I have never counted, but I never get rid of any of my jeans.
Maybe I should count

UmmLila asked what I wore if I only had one pair of jeans.
I recently did a full closet clean out/edit and donated two pair, but I don't think I've ever owned more than 4 or 5 pair.

I don't mind wearing. The same pair of jeans two days on a row, and for work I wear dress pants. My typical day takes me from work to the gym to shower to bed, so I don't wear jeans much during the week, maybe just if I'm working from home one day.

Ann - I'm kind of thankful I'm not the only one who can wear the same pair of jeans over and over again - and who has the same sort of relationship with them as you. I never change from work clothes into jeans - they just aren't as comfy for evening lounging as leggings or sweats. I'm really feeling like the odd ball on this forum with the amount of pieces of clothing, jeans, shoes, whatever that I have compared to what many others have. I really can't relate. I've probably never owned more than 4 or 5 pair of WEARABLE jeans at one time either.

At the moment I have one pair I wear regularly, relaxed black skinnies. I also have one pair I would wear if the weather were right (bootcuts) and two pairs of straight legs I wear more or less only on days I'm staying at home. I also still have a pile of too big ones I haven't gotten rid of yet that I'm not really wearing. I would love another pair of slim jeans (relaxed skinnies) that isn't black! But I don't need many more. My life is casual, but I love to wear skirts so I don't need as many jeans. If the ones I have work with my shoes/tops and fit right I can get by with very few pairs. I prefer to have less pairs and wear them more often.

I know I have way too many jeans, especially because I never wear some of them. I used to think that everyone needed skinny and boot/flare, and then some darker washes. Recently I realized that only wear skinny jeans in a dark wash. So I guess what I'm saying is- it's better to have 1-2 pairs that are perfect for you and what you really like wearing than to have an assortment but you never wear most of them.

Lisa, Peri, StyleFan, Ann -- and anyone who doesn't have or want a lot of jeans -- that doesn't make you an oddball! We wear (or ought to wear) what works for our lifestyle, climate, and body type. So why wear jeans if those don't answer to your needs?

Also -- just so you know -- until YLF, I probably never owned more than 4 pair of jeans at any one time. I wore and re-wore the same ones again and again. Granted, I had at that time a VERY minimal (and unfashionable) closet. But also, I tended to wear skirts and even dresses more back then. I tended to wear non-jean trousers, too. I wasn't working from home. And jeans were not comfortable for me on the whole.

When those two factors changed (I started working from home; I found jeans that were more comfortable for me) so did my wardrobe. It's as simple as that.

For me, denim is relatively easy to fit. I typically need to hem the bottoms but that is easy peasy and for the rest, jeans don't present too many problems. Denim is also a super practical choice for a good portion of my year. I'm an artist and hang out with other artists, and artists tend to dress casually. I already gravitate to "dressier" (and/or more classic) clothes than most of my artist friends, who tend to vintage influenced, rocker chic, boho, arty, or, frankly, no style --- depending on age and artistic discipline. Denim is a great "mixer." It allows me to continue to wear the classic and dressier styles I prefer and still move comfortably among my peers.

If I'm wearing denim, my classic blazer can still look cool. A leather jacket can still look casual.

I think Janet has a similar situation, though her own style is more rocker than mine -- but I'd call her rocker luxe for sure, compared to many of my own crowd.

My problem is that even now I continue to buy skirts/ regular trousers -- and I have a much harder time wearing those in my casual work-from-home life!

If I had an office job, there is NO WAY I would own as many jeans as I do. In that case, I suspect I would keep my selection down to 5 or 6:

1 great skinny in denim
1 BF or slouchy skinny in denim
1 white or light jean
1 flare
1 patterned jean
1 legging jean (for winter tucking into tall boots)

I might even limit it further, to a BF and a skinny in blue and one white jean.

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Since you asked what we all have, I will list mine, but I think I 'need' more than you do since jeans are the mainstay of my wardrobe.

