Yikes—My Friends Really Don't Like the Jeans From This Store

Let's face it, shopping for a new pair of jeans can be daunting, which is why we are declaring this week Denim Week on Who What Wear UK. For the next seven days, we will be equipping you with all the info you could possibly need so you will be excited to start your hunt for your next pair (or pairs) of jeans.

"You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing." That Brooke Shields quote will forever be referenced in the denim history books, but the overarching concept—that kind of obsessive love you can have for a pair of jeans—still stands up all these decades later. She was only 15 at the time (weird, we know) and probably just told to say this for the ad, but we kind of get what she/the ad execs mean. Right now, no one (and certainly no other brand) seems to get between me and my Frame cropped flares. Or my new white Mother jeans…

Really though, there's something brilliant about when you quit having the tears-in-the-dressing-room denim-shopping experience and start relying on one label to pull you through. I'm not saying this holy grail can only be found in designer denim circles, far from it: We know just how popular ASOS's Farleigh and Ridley jeans are, for example, or that Topshop's Joni jeans are going great guns right now. In our office there are girls who swear by Weekday and others who always head to H&M. 

However, what I wanted to know in honour of Denim Week and your busy schedules is where to not go for jeans. I put the word out on Instagram and a flurry of messages saw a verdict that was split 50/50: Primark and Zara. Are you surprised?

The girls against Primark's denim goods didn't give much information as to the reasons behind their decisions—I can only imagine it might be that with such affordable fashion comes a price on quality, fit and your feelings about buying jeans at such a low price-point. I'm speculating based on my previous experiences.

The no-Zara crew was a bit more descriptive, probably knowing full well that we are die-hard Zara fans here at Who What Wear and that they must justify their outcry! It seems that the problem here is that Zara's jeans lose their stretch easily, and no one likes a saggy bottom or knees.

So if those are the two places to avoid, just where should you go? Nowhere! Sit on your sofa/the bus/your desk chair (we won't tell) and shop our online edit of the best affordable jeans here.