My jeans fit well after they come out of the dryer, but after wearing them they stretch and become too baggy. How can I permanently shrink them?

The more spandex & polyester (or polyester equivalent) jeans have, the more they'll stretch out, especially if the spandex/polyester is of poor quality (poor recovery).  Also, lower-weight denims may stretch out more, even if just cotton.  It may also depend on the way the cotton was woven into denim - if a loose weave, it might stretch or shrink more.  If you get a heavier-weight jean, it might not get so baggy for you.

My 7 for all mankind jeans always fit because they have stretchy fibers. I generally get a pair that fits right/slightly tight so that when I wear them after a week they stay perfect. Aside from that, simply do not wash your jeans and they will stay roughly the same fit through the life of them. Your jeans, if 100% cotton denim, will always loosen after you've worn them. It's simply the nature of the material.

Mine stretch a little in the waist after wearing too, but here are some tips you should know. The jeans have elastane in them which means you are not supposed to heat them up. You wash them in cool or cold watter inside out and then hang them up to dry overnight. Heat damages the stretch in elastane. Get a new pair and start over to test. Also, get a belt. I'm finding claims the polyester can prevent stretching. Look for a blend that is 92% CTN, 6% POLY, 2% ELASTANE like Lucky Brand offers and see if that helps. Single digit polyester can be helpful without negative side effects supposedly. Perhaps particularly useful to counter the elastane.

The short answer is you cannot. What you can do is buy denim with a higher elastic content in the fiber. They will always hold their shape longer. If your denim is %100 cotton their is no avoiding the stretch, its just the nature of the fiber. Try %30 stretch or more in the fabric content and make sure you wash them on cold. Also dry them on a low heat. With most synthetic fibers, you should avoid heat as much as possible. Hope this helps.

For a particular fabric and weave that will exhibit those properties, you won't be able to permanently shrink them.  So buy a smaller size, assuming you can get the right one.  You'll be a bit cramped until they stretch again, however :-)

Unless the denim fabric contains a stretchy fiber such as lycra, it is going to stretch out when you wear it, especially if the clothes fit tightly.

Toss them. They will never be good. There are brands that somehow mangle jeans and since they are available at every price range, google (I know, I know) reviews of brands. Easy peasy.

I've read a few very learned and technical answers in here concerning the fabric content of the denim in your jeans along with shrink ratio's.  While this information is very accurate, I don't know that it really is what you're looking for in an answer. I also see a few folks telling you to simply toss them because they don't fit you?  It's common for off-the-rack items not to fit perfectly as they're made by the thousands and it's impossible to customize for everyone. So I suggest that if you really like them you get them altered so they fit the way you'd like them too.  It'll be worth the cost, you'll have a custom pair of jeans and you won't be adding to landfill by tossing them out.  I know the idea of tailoring jeans is a bit alien to most, but I assure you, it is a solution that many women seek out and continue to rely on.  So my advice is to find a local seamstress and let them take them in where needed.  Goodluck

The cheaper the jeans the more the stretch and shrinkage. The more you pay the better quality material the less shrinkage. Buy good jeans for summer NOW! they are all on sale. Winter thicker jeans buy them in Dec. during the Christmas sales and in Feb when they want all the winter stock gone. You can really get good deals then. If you want jeans for just around the house or to relax in go to Costco. DKY and Hilfiger and some other makes are not pricey and good jeans that seem to keep their shape. They might be made in Inda but most are from Asia.