- six pairs of skinnies: medium blue wash, dark indigo wash, army green (not denim, but jeans cut), grey wash, solid black, and distressed blue wash (i.e. with small rips)

- three pairs of slim boyfriends (slouchy skinnies) that I wear rolled up: medium blue wash, dark indigo wash, light blue wash (in a lighter weight denim, for summer)

- four pairs of straight leg jeans: distressed grey wash with rolled hems (but even rolled up, they are full-length), two pairs of relaxed blue wash ones that I wear as scrubs, and one pair of dark indigo ones that I almost never wear because they stretch and slide down!

- one pair of bootcuts in a medium blue wash (which I rarely wear)

- two pairs of wide leg jeans: one very casual light wash pair, hemmed for flats (worn in the summer only, with flat sandals) and one 'trouser cut' in a darker wash, hemmed for heels (worn in the fall/winter/spring)

So, sixteen pairs. I feel like I 'need' them all except perhaps the indigo straight legs because they are made of some kind of crappy denim that stretches too much. I'm only holding onto them until I find a replacement, but I'm in no rush, because I'm wearing my skinnies and boyfriend skinnies far more often these days.

If I had to pare down my jeans to just a handful, I'd have two pairs of slouchy skinnies (one blue and one dark), a couple pairs of proper skinnies (but not sausage-casing tight!), and one pair of trouser cut jeans in a dark wash. Does that help? I'd also buy the best I could afford. My premium denim jeans are way nicer than my non-premium ones.

Ann - my lifestyle sounds a lot like yours. I rarely wear jeans to work, and on work days, I generally come home and change into comfy lounge clothes. While I like wearing jeans, they are pretty much for weekends. I usually wear them 2-3 times before washing, depending on how much they stretch. I have three pairs at the moment and that feels like plenty: black skinny, dark blue straight leg, and dark blue bootcut.

I probably could get away with just two pairs, one black and one blue. Having a third pair feels like an indulgence given how often I end up wearing them. I only end up wearing jeans often over an extended period of time if I'm on vacation and not at work. That's when having the third pair helps.

Looking at this from a minimalistic perspective, one casual pair and one dressy pair, in whatever style you feel most comfortable.

I'm another who makes do with just a few pairs. I wear jeans everyday, but I only have four pairs-straight (dark), skinny (dark, burgundy), boyfriend (light). Do they offer all the variety in the world? No, but four has always felt more than sufficient. In all fairness, I do have a few other old pairs lying around, but I rarely wear them.

I think Suz is right in saying our wardrobes ought to reflect our needs instead of some arbitrary formula. Honestly, if I had to, I could happily live in nothing but jeans, a few T's and sweaters, a pair or two of boots, and a couple of jackets. I rarely wear lounge clothes, don't particularly like leggings, and my skirts and dresses can hang for months on end in my closet. I have to remind myself to buy, and wear, pants other than jeans now that I am retired.

I think my predilection for jeans comes from an active lifestyle, an environment where EVERYONE wears jeans constantly, and a jeans-friendly IT shape. Skirts and dresses are much harder to fit, while a well-fitting jean is a no-brainer.

My current jean count, after a huge wardrobe purge due to a move, is around 8 pairs. The rest of my wardrobe consists of three dresses (one casual, two dressy), two skirts (one summer and one winter), a pair of shorts, a pair of cotton crops, and two pairs of dressy pants.

My jeans count increased after I started working in a casual office. Like Suz said, denim is a great mixer. That said. I'm trying to step up the style now by wearing non-denim "jeans" to work. NYDJ provides me with plenty of options. I have difficulty dressing too casually, and still wear dress pants to mix things up a bit. Also, I make sure my tops, shoes or boots, and jewelry are dressier so the overall look is smart casual. Lastly, my work clothes also get worn on weekends, so most of my wardrobe has a low CPW.

My advice to you is to have as many or as few jeans (maybe none) as your lifestyle, personality and storage space dictates.