There’s only one thing worse than owning a pair of jeans one size too big, and that’s owning a pair of jeans one size too small. Here’s what you can do to make that almost-perfect pair of jeans fit.
Ways to stretch your denim
Wet and wear
There are plenty of ways suggested online to stretch your jeans. However, separating the genuine expert advice from faddy nonsense can be difficult.
Mr Black Garment Essentials recommend the wet and wear technique in their guide on how to stretch denim jeans. Simply spray your jeans with water, wear them around the house, stretch in the places where you need them to be stretched, and then let them air dry.
However, if they are just a little bit tight, most jeans will give eventually, so perhaps all you need is patience.
Visit a tailor
If the jeans are unusually tight in a particular area, or can’t be brought into shape by Mr Black’s technique, perhaps a visit to the tailor will be the best course of action. If the jeans do not button up at all, stretching is unlikely to be enough to provide a comfortable fit.
Tailors can alter your jeans to help better suit you,helping them better fit your body shape. Alternatively, you could do some work yourself if you’re confident sewing. The Seasoned Homemaker has a blog on how to let out the waistband on jeans. They claim that almost anyone can do it, so a trip to the tailor may not be needed after all.
Ways to shrink your denim
There are many ways to shrink your jeans, from the absurd to the slightly less absurd. So let’s start in that order.
Boiling jeans
Anyone with a pan big enough can boil jeans. An article for leaf.tv had the best recipe. According to them, you can “simply boil a large pot of water, and then add the jeans once the pot really starts rolling. Keep the jeans in there for 20 to 30 minutes, and then throw them in the dryer (on high heat).” Of course, the amount of shrinking is hard to manage and you do risk damaging the jeans, but if your denim is far too large, you can always give it a go.
Bathe in them
An alternative put forward by Fashion Mike is to run yourself and your jeans a hot bath and get in. After a while get out and go about your business as your jeans air dry. This method can work very well and be very simple and safe to carry out, although you may risk your housemates trying to get you sectioned.
This technique is all about getting the denim to fit the shape of your body, working in the same way as the wet and wear technique.
The Washer/dryer technique
This is something that anyone can do with relative ease. Simply put your jeans (and only your jeans) into the washing machine on the highest setting possible. The heat causes denim to shrink.
Once the jeans finish in the washer, place them in the dryer. Again, it is important to use the hottest possible heat setting to dry the jeans. There are two drawbacks to this technique. One, the jeans are unlikely to shrink a significant amount during one cycle and may be necessary to repeat. Second, the more you repeat the process the more at risk your denim is from fading.
Buy jeans that fit your body type
If your jeans never seem to fit, it could be that you’re buying the wrong type of jeans for your body shape. Unfortunately, jeans don’t come in a standardised size, and although jeans can shrink or stretch, an important part of the process is to find jeans that compliment you.
Glamour Magazine lists the most flattering jeans for different body types. According to Glamour, slim jeans are best for hourglass figures and if you’re tall and leggy, flares are the way to go.
Finding jeans that suit you and not just the mannequin in the shop is your first step to finding a perfect pair of denim jeans. If, for whatever reason, you’re still struggling to find jeans in the perfect fit for you, you can take one of the steps listed above.
