Too tight? Long? Faded? Not faded enough? Whatever jean issue you are dealing with, the Denim Diaries will help you get your best fit ever! These 11 little denim tricks will help you with fading, folding and everything in between!
1. Raw denim, super-stiff jeans with no washes, fading, etc., takes its time to break in. Up to six months to be in fact! Until raw jeans are broken in, they should NOT be washed! Why? Jeans conform to our bodies, so when they are washed, the majority of the shape is lost.
2. A lot of today’s jeans are treated, meaning that they are pre-washed to create a faded look, and don’t need to be broken in. These can be washed more often, but try to limit it to when they are stained or start to sag.
3. Smell? To rid the smell that comes with wear, hang your jeans in the bathroom before a shower and the damp steam will keep them fresh between washes. Another option is to place them in the freezer in a plastic bag for two days. Yes, it actually does work!
4. If you want to prevent fading, wash jeans inside out in cold water on the delicate cycle, or by hand with Woolite. If you want your denim to fade faster, wash once in hot water.
5. To maintain the wash of your dark jeans, add 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the final rinse cycle while it is in the wash.
6. If you don’t have to machine dry denim pieces, DON’T! If you must, turn the temperature down to the lowest possible heat setting and remove before they have become completely dry. To dry, lay flat or hang upside down.
7. Become a jean-folding master: Lay a pair on a flat surface then fold in half from left to right. Grab stacked jean legs then fold them in half so the hem lines up with the waistband. Fold in half one more time and voila, you have neatly pressed jeans!
8. DO NOT pack folded pairs of jeans too close together on a shelf because denim fibers needs to breathe or else they will begin to smell. Also be sure not to hang denim jackets or vests too close in a compact closet.
9. Before going to the tailor, make sure to wash new jeans twice. Why? When washed, jeans will always shrink in length.
10.Rushed and don’t have time to try on those adorable jeans at the store? Use the Neck Method! By placing the waistline of the jeans around the diameter of your neck, you can determine the fit. If the waistline of the pant can comfortably meet at back of your neck, then the jeans will fit.
11. Jeans a little tight? After washing, let them air dry then tug the damp waistband by hand. If extra stretching is needed, blast with a hairdryer or go over the waistband with an ultra-hot, steam-filled iron while they’re still damp.