How-To: A Guy’s Guide to Good Jeans

I’ve been getting requests about men’s style recently, and specifically questions about denim, so I decided I would share some {of what I consider} foolproof rules for buying and looking awesome in it. There are 3 major factors you want to consider: length, fit, and wash.

Length:

Go for jeans that at least reach the top part of your shoe sole/heel {wear your shoes with the highest heel for try-on!}. A little bit of wear at the hemline is cool, but jeans that are so long you’re tripping on them are not. Look polished, not nerdy or sloppy!

Fit:

Straight leg is definitely current. Bootcut is fine, too. The best advice I can give is to stay moderate on this one. Don’t go TOO baggy or TOO skinny {unless you’re going for gangsta or hipster, in which case, have at it.} Relaxed Straight, Straight, and Slim Straight fits will um, accentuate the positive and look polished at the same time.

Wash:

Stick with your basic denim washes {that means blues, fellas — no white or tan or stonewash, prettyplease}. The darker the wash the more formal and dressed up they can be.

Other miscellaneous notes:

• pleasepleaseplease stay away from major bling on your booty.
• if you are in doubt, ask a female salesperson. trust me, you want her opinion.
• avoid SAS {Saggy Ass Syndrome}. Your jeans should work what your mama gave you, but not be painfully tight.
• to reduce fading and shrinking, don’t dry your jeans in the dryer.
• don’t be afraid to invest in a tailor if you’ve found the perfect pair of jeans but they’re too long. They can even reattach the original hem, and no one will ever know.
• some brands I’m liking lately: Joe’s Jeans, Hudson and J Brand {images via these sites}. Diesel and Gap are always good staples, too.

Ladies, if you haven’t already, check out all dudes learned how to dress and it sucks. Hilarious.