Lauren Valenti Senior Beauty Editor
Id been pining for a pair of Judi Rosens old-school, high-waist faded blue flares for years. Theyre the stuff of peachy dreams: Sculpting and lifting your bum to the heavens as only a sturdy, extra-high-rise style can. The irony that I finally landed a pair nowa time when soft pants reign supremeis not lost on me. It takes no less than five minutes to shimmy my way into them, and theyre made of a stiff, raw denim that stands in total contrast to lounging, but Ive relished breaking them in and fantasizing about the day I can take them out on the town. They make me feel alive.
Alexandra Michler Director Fashion Initiatives
Although I will always prefer a dress over pants, I wear jeans almost exclusively at home now. Ive found straight-leg denim jeans give just enough structure to feel put-together for a workday. I rotate between three pairs, but these from Khaite are my favorite. They are long enough for my legs and hit just above the waist. Theyre perfect.
Irene Kim Production And Editorial Coordinator Vogue Runway
The only pair of comfortable jeans Ive ever owned was a pair of mid-rise slouchy jeans I got from the Ralph Lauren boys section many, many years ago. They were the perfect pair, until they ripped. The slouchy boyfriend denim from J. Crew is a great close second though. Theyre made from a rigid denim, so they wont stretch out after just one wear, but are just baggy enough so that theyre not digging into you all day long.
Read Also: Citizens Of Humanity White Jeans
Adding Fabric Embellishments To Your Jeans
Belt Man Frutta Jeans Rust With Writing With Stitchings Long 118 Cm R4534

- Belt man FRUTTA JEANS rust with writing with stitchings long 118 cm R4534
- Date First Available :June 14 2017
- ASIN :B00SNF8H1I
Materials: Sintetico / Fodera in leather Type of buckle: Shiny chromedIn dotazione: box confezioneComposed by Height: 3,8 cm Length without buckle: 118 cm Length with buckle: 124 cm Length Europeannn measurement: 110 cm
Steff Yotka Global Director Of Social Media
The only designers who could convince me to wear jeans are Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena. After many months of coveting them, I caved and bought a pair of the duos marbled denim made in collaboration with British artist Faye Wei-Wei. Havent looked back since! The wide leg and low rise makes them comfortable for walking and sitting, and the sunny pattern makes me feel like Im not wearing drab jeans.
Sarah Spellings Fashion News Editor
These jeanswhich are the only pair in my closet that have any stretchmake me feel good no matter what. Got a six-hour plane flight? Wear these. Long day of Zoom meetings? These are just two notches above leggings in my book. The wide-leg silhouette hugs in all the right places and helps me live out my 70s dream girl vision as well.
Worldwide Market For Jeans
North America accounts for 39% of global purchases for jeans, followed by Western Europe at 20%, Japan and Korea at 10% and the rest of the world at 31%.
United States consumers spent more than US$14 billion on jeans in 2004 and US$15 billion in 2005. US consumers bought US$13.8 billion of men’s and women’s jeans in the year that ended April 30, 2011, according to market-research firm NPD Group.
Chioma Nnadi Global Network Lead & Editor Voguecom
I love jeans that look and feel lived in. That authentic broken in style is hard to find if you’re not shopping vintage, and even then, its rare to see a pair that’s perfectly worn in. Mother denim is one of the few brands to get it right. Im not one for a super skinny jeans, and these have a slouch to them that I like.
Naomi Elize Market Editor
After a summer-long search, Ive finally found the perfect pair of jeans that both fit comfortably and add some flair to any outfit. These Margiela Slit jeans are now my go-to pair of jeans. They fit more high waist but still have enough length on the bottom, whichfor a tall woman like myselfis relatively hard to find.
Our Favorite Pairs Of Raw Jeans
To test raw selvedge denim, I brought in six pairs to wear over the course of two months. Because it takes a while for raw denim to form to your body, I wore them religiouslyand tested them aloneswapping them on and off on a regular basis and jotting down notes about the style, feel, and look. These recommendations are my personal favorites. But all of the raw denim jeans I looked at were exciting for various reasons.
