These Are the Only 6 Pairs of Jeans Your Wardrobe Needs

I know six pairs of jeans might sound like a lot, but… Is it? I would bet that most of us have more than six pairs of jeans in our closets, but sadly, I think most of them take up space. Raise your hand if you hear me here.

Jeans, as I see them, are like the people who live our lives: We can’t expect one pair to be everything to us, but we also don’t need hundreds to feel fulfilled. Because there’s no better time than January to take a look at what we have and identify the trends that will work best for us in the year ahead, here are six trends that I must stick with. Find each version that works for you. Maybe your everything is more jeans the stove than Directly and your personality jeans more boho than bling. Chances are you have one or more of these styles in your closet. Here’s what to keep and where to find what’s missing from my top six in 2026.

Six Essential Jeans

1. Everything is Jeans

Close your eyes and imagine the archetype of five-pocket jeans. This is it—a high rise, a straight straight leg or a slim silhouette, and a completely classic wash. It can be white or pale green. All jeans go with … everything!

2. Navy Jeans

Of course, this is the style of the season—a pair we wear in the summer with sandals and layers of sunscreen. It may have an unfinished edge (something I keep only with my beach jeans) or the holes that expose the skin at the knees. Fit is less important than feel here. Think cold, loose, and short of breath.

3. Night Jeans

These are jeans that we can wear all day and then go out to dinner with friends and colleagues and work buds. They are black, which makes them more natural than the indigo wash, but not so good for everyday use. Good sleep jeans, in my opinion, have a certain stretch of comfort and readiness for dancing. (Hey, it’s possible!)

4. “Big Personality” Jeans

This is a style of jeans with some personal creativity – a patch or decoration, pins or decoration. It’s not a pair we wear every day, but it’s one we wear often enough that our friends recognize it as a style signature. The most important thing about personality jeans is that it conveys a strong sense of individuality. Get yours and commit to them.

5. Classic Jeans

This one is optional. Vintage isn’t for everyone, I know, but if you wear anything used (secondhand or otherwise), a good pair of vintage jeans is a must. Remember, not all vintages are equal to Levi’s 501. Levi’s 517 (bold) and 509 (straight) styles are great, time-tested silhouettes—like the classic Wrangler’s Cowboy Cut.

6. Weekend Jeans

I have two criteria for these jeans: They must be comfortable, and they must be easy to wash. (Not all jeans are!) Weekends are busy, lazy, messy things, and I’m always so happy with a weekend jean that takes a long time to sit and read. again all the running and playing I have to do. Dress, shower, finish the week, and repeat.