If a child is used to a soft knit pant, a pair of cotton jeans can feel like quite a change. It's reasonable to wonder whether the denim will soften with wear. We'd also want to know what feels different right now: the cloth against the skin, the room at the knee, or a waistband that isn't sitting where it should.
Those are different questions, and waiting for a pair to “break in” won't necessarily answer all of them. Some garments do change in feel with ordinary wearing and washing, but we wouldn't choose an uncomfortable fit on the strength of a promised number of days.
Heavyweight and soft-washed tell you different things
Our Lemon Patch Pocket Play Jean uses 13.75-ounce denim with a soft-washed finish. The weight describes the cloth per unit of area. The finish tells you something about how it has been treated before you wear it.
We wanted a substantial fabric, and we put it into a relaxed shape. Construction and finish still matter to the feel, so weight alone doesn't let you picture the whole garment. A close-up photo may show the weave beautifully and still leave you with a perfectly reasonable question about how it feels in your hand.
If that's the detail you care about most, ask us about the particular pair, or come feel it in person if you're nearby.
Is it the fabric, or is it the fit?
A relaxed leg leaves more room than a close-fitting one. An elastic waist opens and moves at the waistband. Neither changes woven denim into a stretch knit, which is why it helps to look at each part of the garment on its own.
Compare the seat, thigh, rise and hem with pants your child likes. If a pair pulls at the knee or the rise feels wrong, a change in hand feel may leave that problem exactly where it was. When you can try the jeans on, look at sitting and bending as well as the standing fit.
Our Vintage Fabric Pocket Play Jean also has a relaxed, cropped shape and elastic waist, with found fabrics at the pockets. Look at that pair's own details when you choose; a finish mentioned for the lemon version shouldn't stand in for information about every other garment.
Let normal care be normal care
We wouldn't add hot washing, rough drying or a homemade softening treatment to try to force the result. Follow the care instructions for the finished jeans, including their pockets and waistband.
If you're considering a pair already in the drawer, notice a few specific things after normal wearing and care. Does the cloth feel different? Is the waist comfortable? Does the knee bend easily? Those observations are more useful for your next purchase than deciding that all cotton jeans behave one way.
You might find that denim is exactly what you want, with the structure and shape that come with it. Or the child might want a knit pant, in which case the organic cotton French terry Washed Black Jogger is worth considering. Our jeans and joggers comparison looks at the two together. We'd rather help you choose the feel you're looking for now than ask you to wait for clothes to become something else.
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