Return policy: one week
Lilah Ramzi Features And Commerce Editor
In college I discovered a lot about myselfincluding which jeans worked for me. More than 10 years later, Im still wearing basically the same exact pair of pants. Black, skinny-leg, very high-waist denim with a little stretch by Acne Studios. When worn, I feel like Audrey Hepburn as a beatnik in Funny Face dancing in the cafés of Paris. Their extra-high waist means no fidgeting and retucking . Their extra-long length means my ankles wont get cold. And their slight stretch allows me to crisscross my legs with ease. They look somewhat dressy and can almost pass as a no-denim pair of pantswhich is perfect because I seem to be in the extreme minority of people who dont wear blue jeans.
Why You Should Trust Us

Im a style staff writer at Wirecutter, and I compare, test, and write about everything you can carry or wear on your person, from T-shirts to jeans. In preparation for this guide, I read reviews of mens jeans from a host of trusted sources to ascertain what makes a great pair. To learn more I also interviewed a handful of jeans experts, including Steve Cruz, store manager at New York Citys Naked & Famous Denim Kiya Babzani, co-founder of Self Edge, who absolutely schooled me on selvedge denim and celebrity menswear stylist Ashley Weston.
What Were Looking For
Size range: Before harping on the current state of jean sizing, heres helpful advice Strategist writer Erin Schwartz got from Clotilde Testa, owner of Walk the West and a self-described denim whisperer: Know your exact waist, hip, and rise measurements either through measuring yourself or your current prized pair. Inconsistent sizing or not finding your size at all can be deflating, so we gave preference to brands that have a wider range, including length. And another tip on this front from fashion content creator Tilly Macalister-Smith : Check the height of the model in product notes to compare where a pair will hit on you.
Rise: What makes a high-waisted jean high-waisted anyway? As Macalister-Smith tells us, anything that sits at your true waist above your belly button is fair game. Cadmus seconds this, saying its difficult to give a number for the ideal rise on a high-rise. But the baseline is around ten inches, Cadmus adds, and many on the market are even higher than that. The rise is usually listed based on the proportions of one size, so while its useful to know, it can be hard to tell how a pair will look on you. Thats why we asked our panel to detail the rise of their picks as much as possible.
What About Raw And Selvedge Denim
I spoke with Kiya Babzani, the co-founder of Self Edge, and Steve Cruz, the store manager at Naked & Famous Denim, to learn the differences between the denim we see in most stores versus raw selvedge denim. Heres the lowdown, per Babzani: Selvedge denim was originally called self edging fabric because the process created its own finished edge that didnt require more work to prevent fraying. Around the turn of the 15th century, workers shortened the term self edging fabric to selvedge as an abbreviation.
The terms raw and selvedge are often used interchangeably for denim, but a pair of jeans can be neither, either, or both. Selvedge refers to the finished edge of the fabric, and raw denim is the material that is unwashed and untreated, making it stiffer and more prone to bleeding indigo onto anything it touches. But it also conforms to your body over time for a unique fit and look. Uniqlo, for example, makes jeans that are selvedge stitched without being raw denim, and Levis 501 Shrink to Fit jeans are raw without being selvedge stitched.
And thats the beauty of denim, he said. If you buy a pre-distressed pair of jeans, by contrast, they may have lines all over them. But they probably wont match the natural lines that are produced by your bodys movements. They also wont be as comfortable .
What To Look Forward To
A.P.C. has been a prominent name in raw denim since its debut in 1987. All of this companys jeans have a street price above our initial $200 cutoff. But in the future well consider A.P.C.s Petit Standard jeans. They are only slightly above that limit, and they are made of 14.5-ounce denim, with a straight leg, a low rise, and a button-fly zipper.
Madeline Fass Market Editor
I am 100% a pants person, and my jean collection takes up a large portion of my wardrobe. Ill wear any style of jeans, from stiff vintage to baggy boyfriend, but over the past few months, Ive taken to pairs that fit like my favorite relaxed trousers. Ive been living in both of these styles, from Boyish and Closed. The denim is super soft, the wash is just right, and the legs have the perfect amount of bagginess Im looking for. Even with the loose fit, they hug my waist just right and arent a mile too long . With a pair like these, who needs sweats?
