Why we love jeans

Your search for the perfect jeans

Jeans . . . they’re comfortable. And in addition, Versatile– they go with almost everything. As a result, you can dress them up-, or dress them down. They don’t show stains easily. You can wear them several times in between washing. They might just be the most important staple in your wardrobe and not being able to find the perfect jeans may just be your biggest source of frustration.

For example, let me paint a familiar picture for you. You go in the dressing room with three pairs of jeans, same size, different cuts, try them on. Then, you exit the dressing room with the three pairs of jeans in search for different sizes. In one brand, you have one size, in another brand, it two sizes bigger. One is too tight on your thighs, the next too short, a third,… better, but gapes a little at the back of the waist. Then maybe you settle. You get the best pair knowing that they aren’t perfect, but they will do.

Let’s take a look at the jeans that are currently in your closet? ​

Do you have jeans in your closet that are worn out?


Are you still hanging on to that pair of comfy boot cut jeans from college? You wear them so often that the fabric where the belt loops are attached is threadbare and could give way at any minute. Yea, you can still fit into the jeans you wore in college, but has your style  and taste “outgrown” them? I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it’s time to say goodbye. Okay maybe not goodbye completely. You can still keep them as work jeans or to wear around the house, but wearing old worn out jeans tells everyone you don’t care about your appearance.

Are your jeans just not quite the right size?


This is a common dilemma. Maybe you find a pair of jeans that fit around the waist, but they are too short or you buy them to fit over your hips and they gap at the back of the waist. You are not alone. Most brands of denim are made for a specific body type with standard sizes. If you don’t have the body size of the brand’s fit model, you’ll have a less than perfect fit even if you find the most accurate size the manufacturer has available. 

Is the cut of the jean right for your body type?


Is anyone else victim of the dreaded muffin top? I know I’m not the only one. Confession: I’ve been looking for high waist jeans since 2008. . . yeah that’s a decade. Now why have I been looking for high waisted jeans? Not considering proper fit, when it comes to body type the rise or the location of the waistband of the pant is probably the most important element. Maybe the jean basically fits, but waist isn’t in the most flattering location.

Not the right wash or color


Does that light color wash look too casual for date night or casual Fridays at the office? Was the wash of your denim trendy at one time, but now looks outdated? Or maybe now they’ve become a little too faded.

The style doesn’t suit me


Did you buy a pair of jeans to add some variety to your closet or were you trying out a different style?

How much did all of those jeans cost you?

Pull all the jeans out of your closet that you don’t wear anymore along with any that you DO wear that are less than perfect. Are there any jeans left in your closet? If not, we’ve got work to do. If there are jeans left in your closet, good job. You made some smart shopping decisions. All those jeans that you don’t wear. What did they cost you?

Finding jeans that fit

One of the biggest challenges facing both men and women today in regards to denim is fit.​ Every denim manufacturer has different sizes and different fit models. There are very few people who fit the off-the-rack body shape perfectly. Not only do you have to consider waist width and overall length, but waist to hip ratio and hip depth are very important when snagging the perfect jeans you’ve always dreamed of.

Finding the style you want

There are so many styles on the market. Most denim styles are described by how much ease there is between the garment and the body. There are skinny jeans, usually made from stretch with very little ease all the way to baggy styles. Many times, jeans are described by the leg. Wide leg pants are a consistent width from the thigh down to the ankle. straight legs jeans are fitted through the thigh and straight from the knee to the hem and finally, flared or bootcut jeans are wider at the hem than they are at the knee. Tapered jeans are roomier from the hip and are narrower at the ankle.

What does the perfect jean look like?

stack of folded jeans

​The truth is, my perfect jean and your perfect jean will have some of the same qualities like being durable and fitting correctly but the perfect jean will look differently for everyone. Each of us is unique. You don’t have an off-the-rack body or a cookie cutter style. Why would the same pair of jeans that everyone else has on be perfect for you?

