JEANeology 101
More than 20 years ago a young Brook Shields shimmied into skin tight Calvin Klein jeans, a white shirt partially buttoned and gushed on TV’s across the world, ‘nothing comes between me and my Calvins.” That ad campaign made its mark in advertising history but perhaps also firmly established the denim blue jean as a wardrobe staple. Let’s face it, jeans ain’t going anywhere—in fact every year designers make improvements in the fabrication, design and fit that make them that much more a closet basic. These days there are options galore for women of all shapes, ages, sizes and fashion tastes. And there are sites like www.zafu.com that make finding the perfect pair of jeans a no brainer. But sometimes, the more options people have the more confused they become. So to take some of the mystery out of figuring out why certain pairs of jeans fit you better than others here are some key pointers:
What silhouette in a jean is right for you? It depends on your figure mostly. If you are pear shaped (heavier in the hips and thighs than the shoulders and bust) you can never go wrong with a boot cut jean as the flared lower leg will ‘balance’ out your hips. A wide leg trouser style jean will also work. Who can wear skinny jeans? Well as the name implies, that style is best suited for those who are slim with thinner thighs, hips and smaller behinds. For these women, the skinny jean, because it is meant to fit tight all the way down the leg can be a great look when paired with a tunic top or mini dress because it gives a legging effect but with more substance in the fabric. Straight leg jeans will always be the standard as it is the epitome of the classic American relaxed style—blue jeans and a T.
· To stretch or not to stretch? Quite frankly ever since designers started adding spandex to jeans I have personally never looked back. The stretch enables jeans to fit better without the binding you can feel from non stretch jeans. Also the added spandex allows the jean to follow the contours of a woman’s body more effectively. Additionally, stretch in the fabric lets jeans rebound better after multiple wearings unlike the non stretch types that literally get stretched out and baggy after a while. My advice? Look for 3% spandex in the fabric and you can’t go wrong.
· Back pockets are important because depending on how big, long or far apart they are, they can change the way you look from behind in an unfavorable way. If you have a small tush, then look for a jean with back pockets that are wide apart—they will give the illusion that you have a wider behind. Same goes for pockets with flaps –they add bulk in the rear. Avoid overly big pockets as they will minimize your rear. If you have a healthy behind, however, you want to do the opposite! Avoid pockets with flaps or ones with over the top ornate designs as they all draw attention to your rear and make it look bigger. Look for pockets that are placed closer apart and ones that sit nearer the top. Also look for decent sized pockets-if they are too small they will make you look larger from the back.
· Jeans now come in all shades of blue and other colors too! A medium wash jean is great for a casual look while a darker wash is best for a more dressed up occasion. Darker washes, from dark blue, to dark grey all the way to black are great color choices for plus size women as the darker color camouflages larger thighs.
· Jeans don’t? Overly ornate designs (flowers, embroidery, glitter, studs!), dirty or stone washes, whisker wash embellishments and super low rises. And of course, any jean that does not fit properly or flatter or enhance your curves!