If I could live in jeans, I would. If there is one thing I feel no remorse about when I go shopping for it, it’s jeans. Instead of being a shoe, bag or beauty lover it’s all denim all the time for me. But since I actually don’t like to shop and when I do I like to get the most for every last cent, I shop around to find the best (only buy what you need and love, my shopping rules). Denim shopping is tricky for many reasons; for one the fit of a pair of jeans is either hit or totally miss and of course this very much changes from body to body. But since I am so picky, and maybe slightly obsessed with jeans (I think I called myself with this post) when I find a pair of jeans that fits like a glove and fits all my super picky stipulations, I tell everyone I know about them. And so, now I’m telling you guys.

My personal requirements for THE BEST JEANS title; the jeans need to be mostly jeans, minimal on the stretch (2% and under preferably, if I’m going to reveal my true denim OCD). The durability of a pair of jeans should be high, jeans should last a long time, they are expensive and honestly tax a lot from the environment when being made so the longer one pair lasts the better. The fit, is of course key, if you don’t feel like a million bucks in them you shouldn’t wear them. I also prefer jeans with little to no stitching on the back pockets, simple really is always better.

Designer denim, the choices are overwhelming aren’t they? But each brand really is different from the next, tiny things like the shape of a pocket or a simply thing like stitching can make or break a style for specific bodies.
My 4 favorite and cross my heart hope to die stick a needle in my eye, denim brands are:

Citizens of Humanity ($290): always a great fit, usually a good thick denim — great for full bottoms.
Rag & Bone ($230): if you like things that fit like gloves? a lighter denim with the perfect about of stretch.
Mother ($240): feels and looks like amazing denim, with light stretch — like a real classic pair of jeans that have amazing style.
JBrand ($270): as far as skinny jeans go, the fit on these is the tops. But the denim is lighter and the stretch is higher, almost a cross between a jegging and a jean.

The middle ground is my favorite and usually where I find my favorite pair of jeans. It’s easy to get stuck on a brand, with jeans it’s sometimes the smartest choice to stick with what works. But for the sake of a good treasure hunt, when you are out shopping try different brands even the local “no name” brand — you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised.
My 3 favorite amazingly fitting and wallet friendly jean brands are:

Paradise Mine ($125): an aritizia house brand that literally blew my mind the first time I tried them on. Extremely well-fitting, good thick quality denim with just the right minimal stretch. **Probably my current new favorite in my closet.
Blank ($106): usually you can find this brand with the designer denim, but it gets a high-five for its price point. Great denim and good fit.
The Castings ($195): another aritizia house brand, shockingly good fit and the smoothest Japanese denim.

A good cheap pair of jeans? Basically an oxymoron. It’s rare, but it can be done! If you like to hunt the best way to find a great low-priced jean is at a second-hand store, but if you are like me and have zero luck every time you can try these two brands.
My 2 favorite cheap and very cheerful priced jeans are:

H&M ($30-40): it’s true, they sometimes have really really ridiculously great jeans, that are low in the stretch and perfect in the fit — it’s often hit of miss but almost always worth a look-see.
Urban Outfitters ($64): I know many people who swear by their high-waisted jean, it’s a cult favorite and for good reason it fits well — and the price is totally right.

Do you have a favorite pair of jeans I didn’t list? Do you have a pair you are wanting to try, after reading my list?