How to choose jeans for your body type

Because, the eye is drawn to horizontal lines on the body, you can use this to balance your shape. If you have a wider upper body, wear jeans with a rise that creates a horizontal line around a wider part of your hip. When your hips are wider than your top half, you would want to avoid this. For a defined waist, find a jean that comes to your natural waist. The horizontal line will draw the eye to the narrowest part of your body and emphasize your curves.

Triangle Body Type

For triangle body shapes, flares and bootcuts provide balance for your hips.I also think a straight leg jean is very flattering because it elongates the lower half of the body. A rise at the natural waist will also be flattering. Avoid low rise as this adds more visual weight to the hip.

Inverted Triangle Body Type

Inverted triangles should wear jeans that make the hips look wider. Lower rise will do the trick. You may also benefit from having some interesting details on the back pockets. If skinny jeans are too drastic of a cut for your top half, opt for a straight leg instead.

Rectangle Body Type

Rectangular body types will want to create width at the hip as well with lower rise. Flare or bootcut styles also add curves to this figure.

Diamond Body Type

Diamonds will want jeans in a mid-rise. Straight and wide legs are good options because they elongate the figure.

Hourglass Body Type

Hourglass figures can accentuate the hip by wearing lower rise or draw attention to the waist by wearing high-rise. Any leg silhouette will do as long as it’s in balance with the top half.

​What is Make Your Own Jeans?

My perfect jeans

What if I told you that your search for the perfect jeans is over? Did you know that you can get custom made denim especially for you… to your measurements? AND it’s pretty affordable. There is a website called makeyourownjeans.com. They can make the perfect pair of jeans for you and the process is pretty simple.

The Make Your Own Jeans process

Ordering workflow

Now, let me take you through the process. Upon arrival at the website, https://www.makeyourownjeans.com , first select the fabric type, color and rinse. Pay close attention to the fiber content. Most denim is 100% cotton. If you’re going for a skinny style or have a larger waist to hip ratio make sure your fabric selection has some Lycra/ spandex. After you’ve selected your fabric and wash, click the CUSTOMIZE NOW button. The website will take you through all of the selections. Be aware, some options cost extra.

Next you’ll enter your measurements or garment measurements and select the desired fit. The instructions are very specific about how to measure. Be sure and follow them. The one measurement that is tricky is the rise. If you have a pair of jeans already that has the correct rise for you, measure that pant, but if you need a different rise, adjust the measurement accordingly.

The price- what’s the range

While the price was more than I usually pay for jeans, it’s probably around the same or less than some of you are used to paying. I’d gladly trade one pair of perfect jeans for three pair of my typical Old Navy jeans. For the jeans, the extra stitching on the pocket and shipping, the total was $68. Some of the styles were on sale for as low as $39 and the most expensive pair of denim had a base price of $79.
 

Production and shipping time

From the time I ordered my jeans until they arrived in the mail, was 15 calendar days. In comparison, I can barely get a package from Old Navy in that time frame. That is to say, I image that production and shipping times differ depending on their workload.

My Perfect Jeans

Picture

In any case, these were the first pair of jeans I’ve had with the perfect rise for my figure. It’s also the first pair of skinny jeans that I’ve ever owned that weren’t too tight on my thighs. What do you think? Worth $68?

*Some have asked about my shoes. You can get them here.

What else can I get from Make Your Own Jeans?

Additionally, make your own jeans also does suits and pants, but I haven’t tried them yet. From what I’ve seen of department store suits, they’re about the same price.

In conclusion, if you’re struggling to find your perfect jeans, I encourage you to give Make Your Own Jeans a try. They even have some styles with a fit guarantee.

Ultimately, what have you got to lose? That pile of denim from your closet that you don’t wear anymore? Once you get your new custom made jeans, you won’t miss them. Sell them or donate them. Simplify your closet and your life. Give up on the denim struggle in the dressing room. I may never buy a pair of jeans off the rack again.

* I loved my jeans SO much that after writing this post I found out Make Your Own Jeans has an affiliate program, so of course I signed up. I get a small commission if you make a purchase with them after clicking one of my links. This is at no extra cost to you.

What do you think?

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