans comfortable or felt like they didn’t fit you, you were kind of stuck. Now the tables have turned. As well as skinny we have a delicious variety of looser jean shapes, from horseshoe to carrot, which can be confusing. But the good news is, you have the freedom to find the silhouette that works for you.
How much fashion energy do you want to give to denim? This is not a trick question. The edge of fashion is not necessarily the best place to choose. If you want “fashionable” to be the first word people think of when you walk into a room, you’re going to need some skinny jeans, ASAP.
Horse jeans, also known as barrel legs, are the most fashionable silhouette right now. This is the shape that will be displayed in every shop window you walk past this weekend, because the point of a fashion brand shop window is to be as fashionable as possible.
But do you? I’m not funny, but I’m a fashion editor and even I don’t want “fashionable” to be the word people think of when I walk into a room. Stylish would be brilliant. Interesting? Beautiful. But also, if I’m honest, I’d rather you saw “normal person”, not “fashionista”. In other words, I don’t think more is necessarily better when it comes to fashion energy. The most fashionable jeans are not necessarily the most stylish. And any jeans that “drop off” the leg (fashion speak for not sticking to it) will be read as modern right now, so don’t stress if you feel silly in exaggerated shapes.
To narrow your search, you need to know your terms. The “rise” is the measurement from the crotch seam to the top button, so high-rise (or high-waisted) jeans have a waistband that goes to your belly button; low-rise jeans will only cover your knickers; average rise sits somewhere in between. That is exactly a wide leg. Wider flares go from the knee down, while the bootcut is narrow below the knee and then kicks out. A kick-flare is a slightly cropped bootcut that ends at the ankle. “Carrot” jeans are generous at the hip and buttock, tapering to the narrow ankle. Horses are shaped like a carrot, but not as narrow at the ankle.
How to find your size
Jeans are sized according to waist circumference, so a size 28 should fit if the smallest part of your waist is 28 inches, which is around a UK size 10. But this doesn’t take into account your waist-to- hips. Also, depending on your body shape, a smaller size may work when you wear low-rise jeans but find it difficult to get up in high-rise.
Whether you’re shopping online or on the high street, grab a tape measure and note your numbers. If you have a pair of jeans that you like but don’t have the shape of the legs, measure the waist and hip – this is more reliable as jeans don’t breathe in when you get a tape measure. If you don’t have jeans that work, measure your body.
In addition to the waist measurement, you need the rise: for this, if you are measuring yourself, it is the distance from the crotch to the width of two fingers below your belly button, which is the ideal waistband point for the most of us. Also measure the inseam – for maximum flexibility, I’m aiming for a length that’s very slightly off the floor when I’m in flats, so it looks good with heels too.
Most online retailers are getting much better at providing comprehensive measurements, while trying to get us out of the returns procedure, so it’s worth looking at the “more details” sections for as much information as possible. If I’m shopping in store, I bring a measuring tape with me, as well as the measurements I’m looking for – so I can measure jeans on the shop floor and not bother with the fitting room if I don’t feel confident it’s worth it. time. Another option is to buy your jeans from a brand that uses traditional women’s sizing, such as M&S. I’m a fan of his High Waisted Smart Wide Leg Jeans (£39.50): these have a permanent front crease, which is an effective way to make wide leg jeans more tailored and streamlined, and come in indigo, black and off. -white.
Stiff or no?
I always urge you not to buy the smallest size you can squeeze in, because most fabrics don’t look very good. In a suit or slip dress, a size larger than the one you want to “fit” often looks best. Jeans are an exception to that rule.
If you’re shopping online and can’t feel the fabric, look for 12-13oz denim: this will hold its shape without being too tight. (The measurement refers to how much weight is in a square yard of fabric.) In hand-feel terms, that’s the weight of classic jeans, like Levi’s 501s—nothing like jegging but not as tough as those crunchy Japanese indigo denims. That weight will be just enough to give if you squeeze into a pair that feels a little snug, it will move up to an inch when needed – but, crucially, no more – around the waist and hips. Denim of that weight has enough structure to hold a silhouette and is usually the best choice for a straight up and down body, as it will give you classic, authentic jeans that keep their shape. But if you have a small waist and larger hips, traditional denim can leave you with an awkward gape behind the waist. Hourglass body shapes often benefit from a little stretch. Good American Jeans brand (now available at John Lewis) is a good bet for a classic denim feel but with enough stretch to flex happily with your curves.
How to shop for vintage jeans
I have one tip for you here and it’s not remotely original but I don’t care because it’s the truth. Levi 501s are a stone cold classic for a reason. Many reasons, actually. First of all, they make your bottom look good. Secondly, the classic leg shape works with a trainer, a court shoe, a flat holiday sandal… Whatever you throw at it, it will handle. The shape of the 501 has changed a bit over the years, so if you have a few pairs in your size, try them both on. Don’t worry about the length of the legs too much. If it’s an already well-loved pair of jeans, it often works to cut them to length with scissors and rough up the raw edge with a metal nail file, no tailoring required.
How to shop sustainably for jeans
When it comes to denim, sustainability is a complex picture, but everyone agrees on the most important rule: don’t buy more than you need, and think about options you already have or upcycling. In London, ELV Denim designs and makes new jeans in the most desirable silhouettes from old ones destined for landfill, making an element of upcycle by combining two colors.
If you’re buying new jeans, look for regenerated, cultivated cotton: Citizens of Humanity’s comfortable Dahlia jeans (£310) are a beauty. As a cheaper alternative, Reformation’s Alyssa High Rise Wide Leg jeans (£168) are made from a blend of cotton and Tencel, which is made from rapidly renewable eucalyptus trees and uses 20% less water than cotton. The Danish brand MUD jeans are a pioneer of circular jeans, made from 40% post-consumer denim (destined for landfill). (I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the option of leasing rather than buying a pair of LUDs – for around £8 a month, and after a year you return or exchange them for a new style – will be available in the UK until early.)
If you buy cheaper high street denim, beware of light washes, which often use a lot of water; Dark is a safer bet.
How often should you wash them?
Not as often as you think. This is not a T-shirt or a pair of socks, where you have to worry about odor issues. Hardline denim lovers recommend wearing a pair of jeans 10 times before washing them, to allow your jeans to be in your print – not only your body, but the shadow of what you keep in your pockets, and the “whiskering” ( faded lines that look like shadows) that are unique to the way you sit. I’m not quite ready to go the full 10 throws yet, but I’m hoping for at least three. With a new pair, try to wait as long as possible before the first wash, to give the jeans a chance to mold themselves around you. Wash inside out to preserve the color, and hang to dry. Not only is infrequent washing and no tumble drying better for the environment, it’s also better for jeans. You know that lint left in your dryer? They are literally pieces of your clothes, so every time you throw them in the dryer, you shorten their life.
Photographer: David Newby. Style editor: Melanie Wilkinson. Style assistant: Sam Deaman. Makeup: Sophie Higginson using By Sarah London and Westman Atelier. Hair: Rom Sartipi using Oribe. Models: Lucy Knell and Bliss at Milk; Frankie at Mrs Robinson
