How to Buy Jeans for Men | Curated Mint

With so many different styles and colours jeans available on the market, it’s not easy to buy jeans for men. Our guide is the perfect tool to accompany your next shopping trip.

Shopping to buy good jeans has become a whole new experience in recent years. It used to be a pretty simple task, with most shops selling either black or blue denim jeans in a standard cut. Now though, it’s a completely different story. The shelves of every shop are full of choice, including the colour, finish and cut.

This is what makes it a daunting task to buy jeans, because regardless of your size, it can be a challenge to find a pair that takes your height and weight into considerations, while suiting your personal preference. If you’re not content with plain old jeans, you can have a go at customising them.

The selection of jeans on offer is of course a great thing, because there’s something for everyone. Jeans are an iconic piece, worn by pretty much everyone and they are considered a wardrobe staple. The fact they can be worn several times before washing means that there’s even more reason to invest in a well-made pair.

What to Look for When you Buy Jeans?

Good Fit

A large part of buying jeans for men comes down to what you usually prefer. Sticking to what you know can be surprisingly helpful, as you’ll recognise what feels and looks good. When buying jeans, the first and most important tip is to make a note of your waist size and trouser length. For some men, it may be hard to find the right size and alterations might be necessary.

There’s nothing worse than making a guess while shopping, getting home and realising your new jeans don’t fit. Another good idea is to take a trip to the changing rooms and ensure they fit properly before going to the till. The full length mirrors will allow you to see how they look from all angles.

Quality

To ensure you don’t waste money, make sure you take a good look at the quality of the jeans you’re considering buying. You want to look at the seams, pockets, zips and buttons to make sure they are well made and will last a good few years. To find jeans that are manufactured to the best quality, it’s no surprise that you should expect to spend more money.

However, if you do have a tight budget, there’s no harm in buying a cheaper pair of jeans, just be prepared to replace them more frequently and ensure to be extra careful when washing them. That way, you can look after the appearance of your jeans and your wallet at the same time!

Style

When you choose to buy jeans, it isn’t just about fit, it’s also about how they look and feel. Whilst some men prefer skinny jeans with a distressed or bleached effect, others prefer classic black or blue jeans in a straight cut. Even though browsing so many options may seem daunting at first, you’re bound to find something you like. Jeans work really well with formal shoes too.

Also, it’s best to make sure your new jeans will match with everything else in your wardrobe. Keep in mind what you plan to wear with them, especially shoes because the drop and length of the trouser leg can be different if wearing them with high top trainers or boots.

How to Buy Jeans for Men

Whether you’re reading this for yourself or you’re a partner looking to buy jeans for your man, it doesn’t have to be a difficult task. There are a few things that will make it easier, the most obvious being shopping online so you can filter your search in terms of size, cut and colour. You may as well check out some suitable shoes to match.

This avoids the disappointment of finding the perfect pair in store, only to discover the size you need isn’t in stock. The convenience is also a massive bonus, as you don’t have the busy shops to contend with. You can also be sneaky if you’re buying them as a gift!

How Should Jeans Fit

Although there’s a range of different styles to choose from in general, jeans should fit securely around your waist, while providing enough give for you to move around easily in. This is really something you’ll realise when you slip them on. If your voice raises an octave when you’re wearing them, then it’s time to go for a size up or a different fit.

Skinny fit jeans aren’t for everyone, so don’t force yourself into a shape that’s not for you. Then there’s the question of how long should jeans be. Although cuffed jeans are popular, and a good choice if you’re wondering how to style jeans, they shouldn’t be overly short and raise up past your ankle. Jeans this length will look less stylish and more like you’ve grown out of your old clothes, so keep this in mind when you’re choosing a design.

As mentioned earlier, for any successful shopping trip you need to go armed with the right information, making sure you are looking for the right size. This can be tricky, especially if you have lost or gained weight recently and you’re not sure what size you need to buy. There are various options for this, the simplest being measuring yourself at home, or asking someone to do it for you.

Waist: With your feet apart, wrap a tape measure around the smallest part of your waist.

Inside Leg: Measure from your crotch to the hem of your jeans, making sure to stand up as straight as you can. The best way to get an accurate measurement is to ask someone to do it for you.

The other option for measurement is to go into a men’s fashion shop and ask a member of staff to help you. In most shops, there are stylists that can make suggestions too.

If you’re the indecisive type, taking someone shopping with you is a great idea. Not only can you benefit from their opinion, but they can even take photos of you in different pairs of jeans so you can see how they look overall.

