denim guide & my favourite styles
Denim is tricky. However, for a lot of us it is one of our most-worn style in our wardrobe. It is, in my defense, an essential purchase. But there are so many to stumble across before finding the pair — fabric, fit, stretch, cut, wash, price. After years of figuring my body shape and jeans out, I’d like to say I now have a streamline collection I’m extremely satisfied with. This is where this article comes in, hopefully these tips might help to shorten your process and make the whole thing a tad less troublesome. I’ve also shared my top denim picks if you’re interested, keep scrolling…
挑牛仔褲這件事，讓人又愛又恨。愛的是它的實穿度，恨的是牛仔褲的選擇實在太多。在我看來，它跟找命定款 T-Shirt 的道理一樣，越是日常與基本的單品，越難找到合適的。布料材質（光是要全棉還是不要就可以考慮很久），剪裁、長短、刷色到價錢。五花八門，每次都逛到目不暇給眼花撩亂這樣。接觸丹寧已經十多年，走了不少冤望路，花了好多冤望錢，現在總算對自己的身形、適合的風格有比較深的了解。決定款式的時間也減半，也很少再踩雷。所以咧，今天決定來分享一下我手邊最愛的款式品牌，同時分享一些我自己挑牛仔褲的過程與步驟，希望對大家有幫助。趕快一起來看看吧。
BEFORE YOU SHOP
FIT. The possibilities are pretty much limitless when it comes to styles of denim. Do you fancy a slim close cut? Skinny legs? Boot cut? Or straight? Raw hem? Before you head out to make a purchase take a look at your current wardrobe and ask yourself a couple of questions. What is your most worn style currently? Do you like how it looks on you? How does it make you feel? If you’re already happy with what you’ve got you probably don’t need to hunt for another piece (yet). Of course, we all want that new piece, I’d suggest saving it in your wishlist for a month or so, have moment and think about if it would work for you/your lifestyle/your personal style before handing out your credit card.
SIZE. Most denim is sold using the waist measurement in inches. I find the whole thing a bit complicated because each brand is different, and not to mention the style. A couple of brand I’ve shop for and how they run — take a size smaller in Rag & Bone because they do stretch, Agolde is true to size, as for Re/Done jeans get them size larger because they are pretty fitted and don’t really give. While Levi’s on the other hand, is a bit tricky, they even vary between washes. Try this…can you do a squat in them? yes? FAB. Get them.
BUDGET. Denim is quite a bottomless category when it comes to budget. You can spend $70 on a pair, or you can spend $400, totally up to you. Of course, more money on a piece doesn’t necessarily mean it is better, but it does mean you might likely to get them in better quality and they probably come with repairing service (ex: Re/Done). However, at the end of the day, it’s about what feels comfortable within your budget.
剪裁款式.款式應該是最讓人頭痛的部分了。要復古直筒褲？九零喇叭褲？要貼身還是寬鬆？高腰、中腰還低腰？這問題問下去真的問不完。所以與其從這樣的方向思考，我自己比較建議先看看從自己的衣櫃開始。你擁有哪些款式，穿起來舒不舒適，感覺怎麼樣，畢竟打扮這件事，在我看來，是給自己看的，我們的感受最為重要。釐清之後，再想想有沒有缺少的，又或是儲存在慾望清單中的那件夢幻牛仔褲，要怎麼與個人風格或是現有單品搭配，我自己是要有三種以上的可能性才會入手。另一個預防自己「跟風」、「追逐潮流」的方式，就在月初在行事曆寫上自己想要的款式，然後月底回頭去看，是不是真的喜歡，還是只是一時興起呢？
腰圍尺寸. 我自己覺得下半身比上半身難買，因為像我上衣幾乎跨品牌都穿同尺碼，但牛仔褲就不是這麼一回事了。即便是同種材質或是類似款式，不同品牌的大小還是不同。除了腰圍外，也可丈量一下自己的腿圍，特別是要在網路上購買比較貼身版型的時候。來説說我平常較長逛或是購買的牌子 — 如果再看 Rag & Bone 我會建議帶小一碼，因為他們伸展度滿好的，穿久了都會鬆一點，屬於比較柔軟的丹寧。再來，Agolde 就是正常尺寸，不會太鬆或是太緊，我自己都是帶剛剛好。至於社群媒體上紅到不行的 Re/Done 呢？他們家的丹寧布料偏硬版型偏小、穿久了也不太會鬆，所以我建議帶大一號。然後大家最熟悉的 Levi’s 就比較複雜了，有時候同款式不同刷色我也需要穿不同尺寸，或許是染色的關係？了解的人，可以解答一下（笑）。
預算. 丹寧的價位通常都很廣，從七十塊（一千多塊）澳幣到四百塊（快一萬台幣）都有。不是說便宜沒好貨，像是 Topshop Mango ASOS 等等快時尚品牌也是有不錯的剪裁。但大致上來說，一分錢一分貨，通常多一點投資，質料都會好些，而且售後服務也都會比較完善，像是美國的 Re/Done 只要上網註冊，就有永久修復的資格，非常直得。當然，一切都還是要考量自己的能力，畢竟我也不鼓吹為了買衣服把卡刷爆的生活方式（笑）在自己的能力範圍，挑出最適合自己生活型態的單品，才是最厲害的。
WHERE TO BUY?
