The Ultimate Guide To Buying Jeans And 8 Brands To Shop From Across Budgets!

Skinny Fit: Till a decade back, whenever someone mentioned jeans, we’d imagine our beloved skinny jeans. They fit extremely snug, sticking to your body, and have a universal appeal to them. Easy to dress up or down, they pair effortlessly with several styles of tops and shoes, adding to their appeal. Confused about what to wear to work? Throw on a pair of skinnies with a white shirt, or are not sure what to wear to date night? Wear a black crop with them! So. Many. Options. Many believe that these are very last season but we believe everyone should have one good pair. A huge plus is that skinny jeans have a natural slimming effect, which is great for all body types. 

Straight Leg Fit: Perfect for people who don’t want to go the skinny jeans route, straight jeans are your go-to if you want that streamlined effect. Straight-leg denims have a straight cut from waist to hem. They are great for laidback casual looks. The clean lines make it a good option for everyday wear and even for the office when paired with a shirt. They look great on apple, hourglass and athletic body types. 

Relaxed Fit: These are jeans that are looser than regular, but not baggy. They are meant to provide max comfort and have been quite the trend recently. Not to forget they’re summer-friendly because they don’t stick to you in the heat, providing breathability. They’re suitable for all body types, since they don’t accentuate your body parts, however, if you do want to show off your curves in this type of fit, we recommend going for a high-rise.

Bootcut: They have been all the rage recently. With a tinge of retro, these jeans are perfect for people with pear-shaped bodies. The cinching at the upper thigh allows for some tuck control while allowing for a more balanced silhouette–the flared bottom half balances out the hip making you look taller.

This may seem tricky, but it's possible if you factor in all possible outcomes—it's a mission!

Measure all parts of your body: Most of us measure our waist and finish at that, but for the perfect fit, don't forget to measure your thighs, hips and inseam; correlate it to the size chart on the brand's website. Every brand has different sizing, so don't be lazy and match your measurements every time. A life hack is to measure a pair that fits like a glove and look for similar sizing.

Fabric: The type of fabric will give you an idea of how stretchable the fabric will be. Most denim jeans are made from cotton yarns in a twill weave. What you get in the market is usually a mix of cotton and lycra, read the fine print to know what it'll feel like. 

Size-up: If you're in doubt, or are in between sizes, buy a size-up! You can always get it altered for snug fit, but you can't add fabric. 

Don't Experiment: It's best to stick to styles that work for you. Finding new styles requires physically trying them to see how they look on your body, that is the only way.

Low-Rise: Low rise jeans rest below your hips, usually 2" below the navel. These are great, especially for petite frames. It suits people who have a slender body well.

Mid-Rise: One of the most figure-friendly rises, which is comfortable for almost all body types, it sits just below the navel. So, if you're confused about which one to buy, this one's it. 

High-Rise: Preferred by people who have an hourglass figure as it helps accentuate the figure. This rise goes up to till the waist, usually 2" above the navel. Also suited for people who are conscious of heavier midriff areas as it helps cover that area.

A topic not much talked about but should be. It sucks to lose your favourite pair just because it wore out too quickly, and to prevent that follow these tips:

Wash Less: We would recommend washing every 4 to 5 wears in general.

Cold Wash: When washing always try and use cold water as that prevents colour from fading and the jeans from shrinking.

Wash your jeans inside out to avoid colour fading

Hang Dry: Tumble dry will might cause extra wear and tear on the fabric so it's recommended to hang dry in sunlight. 

When it comes to jeans, Levis needs no introduction. You can look at the logo from miles away and know it’s a Levis. They’re sustainable, super durable, and have been providing us (nearly 2 centuries to the world!) with our favourite pair of jeans for decades now. They have a wide range to choose from and have recently launched their second collection with Deepika Padukone, out of which we liked these tapered jeans. In general, they have an awful lot of options for skinny jeans, so if that's what you're looking for, do check it out. Oh, and they're on sale right now!

Price: Starting at INR 1,149 

Uniqlo is all about classic designs and functionality. In general, they have some of the best basics from T-shirts to jeans. Though they have a limited selection of jeans on their website they've made sure to include some of the most popular styles—flared, paper bag, skinnies, straight cut and more, so be rest assured that you'll find something to your liking. A must checkout is their EZY series, which is made from ultra-stretch material and claims to look like denims yet feel like sweatpants. Plus, they’re size-inclusive!

Price: Starting at INR 590

Mango is known for its chic and effortless collection, they’re always on top of their game introducing new styles, and fashion-forward apparel and accessories. When it comes to jeans, their website is quite easy to navigate with the different styles of jeans clearly chalked out. They have six main categories—skinny, mom, flare/bootcut, straight, wide and culottes. 

Price: Starting at INR 1,490

Established in 2018, Freakins is all about comfort while celebrating authenticity, independence and free spirit. One of the LBB crew members only buys their jeans from here so we know they're good for sure in terms of quality. They have a good selection of jeans to choose from, featuring several styles from sleek carpenter jeans, to denim culottes, if you’re on the hunt online, then this brand is great for you.

Price: Starting at INR 999

LBB Tip: They say they have new arrivals every week so be sure to keep checking to be on top of trends!

A homegrown brand, which has some cool options in relaxed fits. We love that they have unisex options available and particularly liked these patchwork jeans. We've spotted Komal Pandey in their yellow jeans and actress Nauheed Cyrus rocking their relaxed straight-fit jeans too. 

Price: Starting at INR 1,600

We've seen so many Off Duty ads by now and for good reason, it has made a space in the heart of the users for its quality and has been featured in Vogue as well. You'll find a wide range of fits here—cargo, wide leg, boyfriend/mom/dad fit, bootcut and more. As mentioned on their website, all jeans are soft and made with stretchable fabric and you can find their size chart for different jeans styles here. 

Price: Starting at INR 1,550

If you're to splurge then check out Diesel. Their denims are pricey but really good quality that'll last you for a good time. The website is nicely segregated by seven different styles (bootcut, slim, straight, boyfriend, wide, skinny and flare), which makes it easy and convenient to shop. This bootcut one is a personal favourite, something I would save up for. 

Price: Starting at INR 7,200

We all know this one all too well, for the quality honestly I feel they're well priced. My jeans from here have always lasted me a good four to five years. They have a different collection every season so better to buy what you like then and there. I personally suggest their high-rise collection, especially the Z1975 series in any fit. Their past few collections introduced paperbag jeans, which seem to be a very comfortable fit for summertime. 

Price: Starting at INR 2,890

You'll find tons of different styles—straight, wide, ribbed, cargo—for men and women, from what we could check all of them are 100% cotton and available in eight sizes (XXS to XXXL). The brand does everything, from cutting, stitching and embroidery in-house.

Price: Starting at INR 2,390

We've spotted multiple influencers in Lea Clothing, from Malvika Sitlani to Kritika Khurana (aka @thatbohogirl) and Kusha Kapila. We love that they have a wide variety of options to choose from in western and ethnic wear with sizes going up to 5XL. We especially like their straight-fit jeans. 

Price: Starting at INR 2,990