A few basic questions from a newbie willing to learn

[T0t]

Hi guys, just joined up. You guys seem to be very knowledgeable when it comes to denim and I'm slowly starting to get more and more into fashion. I know my questions may come off as basic or annoying, but I'm very much so willing to learn. For starters I have about 4 pairs of jeans I wear on a regular basis. I very much dislike baggy jeans, so I tend to buy straight leg or slim fit jeans. I'm somewhat chubby aswell as short so even when buying slimfit or straightleg jeans, the fit will still be sort of baggy. I can't really buy new jeans at the moment, since I'm broke and don't want to ask the parents to buy me more clothing, so I'd like to salvage the jeans I have. For starters, I had no idea you were supposed to wear jeans for 5-6 months before washing them in order to get decent results. I feel really stupid now seeing as how all of my jeans have been washed multiple times, they've also been put in the dryer a few times (I wanted them to shrink). I don't put them in the washer anymore, I let them air-dry. But I'd still like for them to shrink, any tips? I'd love for them to shrink a bit more. It seems the denim isn't as dark as it used to be as well, any way to get that "darkness" back? I love the fact that when I first bought the jeans, they were really stiff and rigid. Any way to get that rigidness back? A friend suggested starch, but a relative of mine said it'd stain the denim. Is this true? I really want to get that rigidness back. If there is a way to get rigidness back through starch, for how long does it last? Is there any specific procedure or method to doing this? Oh and also. I just got some new kicks and I try to keep them as white as possible. But I have some really dark jeans I bought the other day and they constantly stain my shoes. Any tips on how to prevent this? I've tried folding the denim, but I just don't like how that looks. Not to mention it stains the shoe anyway. Thanks And finally, any tips on which type of jean I should get on my next purchase? A friend showed me some Andy Whalls, and I dug them very much. Simply because of the fit. 150$ is a bit too much at the moment though, specially for a pair of jeans.

Thanks in advance guys

 

[whodini]

What are the 4 jeans that you have?

Starch can only bring back so much rigidity.

Soaking your jeans will help get the extra indigo out of them so they won't stain your shoes as much.

Type of jean depends on whether we're talking "dark" (raw/one-wash) or pre-distressed. "Dark" on the cheap (under $100) would probably be a pair of H&M Sliqs, BDG one-wash straights, or Uniqlo's for non-selvage and RRL or Gap for selvage off ebay. Otherwise, you're looking at $100+. We do offer forum coupons for several online stores so that might sway your purchase.

 

[T0t]

Originally Posted by whodini

What are the 4 jeans that you have? Starch can only bring back so much rigidity. Soaking your jeans will help get the extra indigo out of them so they won't stain your shoes as much. Type of jean depends on whether we're talking "dark" (raw/one-wash) or pre-distressed. "Dark" on the cheap (under $100) would probably be a pair of H&M Sliqs, BDG one-wash straights, or Uniqlo's for non-selvage and RRL or Gap for selvage off ebay. Otherwise, you're looking at $100+. We do offer forum coupons for several online stores so that might sway your purchase.
I have 2 pairs of "IRON" jeans which I bought at Macys/Robinsons May. 2 pairs of Levis as well. A pair of Levis "Slim Straight 514" jeans (http://www.levisstore.com/product/in...entPage=family) and a pair of "Levis Red Slim Straight" jeans (http://www.levisstore.com/product/in...entPage=family) All 4 pairs have been washed multiple times. The levis fit pretty baggy, and it annoys me greatly. So I'd really like to find some way to shrink these. Ive tried putting them in the dryer, but it doesnt help much. Just seems to soften up the denim, which is why I want to get some of the rigidness back. So, again, starch does bring back some of the rigidity? Is it true that starch stains the denim? What procedures/steps have to be taken when applying the starch? What do you mean by "soaking". Soaking in plain ol water or?.. Thanks for the shopping tip. Ill look into them once I get my hands on some money but for now I really want to salvage the jeans I have.

 

[Max]

Undiluted liquid starch and ironing are really your best bets for stiffening the jeans you've already put through the dryer.

As for shrinking them, whip out the needle and thread?

Or just leave them. Tight clothes tend to make me look, ah, heavier than I really am.

 

[T0t]

Originally Posted by Max

Undiluted liquid starch and ironing are really your best bets for stiffening the jeans you've already put through the dryer.

As for shrinking them, whip out the needle and thread?

