Essentials: What Everyone Ought to Know about Jeans

I recently said I would be starting a series focusing on essential items every man should own and how to get the best out of them. It didn’t take much pondering to decide what my first staple would be to grace the series. It’s almost unheard of nowadays to find someone who doesn’t own a pair of jeans. They’re extremely versatile, relatively inexpensive and enduring. Before I go into different types of cuts if you have not already read the first essentials article, how to get the right fit, then I’d encourage you to go back and check it out. As with all pieces in your wardrobe you want your jeans to fit you impeccably.

I’ve already mentioned the versatility of jeans, that is probably the beauty of them. You can throw them on with a t shirt for a casual day look or dress them up with a blazer for the evening. If you invest in decent quality denim then the more you wear them the more they’ll get a unique look due to them wearing at different parts.

How many pairs do you need? Really that is up to you I’d suggest at a minimum 2 and a maximum 4. I personally have 2 pairs that are for evenings and 2 pairs for during the day, 2 of which are black and 2 that are dark blue. When it comes to choosing what colour to go for I’d recommend blue or black. It really depends how you want to mix them up. If you only have the budget for one decent pair of jeans then the safest investment is a slim/straight cut in a dark washed blue. They’ll work equally well for both causal and more formal occasions.

Things to avoid when selecting jeans are holes, rips, distressing, paint splashes and any really light acid washes. Most of these are passing trends that will mean your jeans will date extremely quickly. When it comes to branding, I’d recommend avoiding anything too heavy. Some brands have their own unique stitching on the back pockets which is usually discreet, but bold branding is a no no.

Basic Cuts

Bootcut - The bootcut will always be a classic cut however it has fallen out of favour recently. If you have wider legs or regularly wear chunky boots then this is definitely the cut for you.

Relaxed – This cut basically means the jeans are a little ‘baggier’ than usual with a looser fit. They’re best suited for casual looks paired with trainers and hoodies.

Straight - Probably the best option for most people. As they say a straight leg with a bit of movement while giving you a clean cut.

Slim – Somewhere between skinny and straight, my personal favourite. They’re similar to a straight leg but with more of a tapered leg giving a slimmer profile. Ideal for those guys that are slim but don’t want the spray on look of skinny jeans.

Skinny – Skinny cuts will vary from brand to brand, some will be more like leggings than jeans and give a look as if they have been sprayed on. Others will be more like the slim cut  I described earlier. So really as always it’s essential to try them before you buy.

I also want to touch on a couple of ‘denim terms’ which you may come across to shed some light on them.

Dry/Raw Denim – This basically means the jeans have not been washed after the dying process. This means that over time they’ll naturally distress from being worn, they’ll also be more prone to the colour running as the washing process helps rid any excess dye. As the jeans are distressed naturally by the body they tend to acquire their own unique look, which is why a lot denim enthusiasts prefer dry/raw denim.

Selvage Denim – Selvage denim usually comes in dry/raw jeans. It refers to the clean edge that is found usually on the outer seams. They can be seen when the jeans are turned up and cuff is formed. The benefit of selvage denim is that they look a lot cleaner and they are unlikely to fray compared to jeans that have been cut and then stitched.

Let me know what you think by commenting below.

Feeling this post? Then why not subscribe? You can subscribe by RSS here or subscribe by email by filling in your email address in the subscription box in the sidebar. You can also catch me on Bloglovin here.