Why spandex in jeans

If you're plus size, you may want to shop for a body contouring skinny jean like J Brand's Photo Ready jeans. How much stretch you should look for in a pair of stretch denim jeans is a matter of personal choice.

Any amount of elastane aka Spandex or Lycra in the jeans fabric will provide some degree of stretch factor, and give the jeans a more body-hugging silhouette than regular jeans.

Stretch jeans also tend to hold their shape better during a day of wear, as they have more ability to "snap back" after long periods of sitting, than jeans lacking elastane in their fabric. Typically, stretch jeans from the leading denim brands will have from one to three percent elastane stretchy material.

When combined with a premium quality, medium weight denim fabric, here's what you can expect from the different stretch denim jeans available:. Provides just enough stretch to give you some flexibility and help the jeans hold their shape, without being too body-hugging.

Enough stretch to be very comfortable to sit and stand in, while providing some contouring to smooth your curves. Very form-fitting, jeans that offer good body contouring, and feel soft and stretchy to wear. Stretch jeans are made of a denim fabric that includes a small amount of elastane and come in many fashionable styles, from skinny jeans to boyfriend jeans, bootcut fits, and more. On the flip side, jeggings occasionally called "pull on jeans" are essentially soft, stretchy leggings that are styled to look like a tight pair of skinny jeans.

Basically, jeggings are designed to fake the look of regular jeans, and typically do this by incorporating details such as faux pockets and printed rather than actual stitches along the seams. While some jeggings are made of a light denim fabric that's blended with a high percentage of Spandex, others might be made of another stretchy, comfortable material like cotton, with not an ounce of actual denim in their fabric.

Stretch jeans should be laundered with care, as with your regular jeans. To keep your stretch denim jeans in good shape:. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. My own Sister wore these, and was constantly debating jeans. And of course there is always the break in period to contend with. I have several pairs of these jeans. The problem I have with these are they are too dang hot in the summer, no, no, never in the summer.

But on a very cold day — they are best. I do have a few Paige too! What is the difference and will they feel and stretch the same as the PU? Hi Jodi! With so much stretch, especially in the waistband, there is no flattery in the jeans anymore. For example, if you carry a little extra on the inner thigh, the jeans just conform to your shape and nothing at all is held in.

Older style jeans could hold you in a little and flatter areas. These were the bomb…extremely flattering because although they had a small amount of stretch, they were made with a flattering shape that your body fit into while still retaining comfort. Does anyone still make jeans like that? Maybe from ,? Kelly Jones. I have found that curvy jeans fit my smaller waist and give me a little extra room in the thighs and butt.

If you shop on line you can read the material makeup. I wear a size 2 curvy in Loft Because I like a really tight fit.

Loft jeans are thick denim, very good quality and soft as well. I bought the high rise curvy destruction jeans sz 2. I bought jeans that run a bit too big and I cannot return them. They are wearable but perfection would have been to size down. I love the way the 27 fits, but the 26 also works too. Will these stretch out slightly, or no? So good to know you are still replying to this old thread.

Any thoughts? Cotton usually stretches out almost a full size, but always go with what you feel comfortable in. I am looking at a pair of Lucky Brand slim boyfriend jeans. I am usually a 25 or 26 in Lucky Brand. Will these be super stretchy? I know a lot of boyfriend jeans are very stiff, so with bigger thighs I would have to size up… what should I do with these? Are you familiar with White House Black Market jeans? The size 0 is tight but wearable while the size 2 is looser and more comfortable but may end up stretching out too much after being worn.

Here we go again, wow this has been going on since now. I wrote a while back. When any amount of spandex is added, the fibers are open to wind gusts. Thus, this proves that there is a denim blend for every occasion. I have a couple of other off brand designer jeans of the same blend. They too, behave the same. Furthermore, I never put them in the dryer, they line dry. Do they hold shape?

Well, the Polyester seems to help with holding shape a little, but all in all, i still prefer the old blends. But it may prove to be a better blend. In the meantime, i still think that the American consumer is being the sucker here, the denim manufactures are blending in the strechy crap and promoting it as a positive, when in fact the strechy crap just causes people to run out and buy another pair sooner. HI there and thanks for this post! That is the only way I can get my thicker legs into them.

I love DL and I am contemplating between two pairs — the same style — but with different compositions. Great article! Finding the right jeans is overwhelming. There are so many to choose from, even within a single brand. One question for you. Or do you mean that they become stretched out until they are washed again and then they get their form back?

Hi Brian, They stretch out with wear, then when you wash them, they will go back to form for a temporary time, then stretch back out again. This is a fantastic thread! Live and learn.

My question: I just purchased a pair of these 7 for all mankind jeans in my usual size 27 from a dept store. It was the last pair! Wondering if you can help. Is the Tri blend a very stretchy denim? Like most jeggings these days? Or will they bag out more than stretch? I used to be a 24 and can still fit but they are tight. Hi there! I bought a pair of Frame denim le mini slim bootcut jeans in my usual The waist is very comfy, though the waistband is thick; fit on hips and thighs is snug, still comfortable, but with minimal give.

Will these jeans stretch to accommodate slightly larger hips and thighs? Waist should be ok. I can get my entire hand in sideways if I stretch it out.

Hi, they should stretch to fit you I think. I have some more hip and thigh size to my frame, and they fitted me ok! Hopefully yours will be good! I wanted a pair of nice black jeans. So I have a narrow waist and thick thighs. Which one do you think would be a better match to the original one I liked?

