Raise your hand if you’ve bought a pair of jeans, only to come home and realize you already have a similar pair. (Yep, that’s me.) Thus, when Tresi reached out with another great idea for a blog post, it evolved into the question of how many jeans do you need?
Quote of the day: “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” Robert Collier
Yes, we tend to buy the same thing over and over because, duh, we like the item. It only makes sense until you realize you have a bunch of the same things competing for your attention.
Let’s give credit for this idea of the How many jeans do you need challenge to Tresi. It was because of an email asking why we purchase the same thing in the quest to find the “perfect” item. When we scouted out our closest, it turned into a friendly jeans audit.
Because let’s face it, jeans are the ultimate wardrobe staple. Yet at some point, we all end up buying the same styles over and over, and not just with jeans.
So today’s post isn’t your typical “how to style your denim” inspiration. We’ve done that, and if you need ideas, I’ll list them below.
Instead, we’re getting real about a challenge: How many jeans do you need? And what should you consider when deciding which ones stay and which ones get the boot (pun intended)?
Tresi and I also decided to style a couple of pairs of the jeans we are keeping in different ways than our norm. If you are looking for style inspiration, just scroll down to those photos.
Other inspiration for how to style denim:
–Double denim
–Variety of jeans looks
–Shirts to wear with jeans
–Flare jeans outfits
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Let’s be clear: there’s no magic number or, as I always say, no right or wrong. Heck, I remember back in the day when I only had 1 pair (when I was working) because that’s not what I wore.
However, if jeans are something you like to wear or you consider them a go-to, then you might evaluate how many jeans you need.
Insider tip: Having similar items of anything brings up the reminder that most casual observers don’t notice the small details.
What I mean is that if you have 2 pairs of jeans in the same wash and very similar silhouette, no one is going to notice that one has gold thread and the other white thread.
YOU may realize that you are wearing 2 different pairs of jeans, but most will think you always wear the same pair. Again…not right or wrong. Just something to consider.
This Exercise is more about awareness than rules. Here’s what we each did:
We asked ourselves 5 key questions:
Let me tell you that the last one is where the real honesty came in.
Focusing on five key questions can help bring Clarity to the question of how many jeans you need.
For me, I prefer a variety of options in my closet, so finding duplicates was one way to make it easier for the purge process.
Denim Wash: Light, dark, medium, and everything in between. Trust me, while you notice all of the details, I feel like the color and silhouette make the biggest impact.
Silhouettes: You can find various silhouettes at the stores, so don’t get attached to only one style. Yes, we get used to seeing ourselves in a certain style, but it’s a huge advantage to try other silhouettes also.
If wide-leg jeans seem too overpowering, try a small flare, and experiment with the newest trend of cuffed jeans.
Insider tip: You may think only one style of jeans is flattering to your body shape. But take care. Looking modern and contemporary can get you much further than only concentrating on flattering. So, try the new styles.
Details: like raw hems, button flies, and distressing—that can either make a pair special or make them harder to style.
Fabric weight: Heavier denim vs lightweight denim.
Fit. Not “once I lose five pounds” fit, but how they feel today. If they pinch, gape, or need constant adjusting, it’s time to either fix them or say goodbye.
Insider tip: Instead of just taking the items you don’t want anymore to the “thrift store,” consider asking a friend if they want them, or figuring out other ways to upcycle them.
There are loads of ideas for what to do with jeans. Here’s one.
I’m not over keen on blue denim jeans; I’ve got other colours that make me happier, and fit in with my other clothes. I find it’s one area where too much choice is a burden.
When I investigated all my drawers and cupboards, it was a shock to discover that I had accumulated 11 pairs – and that doesn’t include two pairs of blue denim shorts and a pair of capri pants, which means a different pair every day for a fortnight! Way too many for me.
Several pairs went away just for the fit factor, and there were a couple of okay, but… (okay, but dull colour, okay, but a bit meh), as well. Those have gone into storage for next year, on the off chance that I might change my mind.
-1 pair of capri pants
-1 pair of shorts
-2 pairs of mid blue (one skinny, one wide)
-1 pair of dark wash straight cut
-1 pair of jeggings
I think that’s enough for me! Especially as I’m not over keen on blue denim.
My takeaways from this: (some of this explained in the evaluation above, but it’s also nice to hear it from Tresi’s perspective and not just mine)
One pair caught my eye – I’d tried them on, but they were too long. I toyed with cuffing them, but they’re very wide, so the cuff wouldn’t stay up.
5 minutes with the sewing machine sorted that.
Insider tip: Learning to sew can be a powerful skill, even if you only use it to alter your clothes. It’s a great brain activity, and you can find so many tutorials on YouTube instead of taking classes.