Cool. Undiluted liquid starch. So how would I go about doing that? Soak the jean in cold water first, then spray some on? Or..

As far as shrinking them goes, I dont know of any tailors in Vegas, but Ill look around I suppose. Is there any other way?

 

[broady]

Originally Posted by T0t

Oh and also. I just got some new kicks and I try to keep them as white as possible. But I have some really dark jeans I bought the other day and they constantly stain my shoes. Any tips on how to prevent thishttp://www.styleforum.net/index.php
Style Forum? I've tried folding the denim, but I just don't like how that looks. Not to mention it stains the shoe anyway. Thanks

Duct or Masking tape on the inside of jeans

 

[Max]

OK, here we go. There are 2 kinds of starch: spray starch and liquid starch. Spray starch is the easy way out.

Liquid starch is heavy duty ****; most people dilute it with water for use on lighter (read: shirt) fabrics. Denim is one of the heaviest fabrics in use, so you're going to just rock that **** full force.

You can hot soak your jeans in water (dilute some starch in the water), then hang dry. When they're good and dry, whip out your starch and your iron and go to freakin' town.

 

[T0t]

Originally Posted by Max

OK, here we go. There are 2 kinds of starch: spray starch and liquid starch. Spray starch is the easy way out. Liquid starch is heavy duty ****; most people dilute it with water for use on lighter (read: shirt) fabrics. Denim is one of the heaviest fabrics in use, so you're going to just rock that **** full force. You can hot soak your jeans in water (dilute some starch in the water), then hang dry. When they're good and dry, whip out your starch and your iron and go to freakin' town.
No doubt. Im going with the liquid starch then, I want to have this done right. So pour some starch into hot water, soak my jeans there (for around how long?) take them out, wait for them to dry, then re-apply the starch? Is it powder form or...? Also, is it absolutely neccesary I iron them? edit: thanks broady, Ill try that.

 

[Max]

Starch is a very viscous liquid. You don't need to iron them per se, but if you want them to go back to their unwrinkled state you can.

Spray starch is also good, don't get me wrong. They'll be plenty stiff if you soak them in diluted starch and then spray them down with spray starch.

What are you doing up at 4 in the morning on a week night?

 

[T0t]

Hmm.. so without ironing there won't be any creasing/folds? Thats what I love the most about rigid jeans. So do you guys reccomend I use liquid starch or spray starch? I suppose I could purchase both. I don't know, what do you guys reccomend? You mentioned soaking the jeans in diluted starch (ie. Starch mixed in with water, right? If so, hot or cold?) is it possible to "dilute" spray starch? Or again, should I just purchase both liquid and spray starch?

Does starch stain your jeans? As mentioned earlier, relative told me starch can stain denim. Truth?

Also, do you guys think theres any way to get to the bottom of the shrinking issue? As mentioned earlier, they've been in the dryer a few times and they don't seem to be getting smaller. If anything the denim gets softer and softer, which makes the pants look baggy. Which is why I want the rigidness back, haha

 

[ken]

Originally Posted by Max

As for shrinking them, whip out the needle and thread?
What he said. If you've got some weight, your best bet is to buy jeans that fit in the waist and then take in the outseam for a tapered leg. This is actually a decent look for bigger dudes if it's pulled off right.

 

[prima]

theres a limit to how much you can get your jeans to shrink. if you've already washed/dried them multiple times and they're still too big, you're out of luck, especially since they would just stretch out again. you'll have to break out the needle and thread as someone earlier suggested. or pay someone to do it for you.

no, i would not worry about staining due to starch.

 

[T0t]

Originally Posted by prima

theres a limit to how much you can get your jeans to shrink. if you've already washed/dried them multiple times and they're still too big, you're out of luck, especially since they would just stretch out again. you'll have to break out the needle and thread as someone earlier suggested. or pay someone to do it for you.

no, i would not worry about staining due to starch.

Thanks so much. I really appreciate all this help. Looks like a tailor is my only option for the shrinking problem. Do you guys of an index/listing of good tailors? I live in Las Vegas and I don't know of any nearby tailors. Any idea on where I could look?

As far as the starch goes. Well it's good to hear that starch wont stain the jeans. In order to get the rigidness wanted, is it neccesary to iron after applying the starch?

 

[theantihipster]

yellow pages maybe..................

 

[T0t]

Originally Posted by theantihipster

yellow pages maybe..................

Yeah, obviously But since this is a community I thought someone from Vegas or someone who has visited Vegas might know of a good one.