When you finally do find a pair that matches your style and body shape you need to make sure you take care of them.  Clothes are not designed to last forever, but denim in particular gets softer and more form fitting over time.  Getting the longest life out of your favorite pair of jeans requires patience, especially if you want to preserve the fit you worked so hard to achieve.

If you are lucky enough to find authentic vintage jeans that suit your taste then you will have to pay special attention to how you wash them.  Because these jeans are older, they are more likely to tear or fade with every wash.  If you use a washing machine, the best bet is to wash them inside out in cold water on the delicate cycle. 

As for drying, hang dry is the gentlest approach, but you can also use the low heat setting on household dryers.  Just remember that most of the wear and tear done to your clothes occurs in the dryer.  If you must go this route we recommend drying them by themselves to about 80% dry.  Use the hang dry method to finish the last 20% of the job.

For those who can afford it, dry cleaning is the best bet.  You don’t have to get your jeans done after every wear.  In fact, the dirt and oil from your body will actually help to relax the denim and make it fit better.  Ideally you would have two favorite pairs that you can rotate while the other is being cleaned.

Acid Wash
Reaching their pinnacle in the late eighties, acid wash jeans were the most commonly found style of their time.  This bleached-out look fit well with the poofy hair and neon colors of the era.  The two most prominent types were the spot-bleached designs and the stone-washed textures.  It is hard to say where this style got started, but it probably began with an accidental bleach spill in a college campus somewhere.

The Big Baggy Look
It has taken quite a few years for form fitting denim to come back into rotation for men, and plenty of guys still prefer a slight sag to their jeans.  However, you would be hard pressed to find any sensible socialite sporting the extreme oversized jeans that were an underground sensation in the late nineties.  Most popular with the hip-hop and punk rock cultures, these pants featured leg widths that were up to tens times wider than the average pair.  A unique look for sure, but most people try to appear slimmer in their clothes instead enormous.

The Jean Skirt
Even though women get most of the credit for establishing fashion trends there are plenty of regrettable styles to be found in their long history.  Denim skirts may one day make comeback, but we would all be surprised if the ruffled skirts of the eighties ever see the light of day again.  Serving as a cross between a dress and jeans, these hybrids-gone-wrong had Madonna followers everywhere running to the mall with their credit cards in hand.  Thankfully this fashion only lasted a few years.

Graffiti Jeans
How many things were wrong with hip-hop fashions of late eighties?  Quite a few to be sure, but nothing tops the airbrushed masterpieces worn by many performers of this era.  Whether it was your street name or a subtle political message, there was always something you could convey on your pants with airbrush art.  Luckily this fad fell out of favor once people discovered they could never wash their favorite jeans without ruining their creative designs.

These are just a few examples of vintage denim fashions that have ended up in the vast graveyard of social has-beens.  Of course we like to think we have learned from our past mistakes, but there will always be a telltale fashion for every generation that we would like to forget.

Hear is a quick list of techniques you can use to make those worn-once jeans look like they just came out of a time capsule.

Cut Them Up
If you are looking for the swiss cheese effect, then the best place to start is with razor or utility knife.  Both of these tools are sharp enough to cut, but they are also easy to control so you won’t accidentally go overboard.   The cutting process is simple enough, but you’ll need to fray the cuts so they look more authentic.  Do this by gently rubbing them with a coarse piece of sandpaper.  You can also use this strategy to create more natural looking holes without actually cutting the denim.

Wear Them Down
In order to achieve the natural aged look you’ll need to speed up time by using sandpaper or a cheese grater.  Start with the knees and work your way up to the thighs.  It is important to work on each leg a little bit at a time to avoid an unbalanced look.  Once you start seeing the white of the threads you should be gentle since unintended tears can occur.

Bleach Bomb
This is where most people ruin there hard work.  Unless you are looking for an acid washed effect then you have to be careful with how much bleach you use.  Always start conservative by adding just a capful to your wash after the water has filled up.  Each pair of jeans will react differently and you won’t know what to expect until after a couple of wash cycles.  If you want to spot treat them, apply a mild solution of bleach and water with a spray bottle before putting them in the machine.  Use the “mist spray” setting for an even application.

Fray the Edges
In order to get the most authentic look, you will have to work on fraying the edges of your jeans.  This includes the waistband, pocket area, and leg cuffs.  Once again sandpaper is your best friend.  Sometimes it is easier to attach a large piece of sandpaper to a board or wall and run these edges over the surface.  This lets you cover more ground in a shorter amount of time.

Add Some Mileage
While you can spend hours trying to vintage your jeans, one of the most effective things you can do is simply wear and wash them repeatedly.  Obviously you want them to look good before you take them out on the town, but there are plenty of opportunities to add some miles to them without making public appearances.  You can wear them while doing household chores, light construction, and even when you are walking the dog.  Just make sure you don’t do any activities like painting that may stain them forever.

Making your own vintage jeans will take some effort, but it is a great alternative to high priced retail outlets or trying to hunt for the perfect pair at a thrift store.  Once you have made a couple of pairs you will have a system that will make future attempts that much smoother.  Who knows – if you get good at it then you can charge your friends for your vintage services.

Always be sure you do your research before investing in vintage clothes.  There are a number of fakes out there that people use to prey on the uniformed.  Of course it is not that important if you are buying them as a fashion statement, but collectors should take a more cautious approach.

