Denim Buying Made Easy

This one's for the boys!
While scanning the pages of Men's Health, we couldn't help but share the wisdom on what some would consider -Jeans Shopping For Dummies-. Tips from an expert shopper and stylist are sometimes hard to come by, so we'll waste no time with getting to #1

#1. Go to a specialist denim store

   If there's a sales associate there, don't be afraid to ask them questions! Levi's Regional Operations Manager Karl Wederell says, "they know the fabrics, and they know the styles."

#2. Consider what style will fit you best

   THEN GET A SECOND OPINION! Not everyone can pull of skinny jeans...

#3. Think about when you're going to wear them the most

   Are you looking for a dressed up pair for work? Or are you after a slouchy pair for the weekend?

#4. When in doubt, go for Dark Indigo

   Nothing beats a guy in a pair of dark wash jeans. "No one looks bad in a really good-fitting pair of dark denim", Wedrell says. We agree! It's slimming on the gals and adds a touch of class for the guys. It's a subtle way to add a lil somethin somethin without doing the MOST.

#5. Get the HOLE Truth!

   When it comes to worn-in denim, there's a difference between distressed and indecent. "breakages are good, but avoid anything too aggressive",says Justin Ng, merchandise and wholesale manager for Calvin Klein Jeans. “You don’t want any holes that you can fit your hand through.” Keep the look but stop the holes from expanding by asking a tailor to reinforce the areas from the inside with denim patches.

#6. Remember...SIZE MATTERS

   “The most common mistake when buying jeans is to get a pair that fits comfortably in the shop, only to find they’re too loose three days later,” says Wederell. “When you try them on, you want the jeans to be slightly too tight and uncomfortable. As long as you can get the top button done up they should be fine. Over time, the denim relaxes and will stretch.”
The best changing-room tactic to tell if those new jeans fit you right? Ask your girl. If she isn’t around, make sure the jeans sit where you want them without a belt. The belt should be an optional extra – almost an accessory. Basically, if you need a belt or any other tool to hold up your jeans, it’s time to go down a size or two.

#7. To Wash or not wash...That is the Question

(Quite frankly, we don't care what the hell this guy does- as long as we can watch)

• The debate: should you wash your jeans?

• The purist: “I wash my jeans maybe once a year,” says Wederell. “Personally, what I do instead is, on a hot, dry day, I’ll turn them inside out and hang them out on the line to air them out and kill the bacteria.”

• The everyman: Jeans starting to pong? “Wash them inside out with cold water and a liquid detergent – powder never completely washes out of the twill,” advises Wederell. And don’t put them in a dryer – heat will shrink the cotton and tumbling in a metal machine is abrasive to the fabric. 

• The inside tip: Got a dark pair of jeans and want to preserve the colour? The first time you wash them, add a dessert spoonful of salt to the machine. “It sets the indigo dye onto the cotton,” says Wederell.