Jeans are an essential part of everyone’s wardrobe. For many, throwing on their go-to pair of jeans, and doing a small hop to get into them is a daily task. However, most of us hate them. Not only are they the most uncomfortable fabric of clothing available, but they are an extreme hassle to shop for. I do not remember when we normalized jeans being comfortable. You know what is comfortable? Sweatpants. When shopping for jeans, first you have to rummage through the messed up piles of various jean sizes. Then once you find 100 pairs that you do like, you are forced to try them all on. You begin taking pictures in the bathroom and sending them to your friends saying, “Which ones look better?” or immediately hating them. Trying them on isn’t all about looks either. You have to do the sitting test to find out if they are “sitting jeans” or “standing jeans.” In standing jeans, they only appear to fit perfectly when standing, but sitting jeans are an extra perfect fit. Another challenge is the fun game of “Is it really this size?” Many times when shopping, I have found myself buying totally different sizes from jeans in one brand compared to another. I even experienced the same problem with the same brand of jeans, just a different style. It would be a much easier and enjoyable experience to shop for jeans if there was a universal scale amongst the stores. Having to guess and check your size on every pair is a complete inconvenience. As well as most of the time, when you find the perfect fit in the waist, they are too long, or too baggy in the legs. It seems it is impossible to find a perfectly snug pair. Do not even get me started on the back gap, there always has to be an inch of space between the jeans and the small of your back, no matter what. An additional bone I have to pick with jeans is their lack of pockets. Obviously only women’s jeans have this problem, but why? I understand most of us are carrying a purse, but pockets would be a benefit. Women’s pants also typically come with sizing strictly regarding the waist number. Why is it assumed that just because you have the same waist measurements, that you are the same height? Men’s jeans are sized based on waist and height measurements, and that is much more accommodating. There are very few pants besides jeans that will pass for formal enough, but not too dressy, such as a skirt or dress. I am sick of jeans being the norm. Unless we are going to find an alternative, fashion designers must fix the complication of buying and wearing jeans.
