It’s one of those eternal mysteries, like “What happened to the other sock?” and “Why can’t I lose those last 5 pounds?”

And like most problems, it can be boiled down to 3 things you’re doing wrong. Totally kidding. It usually is one of 3 things though. And you are doing them wrong. But it’s not your fault. Okay, I’ll stop. Just read (or watch) to see what I mean.

(As always, all of the denim I mention here, and plenty of other options, are in my Denim Catalog).

Here, the 3 reasons your jeans keep sliding down.

Wrong Fabric

Denim companies are always developing proprietary blends with trademarked names (Instasculpt, Transcend) but these are all just fancy names for fabric that has form retention.

Form retention is
denimese
for won’t slide down.

The fabric blend that seems to have the best form retention is a mix of cotton, poly or another synthetic, and stretch in the form of lycra or elastane. The exact percentages vary, but these three fabrics combined seem to have that magical combination of comfort and shape that we are all looking for.

Cotton for structure
Poly for shape retention
Elastane/Lycra/Spandex for comfort and flexibility

You can find a version of this blend in the following styles:

Levi’s 311

These jeans are made of 79% Cotton, 19% Polyester, and 2% Elastane.

DL1961 Angel

These jeans are made of 91% cotton, 7.5% polyester, and 1.5% Lycra®.

Paige Verdugo Transcend

These jeans are made of 54% rayon, 23% cotton, 22% polyester, and 1% elastane.

The Wrong Fit

It’s hard to find the right fit in denim. If you buy your jeans too loose, when they give, which they will a little, they’re start to slide down. Cotton jeans, in particular, need to have a very snug fit when you first put them on.

Don’t get hung up on a number, but instead, try on a few different sizes until you get the right fit.

One of the key components of a good fit is the waistline, so if there is a gap at the waist, there are two solutions:

A quick, inexpensive triangle alteration at the center of the waistband in the back
A more expensive waist alteration, all the way around, with the seams hidden underneath the belt loops

If your jeans fit your waist well, there’s less likelihood of them falling down.

One tool that I rely on for great fit is the Like A Glove App, which reads your measurements and recommends jeans in your price range! Brilliant!

The Wrong Style

In the same way that the wrong fit can cause jeans to slip, the wrong style can also be a culprit. Low-rise jeans on a straighter body type means that the jeans have nothing to hold on to, and slippage can occur. (This is all very technical! LOL) Instead, try a pair of mid-rise or high-rise jeans.

When jeans curve up over your hips and fit snugly at the waist, they are less likely to slide down and move around.

Skinny jeans, which hug your leg tightly all the way down, are also more likely to slip down. Muscular calves can hug the jeans, causing them to come down around the waist. Tucking skinny jeans into boots can also create this problem.

Tucking a top in can create a little extra friction so that the jeans don’t slip down so easily, but of course the best solution may be a belt. If you’re looking for the benefits of a belt without the bulk (and buckle) consider a no-show belt.