The primary difference in men’s bell bottom jeans can be found in the contrast of the foot opening.  Whereas women’s styles typically feature a much more defined bell bottom, the male version is not as forthcoming.  This is due to a combination of factors.  Women’s jeans in general are tighter fitting to the leg which defines the bell bottom more.  Men’s pants are also wider and thicker, limiting the amount of coverage this novelty style can add to the design.

There are several ways that men are incorporating bell bottoms into their modern look.  The first is with a full vintage ensemble that accurately matches appeal from the era.  The second is through wearing tight fitting bell bottoms and matching them with a thin top.  This “skinny look” is a popular trend for men who contrast the bulky athletic figure stereotyped in many fashion promotions.

The evolution of bell bottom jeans into male fashion has been much slower compared to female fashions.  While many modern trends balance their permeation through both markets, bell bottoms are simply not for everyone.  But for men who like to define the latest and most creative fashion motifs, there are very few options as noteworthy as vintage bell bottoms.

The primary differences between the hip huggers of the past and those currently produced can be found in the rise of the waistline and tightness of the leg fit.  Modern hip huggers ride much lower on the waist region, typically well below the belly button.  They are also much tighter around the knee and calves.  This is a product of the boot cut style that was released soon after the millennium.

Vintage hip huggers offer a significantly different cut from their modern counterparts.  The waistline is much closer to the naval cavity and the legs are generally much looser fitting.  While this style may not appeal to everyone in today’s culture, shoppers who outfit themselves in a complete retro wardrobe enjoy the authenticity that only real vintage can provide.

It is safe to say that hip huggers will remain popular for the next few years.  Their penchant for forming to the curves of the legs and bottom make them an easy way to define your body while still enjoying the comfort of jeans.

Thrift Stores
If you can handle the musty odors and endless racks of junk to sort through, then thrift stores can be a goldmine for vintage clothes.  While many of them have caught onto the value of collectibles such as jewelry and old books, they rarely separate the good clothes from the bad.  This can provide you with an untapped source of hip clothing to choose from.

eBay
This auction marketplace is filled with great finds for anyone who is willing to browse the listings on a regular basis.  Since most sellers are aware of the demand for vintage fashions, you may not find the cheapest prices, but the quality of the items tends to be high.  Best of all, you can do all of your shopping from home.

Estate Sales
These liquation sales are used by relatives who are trying to quickly get rid of all the possessions of a loved one who is sick or has passed away.  They typically include the entire contents of a home…including wardrobes.  The best part for vintage buyers is the fact that these sales normally feature old or outdated items, making them the perfect place to find deals on clothes.  If you are lucky, you can find entire collections of jeans for less than $20.

Online Stores
There are a handful of vintage clothing stores that offer an online inventory.  This is an easy way to search for items that may interest you.  Unfortunately however, it can be difficult to find particular styles and sizes since supply is limited.  You may also notice that many of these specialty shops charge a premium for there products.  Nonetheless, it is still worth browsing the net to see what you can come up with.

Feeding your vintage jeans fetish is not always easy.  Since we are talking about products that are no longer made, it is not as simple as visiting your local retailer.  However, those who put in the time and effort are usually rewarded with a one-of-a-kind fashion statement that can really turn the heads of your admirers.

Now a new niche has developed for colleting these stylish time capsules.  There are thousands of denim collectors worldwide who scan everything from eBay to old homes looking for preserved pairs of antique jeans.  While it can be time consuming to sort through all of the old clothes, the right discovery can pay big dividends.

But before you try to cash in on this new hobby, there are some things to know about the collectible jean market.  Here are some basic tips to get your started.

- Levi’s Jeans are defined by their buckles, buttons, inseams and tags.  These are the areas a collector will inspect to determine authenticity and age.

- Old jeans (Pre-1940) are known to have features such as:

 - A buckle across the back of the jeans.
 - Have Levi’s spelled with a capital E (LEvi’s) on the famous red tag.
 - Double-stitching patterns are also found exclusively on old jeans.
- Some pieces made during World War II don’t have stitching around pockets.

These are just some of the unique features that separate vintage Levi’s from the more modern examples.  Depending on how old a particular piece is, it can fetch thousands of dollars on the collectible market.  Fueling these prices is the demand for fashionable vintage.  Even a rather ordinary pair of jeans from the seventies can be sold for hundreds of dollars to a young person looking of authenticity.

All in all, the vast history and popularity of Levi’s jeans make some of their older fashions very collectible.  Many people are entertained by the evolution of blue jeans and this makes rare pairs very desirable. 

So before you throw everything away from grandma’s old closet, take the time to look at the jeans.  You never know what an old pair of Levi’s will be worth.

But it is not all about comfort that drives this fashion statement.  We all like to add some creativity and prowess to our fashion motifs and this is where vintage clothes can deliver a powerful message.  The simple fact is that old jeans are rare jeans, and this translates into a uniqueness and individuality that you simply can find at your local mega-mall.  Fashion has always been about creativity, and by dipping into the past you can paint a complete picture of yourself that no one can copy.

There is another element to vintage jeans shopping that cannot be recreated at modern retail outlets.  That is the thrill of the search.  Vintage shoppers are accustomed to having to squeeze, pull, and pry there way into clothes that almost fit.  This is the price a true hunter will pay for the allure of classic style.  Sure you can choose from a zillion different sizes on retail racks, but anyone can have those.  A rare find of the perfect vintage jeans is a call of destiny…not just a credit card.

So why have vintage jeans become so desirable?  The formula is quite simple.  They are comfortable, unique, and hard to find.  They create their own market demand by being hard to obtain.  Of course the big retailers will always have a substitute, but only those who experience vintage denim will ever know the difference.