March 03, 2025

Animation: The Strategist; Photos: Getty

Over the years, we’ve heard about hundreds of jeans (at one point, our guide to the best jeans for all shapes and sizes featured around 50 different pairs). But there’s been no better time to buy a pair of jeans than now. Nothing’s on the outs and just about anything goes, be it the cut (straight leg, wide leg, barrel leg), wash (dark, medium, light), or rise (high, mid, low). But the sheer amount of options might mean you’re wondering, What exactly should I even buy? Well, if you’re in need of a new jean, you’re in the right place. This month on the Strategist, we’re covering all things jeans. 

First up today is contributor Michael Zhao’s hunt for the perfect pair of “not-too-slim, not-too-wide” extremely basic jeans. He’s tired of pants never fitting right and has a foolproof litmus test: “If a pair of pants isn’t comfortable after doing a few squats, no amount of tub-soaking, drying on-body, not-washing, or washing with intention will ever fix them.”

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Katherine Heigl recently told us about everything she can’t live without, including these colorful martini glasses that add a pop of color to her neutral kitchen. “You know that old idea of saving the good china for special occasions? I don’t use mine daily for dinners, but I do like using my nice glasses … And I’m a martini person.”