THE PERFECT PAIR OF JEANS- FROM ARCHIVES : 09 11 06
CURRENT

With the days getting shorter and the nights getting cooler, now is the time to start looking at your jean collection. I remember watching Oprah when she had ‘jean experts' on her show that helped women of all body types find the right jeans for them. I was astonished that just a little adjustment here and there made a world of a difference. On average women have about seven pairs of jeans in their closet. She'll probably tell you that one pair in particular is her favorite, because they are her skinny jeans that she will one day get back into. But why is it so difficult to find a variety of great fitting, stylish jeans? The answer is because there are so many parts of a jean that need to fit, including the waist, thigh, and inseam. With the many options available, it's time to educate yourself so that you can find jeans that that fit your body type better than ever before and go for a fresh new look this fall.

Gone are the days of bell bottoms, tapered legs and baggy jeans. Today, low rise, boot cut and slightly flared styles are most popular. But to pick a great cut, you have to find the right jeans for your body type. Most women should be wearing a lower rise jean style rather than a style where the top sits high on the waist above the belly button. Jeans that rise too high on the waist tend to create the illusion of a protruding mid section and bring attention to your bottom. This can make you lose proportion to the rest of the body. However, if you already have a protruding mid section, be aware of super low rise jeans because they can often emphasize your love handles. Use the following guide to find the right jeans for your body type:

Tall Women:

Taller women can get away with wearing more straight-legged or boot cut jeans. Just make sure your jeans hit the floor or slightly above, otherwise you'll look like you're ready for a flood. Avoid fabric that's too stretchy.

Bigger Hips or Thighs:

Finding jeans that fit bigger hips is more doable than you might think. Go for a wider leg opening like a slight flare or boot cut jeans to balance and give proportion, and avoid baggy jeans. Pick flat-lying pockets and material that skims the thighs rather than hugs them.

Petite:

Choose a solid color pair of boot cut jeans and pair it with heels. Avoid cuffs and capris, which will just make you appear shorter. Make sure the hemline covers most of your heel for a streamlined look, but don't buy pants so long that they drag on the ground.

Large Bottom:

For slimming jeans, stay away from jeans without pockets and choose pockets that are medium in size, don't sit too low or too high and that tilt slightly inward. Also avoid extra embellishments like a worn vintage wash on the backside and avoid low rise.

Small Bottom:

Choose pockets that sit high, are smaller and have some detailing to give the illusion of a fuller, perkier bottom. You can also get away with jeans that have no back pockets and a little lower of rise jean (just remember that any jeans that expose your crack are too low).

Boy shaped:

For your slim hips and minimal curves, choose straight-leg, boy-cut classic styles, and whatever you do, don't do baggy jeans.

Ideally, jeans should have a little bit of a stretch to them. The best stretch for finding jeans that fit well will have about 1% to 2% spandex. Be careful of too much stretch for certain body types because you want a jean that will work with your body but that will provide some structure. Also, when you're in the dressing room, sit down and make sure that the jeans lie flat against your back. Leaving your underwear exposed is never going to be “in,” so don't buy them or try to fix them with a belt if they gap.

In the past, people went to great lengths to attain the popular stonewash look, even bleaching their brand-new jeans. We all remember the 80's. Today, many companies manufacture jeans in various washes. Some companies creatively use the wash of the jeans for slimming effects, such as putting a darker wash on the outer thigh and a lighter wash on the inner thigh to create a longer leg. Note to self: Dark wash jeans are slimming jeans. Vintage treatments that give the jean the worn look on specific areas only highlight them, so watch out if you're trying to draw attention away from a certain part of your body.

No matter what type of jeans you have, wash them inside out and in cold water to keep the color from fading. If you don't want your jeans to shrink, put them in the dryer for only a little while and then hang them someplace out where they can dry the rest of the way. T his is especially important with darker jeans, which are prone to extra shrinkage because they haven't been through as many chemical processes as lighter washes.

Don't give up on finding the perfect jeans. Finding jeans that fit your body type to a tee is no small feat, but once you understand your individual jeans needs, picking out those beloved Levis or sexy Sevens will become yesterday's denim drama.

Article by: Belinda Ramirez