I’ve had the same pair of jeans for 18 years but haven’t washed them ONCE – some think I’m gross but I don’t care
WHEN Sandra Wallis stood on national television and revealed she’d never washed the jeans she’s worn for 18 years, she never dreamt her clothing confession would garner so much attention.
But 558.k likes and 25K TikTok comments later, Sandra – who is a regular “lunch mate” alongside husband David on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch – doesn’t regret coming clean.
Instead, the 60-year-old children’s entertainer and author, who lives near Leeds, is pleased to report that her trusty pair of trousers are still going strong and hanging proudly in her wardrobe.
And the mum-of-two says they’re as good as when she first spotted them in Marks & Spencer’s clothing department almost two decades ago, so she has no intention of putting them in the washing machine any time soon.
Sandra, who is originally from Hull, exclusively tells Fabulous: “I’ve had the jeans for 18 years and I know that because I bought them just after my daughter Liberty was born in 2004.
“I was feeling at the top end of my weight and was still in a lot of the maternity gear post-pregnancy so I thought, ‘I’m going to hunt for some jeans with a little bit of stretch in them so they will shrink with me.’
“I got them from Marks & Spencer’s – they’re a little bit old fashioned because I was an older mum so I wanted my jeans to go right above my belly button.”
After finding exactly what she was looking for, they’ve became a staple in her wardrobe and the 5 foot 2 inch woman wears them whenever she’s going out for a nice lunch or dinner, or popping down to the pub.
She continues: “I bought them with the intention of having them for a long time – but obviously didn’t think it would be this long.
“I only wear them once a year and I can’t get rid of them because they still look brand new. But I do the smell test and, to be fair, I must be a very clean person as they don’t smell.”
“These bootlegs have been in and out of fashion twice since I had them and they’re a nice dark denim and they look a bit posher and go with everything.
“They’re also good quality material and, while I can’t remember exactly how much they were, they were definitely a good pair of jeans on a budget.”
But it was only years later that it dawned on Sandra that they’d never never seen the inside of a washing machine.
During an episode of Steph’s Packed Lunch in February, host Steph McGovern asked the studio audience how often they washed their jeans. She got everyone standing and then asked them to sit down when she read out the number of wears they’d get out of their jeans before they popped them in the wash.
As Steph went up in time, more and more people sat down – eventually leaving Sandra standing on her own.
I do the smell test and, to be fair, I must be a very clean person as they don’t smell
Sandra Wallis
She admits: “I’d never really thought about it until I was forced to on the programme, and when I was the last person standing, I was a little embarrassed.
“But then the expert said, ‘You should wash them after 20 washes’ and I quipped, ‘Well, I’ve had them for 18 years and only wear them once a year so I’m alright – I’ve got two more years left!”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sandra’s candid confession – and subsequent social media post on the subject matter – totally divided people.
Some commended her honesty – but others slammed her decision as totally unhygienic and “gross”. And she admits she is “gobsmacked” by the fuss it’s caused.
She continues, “25,000 people got into this discussion about my jeans and they all had something to say.
“One person said that the founder of Levi famously said to not wash them at all unless you drop something in them.
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“Somebody else put, ‘jeans are made to be hard wearing, so they don’t need washing often.’
“But the majority of people just seem shocked that this woman would say this on national television. One person commented at the time, ‘I wish people would stop telling this propaganda – jeans smell and people aren’t clean so you should wash them regularly.’”
But Sandra’s not letting others’ opinions get to her – and instead plans to continue with her strict no-washing regime. After all, Sandra says if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
“From a negative point of view, I get comments like, ‘that’s disgusting, gross and grim’ and I’m a tramp apparently – but the jeans haven’t got a single mark on them and they don’t smell so it just makes me laugh.”
And she concludes that she’s in great company, quoting none other than fashion icon Stella McCartney as her ongoing inspiration for keeping them away from the laundry basket.
I get comments like, ‘that’s disgusting, gross and grim’
Sandra Wallis
“According to one of the comments on my post, Stella McCartney says not to wash jeans. I’m the least fashionable person you could ever meet, but apparently I’m on trend with this.
“And mine are pristine and still look brand new – so I really don’t need to.”
But now the big question remains – will she be breaking the habit of a lifetime and washing the jeans for their big 20th birthday?
“I won’t be washing them unless I feel like they need to be washed,” Sandra, who runs a company called Big Events Entertainment, laughs. “Mine look brilliant so unless they get a significant mark on them, or they start to smell, I won’t be washing them.
“And if they did start to smell, I’d probably put them in the freezer first to see if it works like I’ve been told by people when I’m out and about.”
THE BIG JEANS DEBATE
Sandra’s jeans confession sparked a huge debate – and here’s just some of the comments she’s received since…
I go commando so I wear once and then wash them
They still fit after 18 years – well done Sandra
When they go baggy that’s when you should wash them
Doesn’t washing them too often ruin the denim?
I wash mine and spray them with perfume
Perfume might sting – I put Febreeze on mine!
20 washes? Mine would be standing and walking themselves to the washing machine
Sandra runs Big Events Entertainment (www.sandra-entertainment.co.uk) and you can follow her on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook