Shopping Jeans

Jeans are really versatile garments for men, as they can navigate from the office to the construction site. Denim’s strength makes jeans long lasting, and so a great investment.

As discussed in TGT – Untucked, you can’t tuck in your shirt if your jeans are terrible, so…

When buying jeans I like to keep these 5 things in mind

#1 Quality of fabric is key, and adds to the longevity of the garment. Aim for 100% cotton, and avoid stretch fabrics as their elasticity deteriorates over time.

On that note I’m REALLY not a fan of pre-distressed jeans…paying more, to add more work to production time, to pre-ruin your jeans making them decay faster, is not my idea of a smart investment, but hey it’s fashion so…

#2 Make snap judgements, or you’ll be shopping forever. My personal shopping rules are never to buy from somewhere that discriminates against epileptic people by having a flickering light, or are playing bad music.

For jeans I like to buy locally produced and 100% cotton. Here in South Africa Levi’s is a great brand.

#3 Fell seams are the double (or more) stitched seams usually on the inside leg of jeans. Along with rivets at the edges of the pockets, fell seams add strength and durability to the garment.

Some brands cut costs by omitting the fell seam and/or rivets. The end result might be fashion, but you purchase these to your detriment.

#4 This forearm trick will save you from the fact that sizing is in free-fall. If the trouser waist fits over your elbow to your fist, then it’s your size, the label is just to confuse you.

Except when it’s telling you where the jeans were made, that it SUPER important to scrutinize!

#5 if you wanna be cool, be cool, and some great ways to do that are:

Raw denim jeans are made from untreated fabric, which allows these garments to mold uniquely to your body over time.

There’s nothing as fun as custom jeans. From personal patches to bespoke orders, jeans are really one of the most self-expressive garments available.

Selvage jeans include the edges of the woven fabric (the selvage) into the seams of your jeans. Selvages can be really fun, with great colour and personalization options.

Obviously there’s no alteration a good tailor can’t do on jeans, so get those bad boys fitting to perfection.

Tell me what you love about your favorite pair of jeans in the comments.