How to Put a Crease in Jeans...

This is a must-read if you want to be authentically western in your blue jeans, courtesy of a sixth-generation Texan whose ancestors included a Texas Ranger/Territorial Marshall.

If you don't know this and think you are being cool, you might just want to know this -- if nothing else, just for the sake of knowing.

At minimum don't wear creased jeans with anything other than boots.

Here's what you need to know if you want to be real...

1) Brand of jeans --It doesn't matter what brand you want to put a crease in.  Levi's boot cut is ok but Wrangler jeans are the real cowboy jeans.  Just make sure you buy them long enough to work with boots.  Wrangler jeans are the jeans of the PRCA (professional Rodeo Cowboy Association).  Levis are great work pants.  BUT, if you're going to put a crease in a jean:
2) First, you wash them hot and dry them hot (usually you buy them slightly large in order to do this) so they shrink just a little bit.
3) Work 'em damp: You take them out wet from the dryer, not completely dried.
4) Set the Crease: You take a steam iron and practice ironing your creases until they break exactly centered over your knee and over your calves.  It probably takes several times.  Steam will not make the white crease in the fabric.  Once you set the crease exactly so, breaking straight over the middle of your inset, straight up your shin, right up the center of your knee and right up the center of your thighs.
5) Once the creases are sorta set, usually you get the opinon of another person because you can't see them straight lookin' at yourself and how the creases run down the back of your legs in the mirror, then...
6) Starch those suckers: You get out heavy duty starch (Faultless spray starch is ok, Niagra works, too) and you spray on the starch and iron straight down those creases you just created.  You should really push heavy on the iron, put a lot of starch on it.
7) White Seams: This will make the seam really show.  White seams are good for the authentic look and it is how cowboys wear their jeans, or just people out west who like to look good in their boots.  In fact, if you want to impress any non-authentic western person, just watch the bull riders on cable tv and make a comment like, "Those cowboys just get their seams so white..." and it will be the touch of trivia most anyone you are around will most likely NEVER have noticed before.  Thus, by just a mere little statement, you will be regarded as KNOWING YOUR STUFF.
8) Regular Crease Upkeep: After this, you can regularly wash and iron your jeans.  Only people out west will continue to starch jeans.
9) Fake Cowboy Spotting: You can tell a real cowboy -- or maybe someone who is third-gen or more native Texan -- by the white ironed-in crease in their jeans-worn-with-boots.
10) Most importantly: Never wear your jeans too short, crease or no crease. 

Of course, GQ (Gentlemen's Quarterly) considers starched jeans with creases "an aberrant trend." That is because western fashion, authentically, isn't fused which is east coast/west coast influenced. They wear more creases in jeans in the U.S. than they do in Canada but it is considered western dress. Boots, creased jeans, jacket and ....bolo tie.  Boots, creased jeans, and tuxedo tie and tuxedo jacket.  The latter is called, officially, The Texas Tux.  One would not crease jeans with...say...tennis shoes.  Creases are only for boots.

If you want to wear your jeans without creases, you can fold your jeans up right out of the dryer like these Levis, left, are folded. This is how you wear your jeans sans boots. 

But with the western trend spreading (it is America's only AUTHENTIC style) globally, I thought you might want to hear some authentic advice from a sixth-generation Texan who will go unnamed.

For more information: MotherPie's Jeans are Not Just for Cowboys.
Other MotherPie articles:
Stetson Silver Belly Cowboy Hat
Marlboro: Going Gold
The Marlboro Man: An American Icon
American Style: Blue Jeans and Cowboy Boots
MotherPie's category: Out West

Arapaho Quote: If we wonder enough, knowledge will come.

Comments

[ra]

nicely done. I do use a "g" on things ending in "ing" however.

[Laundry Woman]

You are making me laugh...

[NY Starlet]

Giving away authentic Texan secrets? Some say that a few select people have always been 10 years ahead of their time....I'm sure that in a few years, all of hollywood and NYC will have models walking around with creased jeans. Thanks for the tip.

[Mrtwelvevolts]

This is not a true way to get white creases in your jeans like the dry-cleaners do!!!!!!

Get a box of powdered starch at the store
While jeans are in the washer, mix about 1/4 cup (or more) starch with a cup of cold water
Add starch mixture to a pan of boiling water and stir until clear
Pour pan of starch into the last rinse cycle, but not directly onto jeans
Iron creases into jeans while still wet
Hang outside to dry

Thanks and enjoy your creased jeans

[Ruth Kaiser]

I have 3 large cans of Faultless starch, after using once or twice they stop spraying, any suggestions?

[A. Bustos]

Do you remember when they had the wire forms that you could put in the pant legs of jeans after being washed and they would dry with the crease? If you do, do you have any idea of where I can get those?? I tried to get those from my mother before she moved and they got lost in the shuffle... darn.

Ame