Rethinking the Skinny
September 14th, 2006Skinny jeans are everywhere, but they are tricky to wear. Slim-framed women with rectangular, boyish bodies still look best in this lean look. However, skinny jeans seem a lot more forgiving this time around because they come in an assortment of cuts and can be worn in a variety of feminine ways. We did not have these options in the ’80’s, and this new way of wearing them makes skinnies a lot more flattering than I expected.
Before you give skinnies a miss, consider the following options:
- Skinny jeans come in a variety of lengths and ankle widths: ankle, scrunched and extra long for length; and tapered or straight for width. You’ll be able to select the length and width that works best for your body type.
- Matching them up with the correct shoes and tops can give you that lean line that you are striving for. Whether you wear flats/ heels, or long slim knits/ belted tunics will depend on your body type.
- You can always pop them into your knee high boots.
Having been a teenager in the ’80’s, I vowed that I would never wear skinny jeans again – until I tried them recently and put together their updated look. I chose a darker wash with a medium rise and fairly straight cut leg as opposed to the ultra-tapered cut option. I am pleasantly surprised by how they have been working in my wardrobe. The fact that I have been able to dress my skinnies up elegantly has given me the confidence to wear them again.
Skinny jeans are still not for everyone, but you might be surprised at how slimming these pants can be if you give them a chance and match them up with the correct items. When pretty pear shaped bodies like Beyoncé and Alicia Keyes wear skinnies with style – it’s time for another look.
Skinny jeans from Macy’s.
September 15th, 2006 at 8:03 am
[…] youlookfab Free advice from a fashion pro « Rethinking the Skinny […]
October 26th, 2006 at 8:11 am
[…] Can you wear skinny jeans if you have curvy hips and thighs? Yes you can. It’s a question of selecting the correct silhouette of skinny and matching it up with the right top and shoes. Skinny jeans are not created equally. Apart from the difference in wash and lycra content – rise measurements, inseam lengths and leg openings can also differ. If you follow the guidelines below – you’ll get that longer-and-leaner line that you are hoping for: […]
February 9th, 2007 at 9:47 am
[…] Your choice is abundant at the moment with the resurgence of wide-legged pants this season. From classic to funky, cuffed to plain, side-pockets or clean, trouser jeans will add the luster that sparks all existing favourites in your wardrobe. Do yourself a favour and try on a few if you haven’t already. I promise that they’ll be a lot more forgiving than skinnies. […]
April 3rd, 2007 at 8:17 am
[…] Just above the ankle lengths are generally unflattering. I can appreciate this “of-the-moment” fashion look in tapered skinnies when matched with high heels on a the correct body type; but other than that, steer clear. […]
April 5th, 2007 at 7:50 am
[…] Rethinking the skinny […]
April 9th, 2007 at 8:23 am
[…] The lean and mean look is by no means finished. Designers continued to show this ultra-modern pant silhouette in their Fall 2007 fashion shows, which means that skinnies will be around for at least another season. I’m surprised actually. My initial prediction was that their watershed resurgence would die a quick death (rather like the short-lived leggings trend), but their popularity says otherwise. While skinnies are not as easy to wear as their wide-legged counterparts, they are still the best option when it comes to tucking your pants into boots. […]
August 7th, 2007 at 8:20 am
[…] I have been preaching my perfect pants length mantra for as long as I can remember because it’s a fashion faux pas that I feel especially strongly about. While the default perfect pants length (when hems skim the surface of the ground) works beautifully for boot-cuts, flares and wide-legged pants and jeans; it won’t work for skinnies, tapered-legs and super straight-leg pants and jeans. Narrow pant-leg openings scrunch at the ankle and over your heels instead of skimming the surface of the ground no matter how long their in-seam. It’s therefore fab to wear these types of long pants ankle length. This is an acceptable and ultra fashion forward look. And thus far the only exception to my very rigid rule. […]
August 14th, 2007 at 12:22 am
What exactly makes something a “skinny?” Can an hourglass like me pull this off?
August 14th, 2007 at 7:29 am
Skinnies are pants that are narrow at the hem - somewhere between 14 and 17 inches at the bottom of the hems. You can absolutely where skinnies when you are a little curvier everywhere! For two reasons:
It’s all about the top that you wear with the skinnies and it’s the only option when you tuck pants into knee high boots.
Read these 2 blog entries for a better idea of what I mean:
http://www.youlookfab.com/2006.....r-curvies/
http://www.youlookfab.com/2006.....be-tricky/