Environmental And Humanitarian Impact
A typical pair of blue jeans uses 3,479 litres of water during its life cycle. This includes the water to irrigate the cotton crop, manufacture the jeans, and the numerous washes by the consumer.During production, the typical amount for washing with traditional Pullman machines reaches 90 litres per jeans, which can be reduced to about 27 litres using modern frontloaders. Novel washing processes such as Droptima can reduce that to 6 litres fresh water plus 4 litres used water.
The production of jeans with a “used look” can be more environmentally damaging than regular jeans, depending on how the waste compounds are processed. Sandblasting and treating with sandpaper has the risk of causing silicosis to the workers, and in Turkey, more than 5,000 textile workers have been stricken with this disease, and 46 people are known to have died. Some companies have announced they are banning the use of sandblasting.
Kiana Murden Beauty Commerce Writer
I must admit that I am in no way a jeans girl, and that my search for the perfect pair has only just begun. Though Im still on the hunt for the pair worthy of tossing out my skirts forever, I reach for 7 For All Mankinds Cropped Alexa denim. Im a fan of the wide-leg and cut-hem that gives them a more relaxed look. The material itself is rather stretchy tooideal for days on the go.
Simple Steps To Identify Original Levis Jeans
Look at the rear label of the jeans
Knock-offs have a label that is very similar with the same text printed on them that you find on a pair of real Levis jeans. However, if you feel that the label is made from a material similar to leather and it is also very hard, then it is not a real pair of Levis. If the material of the patch looks authentic, look at the text and its printing closely. This text is always symmetric in a real Levis while it can be off center in a fake Levis jeans. You can also spot a fake Levis if there are spelling mistakes. These spelling mistakes are often deliberate and you must read carefully to spot them. How to identify original Levis jeans becomes easier if you feel the label in your hands. Original Levis label is almost paper thin while knockoffs have a much thicker material used for the label.
Colour of the label may be different
If you do not know how to identify original Levis jeans, try to make sure that the colour of the rear label of the jeans that you are buying is brownish yellow. Levis jeans always have their labels made in this color while knockoffs can have varying shades of brown from light to dark. If the label is white or any other colour, you are surely buying a fake Levis jeans.
Look at the hardware
Look for the red colour tab
Armed with all the knowledge given in this article, how to identify original Levis jeans becomes very easy indeed.
Vogue Editors Share Their Favorite Denim Picks

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Denim and American fashion have been intrinsically linked since the 19th century, but especially so when Editor in Chief Anna Wintour decided to have Israeli model Michaela Bercu on her first Vogue cover in 1988, styled in an haute couture Christian Lacroix beaded cross sweater and a pair of stonewashed Guess jeans. Although stonewashed jeans were the It style during the 80s, over the years, Vogue has illustrated how jeans can be reimagined in refreshing new shapes, styles, and silhouettesfrom denim dresses to skirts. With cooler days and fall in near sight, consider picking up one of the below editor-approved jeans that will make dressing during this transitional season a breeze.
Using Studs Sequins Or Gems
How We Picked And Tested
We started this guide by researching hundreds of pairs of jeans, culling the list to around 50 pairs of interest from popular retailers, other reviews, and roundups. For this piece, we focused on slim jeans marketed for men, though they can be worn by people of any gender. These jeans are shaped differently than jeans that are marketed as being for women. The jeans in this guide have straight cuts extending across the leg, a narrower waist, and a wider hip. By contrast, jeans made for women generally have a narrower hip and more size variety in the waist . We think slim jeans should fit comfortablyneither too loosely nor too tightly . They should fit straight through the hip, with a narrow opening around the leg. We used the following criteria to narrow down our list even further:
Construction: We spent time wearing each pair of jeans for a few weeks, as well as poking and prodding them to pinpoint issues like uneven stitching or flyaway threads.
Shrinkage: We measured the dimensions of each pair of jeans, and then we washed and dried them, noting any shrinking that occurred. None of the pairs we recommended shrank notably, but it was an issue with some that we dismissed.
Comfort: We considered how the fabric feltwhether it was coarse and rigid, or soft and smoothand how it might feel to wear all day.
Fabric: We noted the combination of fabric used, though most of the jeans we tested were 98% or more cotton, with the remainder being elastane.