ONLINE. I know a lot of people prefer to go forth to the shop for denim, but personally, I prefer shopping online. I just feel like trying pieces at home a more comfortable process (plus you can try them on you shoes and clothe wardrobe, bonus points for that). Net-a-porter covers quite a collection of premium/luxury denim brands: Re/Done, Agolde, Rag & Bone, Frame, Khaite (Matchesfasion comes close to second). And damn, they ship fast. For high street, Topshop & Mango does quite a good collection. Suzáne and & Other Stories does a more vintage vibe denim, while Reformation & Everlane is for those who prefer a conscious and sustainable approach.
SECOND HAND/VINTAGE. Okay, you will have to leave the house if you want a true vintage fit. There are tuns of second hand shops in Melbourne, and they tend to have large denim sections. You can get unique Levi’s styles and washes that you can’t find anywhere else online. Price are normally low, and someone else had worn and broke them in for you. Nice.
TAILORING. For a 5 ft girl living in Australia (most people on the street is like 6 inch taller than me in average), one thing I cannot emphasis enough is to find a good tailor. Say you’ve your found your perfect wash, and love the fit around the leg but the waist is a little too big? Easy, a tailor can nip it in with a small cost. For me, it is mainly the length, sometimes I cut them myself if it is a raw hem, but for the clean ones? I’ll let the professionals do their job.
網路電商. 我知道大部分的人都喜歡現場試穿，但我個人喜歡透過網購來選牛仔褲，而且這樣才能一次試到不同品牌的相似款。另外，訂到家裡試穿的好處就是能跟自己的衣著鞋子搭配，看看腦海中構想的畫面可行度到底如何。況且現在很多電商的退換貨都是免費的，而且還直接到指定地點拿，非常方便。至於我都在哪個網路電商呢？Net-a-Porter 應該是我最喜歡的電商，因為他們品牌很多，款式也很齊全，基本上中高價位的牛仔褲品牌都能找到，而且我覺得他們對於尺寸的描述也最準確。如果有預算考量 Topshop 和 Mango 的剪裁都滿好的，而且也很耐穿。喜歡復古風格的，建議看看 Suzáne 與 & Other Stories 這兩家；再不然如果對於永續時尚比較關注的朋友，可以看看 Reformation 和 Everlane 網上好評也都很多，大家可以根據自己的喜好與需求去挑。
二手店. 如果要買二手牛仔褲的話，那就真的得到店裡去試了。墨爾本的二手衣物店面很多，每家店的風格也都不同，不過基本上每家二手店面都會有丹寧區，而且款式都挺多的。最常見的都是Levi’s 的，我自己是沒有買過二手年仔褲，但的確常常看到一些限量或是特殊款，現在市面上是找不到的。我有一位很常購買二手衣物的朋友說，二手牛仔褲最大的好處除了價錢低以外，就是並不會有新買的太硬挺的問題，因為被賣家穿過了，很快就能貼合身形。喜歡軟材質的人，或許可以考慮到這些 Vintage Shop 逛逛。
裁縫更改. 跟我一樣身形嬌小的女生，就知道找到可以配合的裁縫師有多重要了。畢竟十全十美的牛仔褲實在不是一件容易的事。有時後長度、腿型跟刷色什麼都對了，但就是差腰圍那臨門一腳，這時候就要交給裁縫師來解決。一般來說，長度的部分，如果下擺的設計是比較不整或是有露白鬚的設計，我就會自己剪，但如果是縫死的，就要相信專業幫我客製了（笑）
MY FAVOURITE JEANS
The two most worn styles in my denim wardrobe are high rise straight leg and cropped flare/boot cut. I use to wear skinny legs religiously, so I also have some of those to share. My most worn high rise straight leg jeans — Agolde Jamie High Rise Classic Fitin Blithe (mid blue wash) & Rematch (Black). They are in raw hem, button fly closure which gives it a more vintage vibe. I normally cuff them and wear it with ankle boots or white sneakers. Neither too stretchy or stiff (fits true to size), the perfect everyday look. Another one of my favourites, on the stiffer side is the Levi’s Wedgie Icon Fit. They are again high rise and again in a raw hem. I love their concept of redesigning old Levis denim into something new. Doesn’t really give in, and comes with a more structured fit, quite hard to get into when you first got them I’ve got to say.
