CMU sophomores Nick Lewy and Greg Mulligan are both comfortably wearing Levi 511 skinny straight jeans.
GCM Photo by Daniel Thompson Jeans are the people’s uniform, more so than any other piece in our wardrobe. In fact, jeans are a staple of our style livelihood; we live in jeans. While jeans can be worn every day, the variety of jean styles provides the wearer with a great deal of choices. GCM writer Mike Tyle explores the importance of choosing the perfect pair of pants.

Many men do not realize just how much their jeans say about them and judging from the look of most guys on campus, they don’t care either.

There are many different jean styles (both cuts and washes) to choose from, which, for some, can be quite overwhelming.

We should start with color and washes. There are two main colors of jeans; other colors of jeans branch off from these two colors. The first color is a dark blue wash; this is the classic color for jeans. The second style is stonewashed (not to be confused with acid wash). The stonewash gives a subtle dirty look to the denim, but in all actuality is a specific treatment that is applied to create an antiqued and roughed look. It is important to note that if you aren’t completely comfortable with trying new styles, you probably shouldn’t stray from the classics.

Regardless of brand, the second most important part of choosing jeans is how comfortable they are. This comes down to the way the denim drapes on your body. There are three specific styles from which jean styles branch off. Body type-specific jeans can really make or break a look. For instance, if you are built like a football player, then skinny jeans are not for you.

The top three jean styles any beginner should know are bootcut, loose or relaxed fit, and slim fit.
Bootcut: This is a fit that looks good all the time and is perfect for most situations. It’s neither too slim nor too baggy. The bootcut tends to flare slightly at the bottom, but these aren’t even close to looking like bellbottoms. They are instead made with a straight leg, with room at the bottom of the pant leg to cover a work boot (hence the name).

Loose or relaxed: These are the most comfortable of the three, since there is plenty of leg room. However, you should make sure they’re not too big and baggy, otherwise your legs will appear shorter. Shopper Marc Ruccolo explained to me his reasoning for choosing this style: “I’m a big guy [6’5], I need the extra room without looking more like a giant! Because of my build, these fit me best, plus I like being comfy,” he said.
Slim: A slim fit is great for the skinnier guy. While not exactly skintight, this snug fit is more tapered than a bootcut and tailored to make the wearer seem proportioned and sleek.

Most people may think caring for jeans is like caring for any other article of everyday clothing: just throw them in the wash. But because jeans get so much wear and tear, they should be treated a little more gently to get the maximum amount of usage out of them. Askmen.com has a great section on denim care, explaining that the best thing to do when putting your pants in the wash is to make sure not only that the water is cold, but that the jeans are inside out. This way the color stays longer without bleeding as much. Also, avoid putting jeans in the dryer, since it may cause shrinkage; air-drying is your best bet.

If you keep these tips in mind, you just may get more out of your next jean-buying experience.