So, you’ve just purchased a fantastic new pair of jeans, but how should you break them in?
The way you treat a new pair of jeans might mean the difference between a pair that lasts for years and a pair that falls apart after a few months.
I’ll show you how to properly break in your new jeans in this article.
Two Types of Jeans
Before we get started, there are two primary varieties of jeans available: raw and pre-washed.
Pre-washed denim is softer and more worn-in. Because there’s nothing exceptional you can do with these jeans, I’m going to concentrate on the raw denim.
Because your raw denim jeans haven’t been washed, they’ll be stiffer to begin with, with a deep uniform color and no distressing.
These are one of the dressier jean styles, so you’ll want to treat good care of them if you want to keep that look.
Prevent Dye Transfer
The first tip is to avoid dye transfer. Excess dye in dark raw denim can easily transfer to light-colored materials.
Light-colored t-shirts, furnishings, and shoes are all susceptible to staining when your jeans touch against them.
What can you do to avoid this? Fill a plastic tub or a kitchen sink halfway with cold water, then add one cup of distilled white vinegar and two tablespoons of salt. The vinegar and salt will both help to set the dye and keep it from bleeding.
Turn your jeans inside out and soak them completely in water. Allow them to soak in the water vinegar mixture for at least one hour before rinsing.
Add another cup of vinegar to your jeans in the washing machine. Make sure the washer is set to cold water; hot water will fade the colors.
Take the jeans out of the washing machine and hang them to dry. While they can be dried on a low heat setting in the dryer, air drying will maintain the color better.
Your jeans will be ready to wear, and you won’t have to worry about things turning blue.
Don’t Wash Too Much
The second tip is to avoid over washing.
How often should you wash your jeans to keep them looking good? Only when they’re filthy, is the answer.
Because the washing machine is harsh on your jeans, washing them after each wear will cause the color to fade and the fabric to break down faster.
Some people may go so far as to claim that you should only wash your raw denim once every six to twelve months.
Finding a happy medium, I believe, is the best option. Your jeans will normally stay fresh for five to seven wears unless you’re actively sweating or falling into a mud puddle, so you won’t need to wash them more frequently than that.
Spot clean dirt and stains using a moist cloth to extend the time between washes.
Stretch
The third tip is to stretch. Some jeans have a small amount of stretch in them, so they’ll be comfy and easy to move around in right away.
A 100 percent cotton denim, on the other hand, will be stiff and uncomfortable at first.
To get the fibers to relax and stretch, wear a new pair of jeans frequently. The denim will begin to soften after a few wears.
Another reason to avoid washing them too frequently is because the washing and drying process tightens the fibers, requiring you to stretch them out again.
Exercising can help your jeans stretch out and fit to your body more rapidly. I’m not suggesting you wear these to the gym, but you can loosen up the fabric by doing a few squats and lunges.
A few reps will have those jeans feeling lovely and cozy in no time.
Store Them Properly
The fourth tip is to carefully store them.
Because you want to wear your jeans numerous times before washing them, allow them to air out after each wear to avoid odors from accumulating.
Before putting them in a closet or drawer, hang them for a few hours on a door or your shower curtain. Also, keep them away from light-colored stuff.
We need the vinegar to keep the color from bleeding, but rubbing them against your khaki pants is a recipe for disaster.
Hem Your Cuff
The fifth tip is to hem your cuff. If you’re in between sizes, you’ll most certainly end up with jeans that are too long.
It may not seem like a huge deal, but wearing them like this is a significant mistake since the fabric will wear down and fray over time if the back of the jeans is long enough to drag on the floor.
In a matter of weeks or months, the hem of that gorgeous pair of jeans will be frayed.
The solution is to get the jeans hemmed or cuffed. For a few dollars, a tailor can make it for you, or you can do it yourself with hand sewing or a sewing machine.
Cuff your jeans instead if you prefer a more rough look. You can experiment with a variety of cuffing styles.
Look through this website for an article where I discuss a few different ways to cuff your jeans.
