There are some general rules of thumb to follow when you're trying to find the right pair of jeans.
We think it's important that everyone know at least a few of them, so we've teamed up with the Denim Doctors over at Arnotts to put together some handy tips for picking the right jeans for you, and understand the science behind a great pair of jeans.
If you can go skinny, do
We're not saying the skinnier the better, but keep pushing it until you hit the wall of what feels comfortable, and what you're confident enough to wear out in public.
Careful though, just because you can fit into those skin-tight super spray-ons doesn't mean you should. There are certain things the world doesn't need to see, and the outline of your.....calf is one.
All we can say is buy quality, because the tighter the fit on the inside of the leg, the easier the denim will wear away, so instead of picking up five cheap pairs of jeans that'll all be thrown in the bin after two months, get yourself something that'll last, like the two G-Star jeans above. (left, €119.95) and (right, €139.95)
Straight cut is a happy medium
Skinny is a relative term really, so maybe we should break it down. If you're not wearing boots, why are the bottoms of your jeans wide enough to accommodate them?
We're not saying boot-cut is a bad style, all we're saying is if worn incorrectly they're as about as fashionable as a mankini in December, or a mankini in any month of the year really. This isn't the 90's, you're not in Bewitched, find yourself some jeans that don't look like they could be used in lieu of a parachute. If in doubt just use your handspan to gauge the size. If you can stretch out your hand completely inside the leg, you may want to look for a thinner pair.
Plus, boots will still fit under straight cuts. James Dean didn't wear bootcut, and you want to be like James Dean, right? RIGHT? Just take these blue Levi's Originals(left, €115) or black Replays(right, €110) for example, they're classics.
The darker the better
When it comes to jeans colour is key. That's not to say you can't pull off egg-shell white, we're sure you can, but there's a few reasons why a darker pair might serve you better, and we're not talking about their proficiency at hiding food stains.
Firstly, it's almost winter, so it's time to start putting away the brighter elements of your wardrobe in favour of deeper tones. If the thought of abandoning colour for the last few months of the year is too much to handle, and you need contrast in your outfits, go light on top and keep your base a solid block of black or blue.
These Jack&Jones Vintage (left, €79.99) and Wrangler (right, €80) jeans are great examples of jeans that will see you through the winter and will suit any occasion.
But look, there's no point in self-diagnosing online, if you think your jeans have seen better days then make a trip to The Denim Doctor in Arnotts from the 15th-26th October, where you can find the perfect pair and get %20 off your second pair. Keep an eye out for the events happening over the course of the two weeks, they'll include chances to win great prizes, tailoring stations to customise your jeans, and DJ's on the 17th, 22nd, and 24th.
We're also running a competition to celebrate the launch of Denim Doctors in Arnotts, and we have a full year’s supply of jeans to give away! So if you fancy picking yourself up a heap of free jeans(yes, that's the collective term for jeans, in case you didn't know) enter our competition by heading over to here.