So now the fun began- I decided to push the envelope and avoid the jeans and t-shirt/nice top combo, although I’ve plenty that would fit the bill.
Not all were successful, but I like the blue duster. The dress over the jeans would work if it were shorter.
Interestingly, the problem I had was finding colours that worked with these jeans (they are quite a distinct blue and don’t look good with the greens that I favour), yet come winter, I can see them with a lot of my warmer tops.
Insider tip: I made the necklaces and used a leather boot lace for one; much chunkier and cheaper than the string you can buy, and available from shoe repair shops.
I took all of my jeans and put them on the floor to evaluate them.
Before I started trying them on, I decided to see if I had “duplicates.” I thought that if I had 2 pairs of jeans that were very similar, I would pick the pair that fit the best to keep. Maybe.
Insider tip: Organizing is a very personal thing, but I’ve shared how I fold and store my jeans on the shelf between the 2 clothing rods. It’s not perfect, but it uses up wasted space and allows me to see them all at one glance.
I started with 20 pairs of jeans….Eeek. This did not take into account my jean shorts or jean short overalls. It is also only my blue jean fetish. Colored jeans were not included.
-I had 2 wide-leg, light-wash jeans. Sure, 1 is a cargo jean (styled with a striped vest last year) and another pair from Old Navy. I kept the cargo jeans because they fit better.
-Similarly, I had 2 embellished lighter wash jeans. However, since I love them both, AND they fit well, I kept both.
-The cuffed jeans, I made myself by finding inexpensive jeans at Goodwill that were VERY long for me. Then I brought them home and cuffed them, tacking them down with a needle and thread so they would stay put. They both fit well, but the darker wash was a lower rise, so I kept the medium wash pair.
-Unique jeans. This is my downfall. I like items that not everyone else has, yet surprisingly, I only had 2 pairs. One is the Una blue Jeans that were remade from a pair of jeans I already had. She has since gone out of business, but it was a cool project. The two-toned, straight-legged jeans, I found thrifting, and while I don’t wear them every week, they tickle my fancy.
I got rid of 8 pairs of jeans, and here’s what I didn’t keep:
-2 pairs of dark skinny jeans–I kept one pair.
-1 pair of cuffed jeans as discussed in duplicates.
-1 pair light wash, wide-leg jeans as discussed in duplicates.
-1 pair of extremely distressed jeans. Given to me by a friend, and I wore them a lot, but the huge distressing isn’t as trendy now.
-1 pair dark wash straight leg, distressed. I bought them at Old Navy for a steal, but I rarely wear them.
-1 pair mid wash, front slit jeans (seen styled with a kimono years ago). I liked them and they fit, but for some reason, I just didn’t wear them often.
-I pair of acid wash, cropped flares worn on Saturday as part of my jeans variety show; however, I decided I could do without them.
I wanted to come up with 2 outfits that I wouldn’t normally put together with 2 pairs of the jeans that I kept from the How many jeans do you need challenge.
First up, I wanted to style a double denim outfit. The Thrifty 6 group had this prompt earlier this year, and while it’s not something I normally style, I wanted to try another version.
I paired my two-tone jeans (also worn in the winter recently with a chunky sweater) with a denim top. This denim top was a DIY project where I refashioned a pair of denim shorts to be a sleeveless top.
My second unusual styling was pairing a flowy top with voluminous jeans. These jeans are still available in very limited sizes at Old Navy. I love them so much, I wish they still had my size. They are super lightweight and shrunk just enough that I didn’t need to shorten them.
Anyways, onto the outfit. I paired this puffy tube top that isn’t fitted at all, with the wide jeans.
Even though both pieces are loosey goosey, I like it. For me, showing some “skin” (my shoulders) makes all the difference.
Insider tip: Evereve has a similar version of this type of tube top in brown.
Only you can answer that—but Tresi and I challenge you to go through this process. Pull every pair out. Try them on. Ask yourself the tough questions. Get honest about how you feel in them.
Because fewer jeans that fit well and make you feel fabulous are worth more than a dozen that only gather dust.
And hey, once you’ve narrowed it down, your closet is easier to organize, getting dressed takes less time, and you’ll actually wear what you own. Win-win-win.
If you like these types of challenges, Tresi and I have collaborated on a couple of others:
–How to revive reject clothing
–How to get out of a style rut
We all have our own individual challenges in our closets, and I would love to hear yours.
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Welcome to Jodie’s Touch of Style. I’m here to prove that it’s never too late to look great. Clothing and style are meant to showcase your inner personality. So let’s have fun and try new things.
It’s not just about me on this blog, but I also love to include other women to give you loads of inspiration. We get to showcase not only different decades of life but also different body shapes and unique personal styles.
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