AwPrevent ripping your pants in the crotch

Spongebob was one of my favorite shows to watch growing up.  I admit I still watch reruns whenever I get the chance.  I can’t explain it but something about him is just hilarious to me.  Of all his hijinx the one that always stuck with me was the episode where he ripped his pants.  It always made me laugh, that is until it happened to me over my holiday vacation.  I was reaching my leg into the car to sit down and suddenly felt my favorite jeans give way.  To make matters worse I packed only one pair of jeans.  So there I was in the sub zero cold of Wisconsin shopping for Christmas gifts with a giant rip in the crotch of my pants and suddenly Spongebob didn’t seem as funny anymore.

This incident got me thinking, why the he** do pants rip in the crotch anyways?!?!  I mean seriously, why? And it’s always your favorite pair that you can’t ever replace too!  So I did what any good engineer does. Research. Tons and tons of research.  And I thought I would share with you today why this happens, but even more importantly how you can prevent your pants from doing the same.

First things first, why do pants rip in the crotch?  To sum all my findings up, it’s because that area is put under the most stress.  When you sit your thighs create a different shape that puts more pressure on the inseams of your pants.  Another common issues is over washing, washing your pants too often weakens the material.  And if you’re anything like me, blessed with thick thighs, then your pants probably rub together when you walk.  All of these things over time are a recipe for disaster with your pants name written all over it.

So how do you prevent your pants from ripping in the crotch?  Technically you can’t.  Your pants are doomed to rip, it’s their destiny,  but there are things that you can do that will keep them from ripping sooner.

  1. Pay attention to the material of the pants.  Just like I encourage people to look at their food labels it’s important to look at clothing labels too.  What your pants are made of plays a huge role in how long they’ll last! I’ll do a full post at another time but the long and the short of it is you need materials with some give, think elastane, which will give your pants a longer lifespan.  
  2. Really put your pants to the test when you try them on.  The very first thing I do when I try on pants is squat all the way down, then I do some high knees and sitting. I know it sounds strange but I swear by this!  If I feel the pants putting too pressure on my body to the point where it’s uncomfortable during any of these moves then that means my body is definitely going to be putting a lot of stress on the pants so they’ll rip sooner.
  3. Don’t wash your pants as often. Hear me out before you judge. I know it sounds gross but washing your jeans too often actually causes the material to weaken and rip faster.  While some argue you don’t have to wash pants unless they’re dirty, other say you should wash them after four wears. If my pants are clean I wait until they start to seriously lose their shape before I wash them. Check out how often you should be washing all your clothes.
  4. Minimize the stress you put your pants under.  This one is the hardest for a few reason. It requires some forethought about activities you’ll be doing for the day before choosing an outfit. So it might mean choosing not to wear pants for a night out and trying a skirt or dress that can handle your dances moves. The other thing is being aware of how you do things. For me that meant changing how I get in and out of my car so I’m not lunging to get in and out of my car.

Unfortunately nothing lasts forever, especially when it comes to your clothes.  However with the right TLC we can make them last a lot longer so that you really get your money’s worth! If you’re looking for more posts like this check out my shopping guidesOtherwise keep scrolling for my pants picks below.

Preventing your pants from ripping in the crotch

Preventing your pants from ripping in the crotch

Preventing your pants from ripping in the crotch

Preventing your pants from ripping in the crotch

Why your pants rip in the crotch and how to prevent itThis post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small monetary incentive that is of no charge to you.

ASOS Coat (On Sale!)|Target Chambray (Similar Chambray)|ASOS Jeans (Similar Jeans)|NIKE Shoes (Similar Shoes)|TJ Maxx Gloves (Similar Gloves)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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8 Comments

  1. Cassie

    I try not to wash my jeans too often, but they still rip. #NoThighGapThankGod
    I’ll take ripped jeans, any day!

    • Jordan Blackwell

      Great outlook Cassie! It just gets frustrating having to go through the whole process of finding a great pair of jeans again. Plus if you’re on the frugal side but still want to support an ethical wardrobe it’s important to try to make your clothes last as long as possible.

  2. Kimberly

    Great advice. I find I too often wear the same pair of pants and should switch it up more frequently. One solution I have is to buy a backup. When I find something I like, scratch that..love, I will invest in another one.

    • Jordan Blackwell

      I couldn’t agree more Kimberly, I definitely have adopted this philosophy myself to save time and heartache later down the line.

  3. Ruth

    Oh man that has happened to me once, but it was the zipper that broke. Terrible. I feel your pain. I love your plaid gloves with that long blazer! Super cute paired together!

    http://www.mylittlenest.org

    • Jordan Blackwell

      It’s the worst isn’t it Ruth? At least a zipper is easily repairable where as a crotch rip is a little trickier. I’m really glad you enjoyed the mixed prints!

  4. Stephanie

    A great tip to prevent your pants from ever ripping is just before you sit down or squat, pull the thigh area of your pant legs up several inches. This will eliminate the tension on your crotch area and pant legs and they won’t rip. Plus pulling up the legs also prevents them from wrinkling, I do this all the time before sitting and once you try it, you will see what I mean.

  5. Varuna Jithesh

    Nice and Perfect looking outfit..

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