Do you know how denim (or “blue jeans”) originally gained popularity? During the Gold Rush they were used by gold miners and cowboys who were in need of a sturdy fabric that wouldn’t become destroyed from their work. Then, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe wore them in famous movie roles which popularized the style, and now they are as common as just about any closet item. Who would have thought?

Skip forward to today and the options are endless. Stretch, no stretch, ripped, wedgie, skinny, flare, cropped, MOM JEANS. Hello! Sometimes I want to try all.the.styles. —BUT I’ve come to realize that I can’t pull off some styles no matter how much I love them on other girls simply because they don’t work for my body type. I tend to stick to shapes that I know will work like styles of jeans from Good American, but also like to branch out as well. (Wondering how to find jeans for every body type? Check out this guide.)

And to be completely honest, sometimes I still need different sizes of jeans. Ever since having my son I have had more weight fluctuations than I can count and have accumulated various jean sizes to accommodate that. I think anyone who has had a child can attest to the need for different pant sizes as your weight and body re-stabilizes. That’s why I’ve included different price points here, because I know personally when I want to try a new trend or need a new size I don’t want to spend a lot. However, when I need a great pair of jeans I plan on wearing a lot I’ll opt for the more expensive version. Remember when I mentioned here about having a great fitting jean? I’ve listed some pros and cons of 5 of my favorite jean brands below that will get you through life and all its weight fluctuations.

Old Navy –

• Pro: Affordable range available, good “in between” option when you need a new size, can try out a trend without a big investment, I love the “rockstar” jean and the black pair I have has held up after washing multiple times (better than some more expensive black jeans I own).
• Con: Some pairs can be iffy on the fit, have heard of some batches having a chemical smell

(Old Navy denim page)

American Eagle –

• Pro: Almost always has a 50% off BOGO on your second pair purchased, affordable especially when buying for weight changes, lots of good stretchy options, on trend each season, can try out styles without big price commitment
• Con: High waist doesn’t offer much “tummy” control, sometimes there could be a chemical smell to the jeans if you are unlucky and get a bad batch (it’s happened to me)

(American Eagle denim page)

Good American –

• Pros: Made to fit curves, good quality, stretch fit, shows the fit of the jean on 3 different model sizes, lots of options
• Cons: Could get expensive if you need multiple sizes

(Good American denim page)

Madewell –

• Pros: Well made, great tummy control on high waist options (sucks in and flattens!), lots of style choices, new styles released regularly
• Cons: Could get expensive if you need multiple sizes, sale pieces get snagged quickly so could be harder to get your size on sale

(Madewell denim page)

Everlane –

• Pros: Ethically made denim, good quality, great choices that are on trend and offer variety of jean styles, good rigid jean option, moderate price point, I just purchased the new “kick crop” style and love them (they are intended to make you look taller!)
• Cons: Jeans with stretch could loosen after a few wears (need to wash again to tighten them back up)

(Everlane denim page)