I’m guilty of running into a dressing room with a pair of jeans, trying them on in a fired-up hurry, and then buying them – only to discover later that when I sit down, they retract up my shins as if I’m preparing for a flood. To really ensure that you and your new jeans are going to have a long and happy life together, you must go to great lengths when trying them on.
Jeans-shop on a day when you have plenty of time and are in a shopping mood. Be prepared to try on pair after pair. Take along a friend who’ll tell you the brutal truth about how each pair looks (and who won’t get bored with all the shopping!).
Closely inspect all the seams, pockets, buttons, and rivets to make sure that everything is sewn tightly together. Pull the zipper up and down a few times to make sure it zips smoothly; if it catches, find another pair.
Look at yourself in the jeans from all angles – especially the back. Rotate slowly, and stand in poses you’d normally find yourself in.
Put on your shoes and see if you like how the legs fall around them. Typically, the right leg length should be at least touching the tops of your shoes (and preferably draped over them a bit), but should be short enough that they don’t drag or get stepped on in the backs. Consider how your other favorite pairs of shoes would look.
Bend over, crouch, and kneel. Make sure they’re comfortable and that they don’t look like they’re about to split a seam.
Sit down. Make sure that the zipper doesn’t come open, that the legs don’t suddenly become highwater (please, learn from my mistake!), and that the jeans don’t pinch or restrict you anywhere. You don’t want anybody seeing your undies, so while you’re seated, lean forward. See that the jeans don’t gap in the back, or hit you so low that your underwear peeks out above the waistband.
Run. March. Jump. Boogie down. See how well the jeans move with you. Sure, you might appear a little crazy to anyone who sees your feet under the dressing room door, but isn’t it worth it to find the perfect pair of jeans?