Is there a Right Way to Buy Jeans Online?

Jeans sizing is yet another area of life where men have it easy. A guy just needs to know his inseam length waist size, and as long as he doesn't gain or lose a huge amount of weight, he'll be set for life. It helps if he has a preference for Bootcut, Straight Leg, Regular, or Skinny, but these fits are pretty straightforward—nothing compared to the complicated calculus equations that women have to work through when shopping for jeans.

Plus, men are lucky because they can get away with wearing jeans that don't really fit them very well. Since their jeans are usually looser, the poor fit just comes across as bagginess. Unless you're wearing your super-casual boyfriend jeans, this doesn't really work for women. We have to make sure that every part of the jean fits just the way we want it to. Yes, the length and waist sizes need to be right, but these two little things aren't enough to go on.

Buying Online

The complexity of buying women's jeans only becomes more challenging when you shop online. It's no secret that different companies have different approaches to sizing. Size 6 jeans from one company may be as much as 2 or 3 inches smaller or larger than size 6 jeans from another company. One theory is that this is a way of encouraging brand loyalty; if you are familiar with one company's sizing practices, then you'll be less likely to venture into other companies.

In any case, even when you are comfortable with a company's sizing, buying online presents problems. You don't get to look closely at the fabric. You don't get to see how the jeans match with your shoes or a top. You can't check them out in a mirror to make sure they fit around your hips, thighs, and bottom in the way that you like.

Shopping Online is Better in Some Ways

But these things aren't the end of the world. They're just slight disadvantages that you have to learn to work with. Mainly, it involves knowing your exact measurements, knowing how to look for, and only shopping from locations that allow free returns.

Some people don't like shopping online because it takes too long. First, you have to wait for the jeans to come. Then, if they don't fit you correctly, you have to send them back and wait for the next, better pair to come.

However, when you think about it, what's so bad about the shopping process being slow? It's nice to be able to go out and get a pair of jeans within a matter of minutes, but this just encourages impulse buying. When you shop online, it forces you to think things through a little more carefully, which almost always results in smarter buying decisions in the end. Plus, shipping doesn't take that long—and you can always pay the couple extra bucks for expedited shipping.

Keep reading, and you'll soon be an expert at buying jeans online.

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