Which Jeans to Buy

Buying jeans for men is difficult if you don’t have an idea in mind beforehand. Our guide will help you to decide the best style and colour for you out of the many types of jeans available. So you know what to look for, here are the five styles of jeans you can choose from:

Straight Cut Mens Jeans

Straight cut jeans are where it all started. This original cut is very versatile and suits all body types. These are the best fitting jeans for men with a thicker body type than average, as they’ll skim cleanly across your shape without clinging to any extra bulk.

Slim Fit Mens Jeans

For a more tailored look, slim cut jeans are a great choice. They hug your hips and thighs, but have a straight cut leg.

Skinny Fit Mens Jeans

Skinny jeans aren’t for everyone and your build should be taken into account. Made from stretchy cotton, the skinny fit is tight on your hips, thighs and legs.

Tapered Mens Jeans

Men with a larger frame should be wary of this cut, as they are slim on the leg with a narrow leg opening. They are cut closely to the hip and thigh, making them a great choice for leaner frames.

Where is the Best Place to Buy Men’s Jeans?

As well as deciding which style you’d like to buy, it’s a good idea to have a budget in mind before you go shopping. Deciding which jeans to buy is easier if you know how much you want to spend, and as a result you can target specific shops that you know will fit your price range. Why not try dyeing your jeans?

Having said that, if you do have a larger budget and you wish to splash out, you can buy jeans that are expensive, from brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Levis, Armani and G-Star. It may be that they’ll make up your casual wardrobe, or they could be a one off purchase for a special occasion or for a gift. For low to medium budgets, there are an array of high street shops that will satisfy your needs.

Shopping on the high street is an ideal place to find good fitting jeans. Being able to look at the jeans, feel the material and try them on is a bonus. That way, you can ensure that they are just right and suit your body type. The rows of jeans on display may be daunting at first, but if you narrow them down to your favourite colour, fit and finish, you’ll end up with a good selection to choose from. Double denim is also on-trend this season.

Browsing the shops to buy jeans for men isn’t always possible, and this is where the internet comes in. Every popular high street retailer has a website where you can find jeans that fit well and coordinate perfectly with the rest of your wardrobe. You can also use the handy tools to select jeans by size, colour and price. You’ll avoid the disappointment of looking longingly at a pair of jeans that are out of stock in your size!

Taking advantage of suggested items is ideal too, as most online retailers will show you shoes or accessories to match your jeans and create an on-trend outfit. For example, our ‘wear with’ side panel. It goes without saying that you can pick up a great bargain online whilst avoiding the busy sale season.

How to Buy Denim

It’s a pretty simple task to buy jeans and choosing the shade of denim is probably the easiest aspect to jeans shopping. Simply because there are only three shades to choose from: dark, mid and light. The key to buying denim is to try it on. Although denim is one material, the way it is made and the weight plays a large part in how the jeans feel. When shopping for denim, the weight is important to consider.

• Lightweight Denim weighs up to 12oz
• Midweight Denim weighs between 12 and 16oz
• Heavyweight Denim weighs over 16oz

These numbers stand for how much a yard of fabric weighs. This may be news to you and it may not have ever crossed your mind, but the weight of the fabric determines how easy the jeans are to wear. Lighter denim is lightweight, whilst heavier denim is more difficult to loosen up.

Remembering these figures can be really helpful when you’re doing seasonal shopping, as you can select lightweight denim for the Spring/Summer season and mid to heavyweight denim for the Autumn/Winter season. Desert boots are great for colder weather.

Something else to consider when buying denim is if you prefer jeans that button up or zip up. It’s down to personal preference really and what you find more comfortable, but it’s another thing to double check.

Pockets are important too – it’s best to choose jeans with minimal branding on the pockets, making sure they are well sown on and easy to open. You can also choose from blue stitching that’s virtually invisible, or classic orange stitching.

Your Quick Guide on How to Buy Jeans for Men

• Look for a good fit, quality and style
• Save time by shopping online
• Ensure you know your waist and inside leg measurements
• Consider which style of jeans you like and would suit you best
• Decide on your budget and favourite shop
• Choose your jeans depending on the season
• Take care to check the finer details, like stitching, zips and pockets

And On That Note

Jeans are a wardrobe staple and a timeless classic that will last for years to come. They are extremely versatile, making it easy to take them from casual every day wear to a night on the town to dress down Friday at the office. They are known to be the most comfortable and most loved item in our wardrobes, perfect for a smart casual look.

It’s not uncommon for us to adopt a favourite pair of jeans that we wear over and over again, and when it comes the time to buy a new pair, we feel a deep sadness and we don’t want to part with them. A well-worn pair of jeans can be as comfortable as tracksuit bottoms!

Taking the step to buying a new pair can be frustrating, but it can also make you feel really good, especially if you follow the steps to finding the right jeans for you. Taking time to check the quality, size, detail and finish will pay off in the end.

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