If you’re someone who knows me and reading this now, you’ll be familiar with this next pair — Rag & Bone 10 inch Cropped Flare. Jeans from Rag & Bone tend to stretch a lot more so I’d recommend getting them a size smaller. Great for days when I know I’ll be having a big dinner and come home with a food baby, certainly one of the most comfortable jeans I own. Cropped jeans are perfect for us petite girls cus they give a 90s bootcut vibe without overwhelming our frame.
Now on to the skinny jeans. Frame Le High Skinny is one my favourites back in the days, while Rag & Bone Modele Skinny is amazing too unfortunately I think I stopped making these because I can’t find it anywhere. But Agolde Nico High Rise Ankle Slim Jeans are a good pair of alternative. I Like my skinny jeans to hold my ankle tight, and I love dressing them up with over the knee boots or heels for an evening out.
近一兩年，最常穿款式是直筒或是八到九分的喇叭褲，而且一定都是矮個人必備的高腰。在這之前，Skinny Jeans 則是我的日常制服。在直筒牛仔褲的範疇中，最喜歡的（有時候一週穿到三四次）就是這款 Agolde Jamie High Rise Classic Fit 的經典藍刷色。來自洛杉磯的 Agolde 屬於中高價位的丹寧品牌，落在兩三百澳幣左右，以復古款式最著名。Blithe 刷色有顯腿長的陰影，下擺不收邊，長度以我155公分來說正好蓋住腳踝。先前都會折起來，但後來決定把它剪到露出腳踝的長度，覺得這樣看起來比較修身，而且搭配靴子也好看得多。因為太好穿，所以後來趁黑五折扣的時候把黑色的也一併入手了。另一款常穿的直筒褲，就是經典的Levi’s Wedgie Icon Fit （深藍色），同樣也是高腰，但比前一款Agolde的再貼合小腿與腳踝處也比較貼合。Levi’s 的牛仔褲尺寸對我來說就比較不一致，譬如藍色這款我穿的是平時的尺碼，但黑色的就是要大一號。價錢的話約一百到一百五澳幣，但如果在二手或古著店看到，那可能就更便宜了。
接下來這件，如果是我身邊的人，應該很常看到 — Rag & Bone 10 inch Cropped Flare （黑色九分喇叭褲）。這件布料柔軟很多，適合要吃大餐的日子穿。其實基本上 Rag & Bone 的牛仔褲都是這樣的，所以他們家的我都入手小一碼。這款喇叭褲，其實在模特兒身上大概是七八分，但因為身高的關係，我穿起來是九分長度。配黑色靴子看起來特別修長，骨盆的地方也挺修飾的，整體上的視覺延展性很夠。目前看網路上都沒有了，但大家可以到店上實際看看，再不然也可以試試這件和這件。
來分享大家最熟悉的 Skinny Jeans 緊身牛仔褲。Frame 的牛仔褲是早期剛開始接觸中高價位丹寧第一個入手的品牌。Frame Le High Skinny 是，伸展力不錯但不會到像 Rag & Bone 那麼多，所以帶正常尺碼就行。另外一款我也很喜歡的就是 Rag & Bone 的 Modele Skinny 不過很可惜這款好像已經停產了，所以也推薦這件 Agolde High Rise Ankle Slim Jeans給大家。我自己穿 Skinny Jeans 的時候如果想要休閒率性一點，就會搭配過膝靴，如果想要正式點就會套上細跟高跟鞋。
好的，這就是我多年買丹寧的心得分享。希望你們覺得有趣，下篇文章見！
There you have it, my little guide to denim and a couple of my favourite jeans. I hope you enjoyed it x