Once I find a pair of jeans that fit right, I do almost anything to never throw them out. Luckily, this mostly involves patching holes as they spring up. Here are some tips for better patches:

• When the hole is in an awkward place for something decorative or bright, I'll use a scrap of fabric cut from the hem, facing, bottom of sleeves, or pocket interior so it will blend almost perfectly
• Reinforce high-wear areas (elbows, knees, etc.) with an inside patch
• Repair the hole/tear quickly, before it gets bigger
• Stabilize smaller holes from the inside, then cover the outside with decorative buttons or stitching