Whether you are a
teenager, a young woman from Generation X, or a young-at-heart and still
attractive, style conscious woman from the Baby Boomer generation, you should
not be made to feel that your age and figure must dictate the style of jeans you
wear. You can choose any style of jean, from the skinny jean, straight leg,
flared leg, boot cut, ultra low rise, low rise, and mid rise to high rise. Yes, even you older ladies from the Woodstock
generation. You were rock and roll then, and rock and roll never dies. As Dylan
Thomas poetically phrased it, “Do not go gentle into that good night. Old age should burn and rave at close of day. Rage, rage against the dying of the
light.” A woman’s advancing age doesn’t mean she is destined to wear polyester
pants or jeans with an elastic waist band. Rage against age! Rage against such
fashion dictates! Feel free to be as trendy and as sexy in your jeans as you
want to be, no matter your age. This article will help you to find the proper
fit, to explore the vast universe of fashion designs, and ultimately to choose jeans
that will best flatter your figure, give you self-confidence, and make a star
quality personal fashion statement about you.
Step 1: Finding the Right Fit
According to Kathy
Collins, the director of strategic planning and visual marketing for Lee
Apparel, most women try on approximately nine pairs of jeans before finding a
pair that fits them to their satisfaction. Because so many brands of jeans have
begun offering numerous fits and style choices, women are becoming more
discerning. In the past, most jeans were basically cut the same way. They were
generally cut high with a small waist, and were big in the bottom with a full
thigh and tapered ankle. That kind of style and cut would never flatter
anyone’s figure. Such a style is what women with a savvy fashion sense today
jokingly refer to as “Mom jeans.” Nobody, not even Mom, wants to settle for
having to wear “Mom Jeans”. There are so many styles, cuts, colors and brands
available today that women don’t have to settle for unflattering or ill fitting
jeans.
For jeans, “the right
fit” means that they have to look good from any angle, sitting or standing, and
they should never pull or bind. You must consider your body size as well. If
you are fortunate enough to be slim, your choices are almost limitless. Slim
figures will look good in almost any cut or style –low rise, mid rise, the
skinny jean, straight leg, tapered leg, flared or boot cut. If you are a fuller
figured gal, you may want to choose a straight leg to give the illusion of a
long lean line that will make you appear thinner. Avoid tapered jeans if you
are full-figured. Tapered jeans will make your legs look shorter and your hips
wider. Even though the low rise and mid rise jeans are sexy, fuller figured
women may want to stick with a waist band that is anywhere from a mid rise to a
natural waist line rise so that there won’t be any risk of tummy overhang. In
my experience, the more I spend on jeans, the better they seem to fit. The more
expensive jeans are more structured with better quality denim. They are
generally better constructed and, therefore, fit better.
If you are like most
women when trying on a pair of jeans, the first thing you do is turn around to
see how your derriere looks in the jeans. I have found certain brands flatter
the derriere better than others. My personal preference for the most flattering
fit of jeans, especially if you want your booty to look spectacular regardless
of its size, is Seven for All Mankind jeans. They will cost more than the
average jean, but they will flatter your figure better than more economically
priced jeans.
Step 2: Exploring the Fashions and Trends in Jeans
Again, don’t let your
age dictate your fashion preference in jeans. In choosing a wash or color of
jeans, the lighter colors or washes are more informal, and the darker blue washes
and black jeans are generally more elegant and worn for somewhat dressier
occasions. That’s correct; I used the words “dressier occasions” and “jeans” in
the same sentence because they can be simpatico. While you can dress down a
light wash jean with a trendy or vintage tee shirt, you can also dress up a
darker wash jean with a nice tailored oxford cloth shirt, a soft cashmere
sweater, or even an elegant silk blouse. Darker washes are more slimming and a
better option for you if you are a fuller figured women. Some jeans have a
color wash that allows for streak designs in the fabric. If you have wide hips,
you will want to avoid a color wash that has horizontal streaks across the
front hip portion of the jeans as this will make your hips look broader.
Most jeans have some
sort of logo, design or embellishment on the back pockets. Choose jeans that have
an embellishment or design that suits your fashion sense and artistic
preference – whether it would be the crystal swirls on some of the styles from
Seven for All Mankind to the tattoo designs of the famed tattoo artist Ed Hardy
replicated on the jeans created by Christian Audigier. However, if you have wide hips and a
bountiful booty, you might want to avoid a back pocket embellishment that is
very large and overwhelming, as it will make your derriere look even larger.
Step 3: Choosing Flattering Jeans that Make a
Fashion Statement and Make You Feel Good About Yourself
The low rise, boot cut
style is especially sexy and flattering. Be willing to invest more in designer
jeans if you truly want a better fit and a more flattering, sexy appearance.
Certainly it’s true that you will be paying for the designer name, but the
investment will also give you better quality, structure, style and fit.
If you have a difficult
to fit figure, even with the more expensive designer jeans, you have another
last resort option. The Interactive Custom Clothes Company is a web-based
company that custom designs jeans for their customers. The website address is www.ic3d.com. They use a computer program to create a
pattern either from a customer’s measurements or by copying the design of a
favorite pair of jeans provided by the customer.
You know now what
constitutes “the right fit” and how to choose a cut, rise and style to flatter
your figure. You have explored a galaxy of jean fashions and designs available
to women today. All that remains is making a choice. A survey done by the
Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor showed that the majority of women cited
appearance, rather than practicality, as the foremost concern when purchasing
jeans. So let appearance dictate. No matter your age, choose jeans that fit
well, that make a fashion statement, that flatter your figure, and that make
you feel sexy and beautifully youthful. And, As Bob Dylan musically stated,
“May you stay forever young.”
Remember, regardless of
your age, you can make a stylish and spectacular fashion statement in jeans
that fit and flatter your figure. As Yves Saint Laurent, famed French fashion
designer, once said, “I wish I had invented blue jeans. They have expression,
modesty, sex appeal, simplicity – all I hope for in my clothes.”
Picture credit:
Scott Snyder
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