Finding the perfect pair of jeans can be a bit of an arduous task, especially given that sizing can vary so much between brands. Ideally, jeans should be comfortable enough to move around it, look good, and last even after countless wears.
All too often, shoppers assume that they need to fork out a load of money for a decent pair of jeans, however, there are a number of affordable quality options out there to choose from if you're on a budget.
Not wanting to spend a fortune, a fashion-loving reporter from BirminghamLive decided to test two pairs of jeans - one from Primark and the other from M&S - against each other to see which one was best.
Reporter Emily Collis found one pair to be "close to perfect", and just couldn't get over the sizing differences between the two.
In her review, Emily compared M&S's £22.50 Sienna Straight Leg Jeans with Stretch to Primark's Stretch High Waist Mom Jeans, priced at a thrifty £13.
Kicking things off with the M&S jeans, Emily wrote: "They're one of M&S's best-selling jeans, with more than 4,500 five-star reviews online. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
"They cost £22.50 - a reasonable price for jeans, I thought - and come in nine different colours including black, white, and varying shades of blue. I opted for the colour Black Mix in my standard size, 14.
"I was impressed to see that Marks' jeans came in sizes 6 to 24 and in petite, regular, and long, as well as extra short and extra long. I'm 5 ft 10 and it can be a nightmare trying to find jeans that fit, so it was refreshing to see a big name store catering for a range of heights and body shapes."
She added: "The jeans are described as faded online but the Black Mix ones are almost solid black. The denim felt stretchier than I'd imagined, but decent quality, and the detailing on the seams and stitching made them look more expensive than they were.
"The size was perfect around the waist, the jeans sat comfortably above my hips and were flattering on my bum. Because of the straight fit, the jeans were loose on my legs but not baggy, so could easily be worn casually or dressed up.
"I was surprised by how long the jeans were and they bunched up around my ankles. Thankfully, I actually preferred the way they looked rolled up. I tested them out at an Elton John concert and found them to be super comfortable. I even got compliments on them from a couple of friends."
Turning her attention to the Primark jeans, Emily revealed she was initially "impressed" by the "huge jeans section" at her local store.
Emily recalled: "They had a huge range of colours and styles but, from what I could see, no tall or petite section. It seemed bonkers.
"I couldn't find a pair of stretchy straight-leg jeans, either, but the Stretch High Waist Mom Jeans seemed the most similar fit on the hanger. The fabric felt soft and stretchy, much like M&S's, and the faded blue colour was a really nice shade. Even better, they were only £13, which seemed like a huge bargain.
"Primark's jeans are available in sizes 4 to 20. I picked up a size 14, but they looked oddly small. With no time to try them on, I grabbed the 16 and figured I could exchange them if needed."
She continued: "When I tried the jeans on at home, I was surprised to find they were actually a little snug around my waist. When I held them against the M&S pair (size 14), the waistband on Primark's size 16 pair was actually slightly smaller. I couldn't believe it.
"Standing still, they looked okay and I thought they were quite flattering on my hips and bum. But when I moved around, I noticed the fabric was scrunching in places and riding up, meaning I had to keep pulling the fabric back down.
"As expected, they were too short on me. I'm taller than most, but these ended almost halfway up my calf, so anyone over 5 ft 6 would probably struggle with them. I ended up taking them back."
Weighing up both pairs against each other, Emily concluded: "It wasn't difficult to pick my favourite between the two pairs of Primark and M&S jeans.
"The Primark pair just wasn't for me, but it's the obvious sizing issues - including the fact that such a huge fashion retailer doesn't offer a tall or petite range - that will put me off shopping for jeans there in future.
"M&S's jeans, on the other hand, ticked all of my boxes. They were flattering, super comfortable and I've paid much more for jeans of similar quality in the past. I'll definitely be buying them in other colours."
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