I do know Lyocell is incredibly soft and stretchy though so the second pair look like they would be really stretchy and soft. So I feel like the first pair would be more of a stretch denim, and the second pair, more of a stretch jegging. As well as this Lyocell which is a more modern and even more efficiently sweat absorbing material. In the mid market high street price point, River island is a leading brand in terms of offering a extremely large range is skinny jeans with all of these material mixtures for different occasions and budgets, and from experience seemingly last longer than many pairs i have had which would typically cost double the amount.

Could you describe these jeans, like how they feel and stretch? The ones that use a cotton, elasto-emulsifier, and elastine blend, in particular. And the ones that use a cotton and lyocell blend? These are by True Religion. I ordered 2 pairs of low rise Stella skinny jeans from Lucky, a size 24 and a size I always have such a problem with my jeans bagging out especially in the butt and thighs, even though they fit great when first buying. So I am wondering what my best option is.

Any insights? Hello, so I always have issue with jeans bagging out. Denim is said to be a style symbol for everyday and as a denim lover, i totally love your blog. Spandex is said to be the best fabric for stretch denims as it not only makes it stretchy but also provides perfect fit and durability.

High waist and finally long enough — perhaps 31 or 32 inseam. Do you know anything comparable? Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Fast Free Shipping Worldwide. Shop Leggings , Shoes , Candles , Flat and more. Get this widget. General Advice On Stretchy Jeans My best advice to you if you if you want a classic jean with a more rigid or thicker denim, but you hate your jeans sagging in the butt and legs, is to buy them really tight and stretch them out, like I mentioned above.

You may also enjoy:. You should turn the garment inside out for best results and place it in a mesh laundry bag to prevent any snagging threads during the wash cycle. Use cool water and a gentle wash cycle.

Some types of spandex or Lycra may require special detergents, so make sure you read the label inside the garment before washing. As with most stretchy things, heat can break down the elasticity of this material. Avoid placing clothes that contain elastane in the dryer. Instead, air dries them for best results. Any kind of form-fitting clothing almost certainly contains elastane.

This includes clothing like underwear, hosiery, swimwear, and even motion-capture suits. A hundred years ago, people had to tie ribbons around their stockings to hold them up.

Today, the spandex in your socks keeps them from flopping down around your ankles! A lot of athletic wear also uses a blend containing spandex for ease of movement. Bicycle shorts and running tanks almost always include elastic fibers to make them more comfortable. The biggest advantage, of course, is its stretchiness! It does not hold onto body odor or oil-based smells, and it has greater strength than rubber. On the downside, it costs more than most other synthetic fabrics. It uses toxic chemicals during its manufacturing process.

Its lack of breathability can cause skin allergies in some situations. Blending spandex into another fabric such as cotton or polyester makes it possible to create form-fitting clothing that allows easy movement. Because of this, the invention of elastane completely reshaped the world of fashion. No pun intended, wink-wink! Changing underwear styles also owe their much more comfortable fit to spandex! Stretch denim first saw the light in when a London fashion designer reimagined the world of jeans.

In the s, stretch jeans had quite a sexy advertising campaign promoted by brands like Calvin Klein and Jordache. This made stretch jeans a staple of many modern wardrobes to this day! Even this tiny amount allows the denim to hug your curves, though!

Polyester, nylon, and elastane all come from a chemical synthesis process. Despite that, each fabric has unique characteristics.

Or at least, polyester and nylon fibers do not have any elasticity. Knits made of polyester or nylon could have some stretch. When you get down to the nuts and bolts of it, each of the three types of material have different building blocks, too. They start from different monomers and undergo slightly different chemical reactions before becoming fibers. Polyester and nylon both have greater durability and versatility than spandex. The clothing industry uses it almost exclusively for its elasticity.

Polyester and nylon, in contrast, have many uses. These range from looking pretty to protecting from the weather to keeping you warm. Some of the most popular Lycra, spandex, and elastane uses include leggings, stretch denim, swimwear, underwear, tights, and socks. Despite that, you can still narrow this massive use down to a few of the most popular types of clothing that depend on that nice elastic stretch! Keep in mind that modern manufacturers allow for the added stretch in these types of clothes, so just buy your normal size!

You may also confuse leggings with yoga pants, which typically flair out more at the ankle, though they may fit tightly in the seat and hips. Almost all leggings and yoga pants contain some blend of elastane to make them stretchy and form-fitting. For hundreds of years, fashion dictated that ladies and sometimes men as well! So in trying to reimagine stretch denim as athletic, brands take part in a long tradition of shifting what we expect masculinity and femininity to look like.

Those boundaries are always in flux, even if the concepts feel fairly static to the casual observer. Think about how quickly the personal-grooming standards denoted by the term metrosexual became commonplace among straight men, and how antiquated that term already feels just 15 years later. Sometimes people are ready for a change and they just need to find a way to talk about it. The other idea that marketers have invoked to bring men over to the dark side of stretch pants is comfort, which appeals to a slightly less active, slightly less aesthetically concerned conception of modern masculinity.

For men who wish they could wear their sweatpants to the office, both traditional brands and upstarts like the Kickstarter darling Alday are here to give them the opportunity. In doing that, they indulge the masculine belief that men should think about how they look as little as possible. Covucci, on the other hand, had a moment of trepidation.