Monday, December 13, 2010

Dark Denim: The Top Five Reasons I Love It on Men and Women










Hello to my lovely readers! I cannot tell you how much I have MISSED blogging these past few weeks. Life has just been insane with finals, Billy graduating, and planning a visit home for an entire month. Anyway, it feels good to be back.

Today, I want to talk about why I love dark denim. In a few of my clothing posts, I have mentioned my affection for it but now, I want elaborate. First off, dark denim is EXTREMELY versatile. It looks great on men and women of all ages. Lighter colored denim sometimes appears trendier than classic dark shades. And for those of you that own it, I'm definitely not against it. I simply prefer darker washes. Dark denim can be extremely dressy or extremely casual. The possibilities of one good pair of jeans are beyond numerous. Mainly, with this post, I want to give you some tips on the fit of a jean and where you can go to get good quality pants for little money. Denim functions as a classic neutral in any outfit. This allows for endless combinations with color in your shirt, shoes, and bag. Below, find some tips for assuring the correct fit, explanation of pictures, and brand choices:

1.) You must be able to tell the difference between the style of pant when you buy it. Pictures 7, 8, and 9, show the difference between a straight leg jean, a flare leg jean, and a skinny leg. To find the difference in these three, simply fold the end of the pant to the knee. If the ankle is smaller than the knee, it is skinny. If it is almost the same length, it is straight (This is a man's pant, the other two are women). If it is larger than the knee, it is flare. Definitely, skinny and flare jeans are more of a trend but they have stayed around longer than I thought they might. Straight leg is the classic and traditional. It is also my most recommended for older men and women. I say this because most people this age are into versatility. They want functional clothing items that can work everyday in every way. A straight leg ensures that you can wear the pants with boots, flats, heels, and nice sneakers (ex) Puma, Toms, and Converse).

2.) While shopping, you need to look for a pair of pants that is not too long or too short. Check out pictures 4, 5, and 6. With this one pair of pants, I have shown you three different shoes that can be worn with them. For a man, the break of a pant on the shoe should have a slight fold at the bottom. The end seam of the pant should also round the heel of the shoe but not hang over. Sorry guys, Billy was not with me to model tonight. He's out helping my sweet Mom. For women, we have a little more room to play with the fit of the leg since there are more options for us. With straight and flare leg, follow the rules for men. For skinny jeans, expect a sort of crunched look at the bottom due to the close fit of the pants. Above are three pictures of a pair of skinny jeans with three different types of shoes so you see what I mean. Also, for a tight fit if tucking pants into boots, always go with skinny jeans. For the leg and waist, always be mindful of the rise of the pant. In the fitting room, sit down in the pants, and bend over in them. Although this seems awkward, it will ensure that you do not leave the store with pants that are nothing but annoying. Yes, fellas, its true, you must TRY ON those pants. You cannot just leave the store with your supposed size because you never know what they might look like.

3.) I mentioned in an earlier post about some places to get great dark denim. My favorites would be, Gap, JCrew, Anthropologie, TJ Maxx, Lucky, and Levi’s. Over the years, I have tried out all of these stores and these are where I have the best luck. By that I mean, I have had luck finding pants on sale that are of quality and the correct fit. Although this might not be true for every one of you, be on the lookout at all times. Go for the staples that you need in your wardrobe! Make sure you have great basics first then you can build from there. Again, here are those brands categorized by surveying friends of all shapes and sizes. I put a lot of time into observing what is out there while I am shopping because I want to pass on my favorites to you.

Best for short length: Gap, TJ MAXX, JCrew

Best for long length: Lucky, Anthropologie, Gap, JCrew

Best for men: JCrew, Gap

Best Skinny: Gap

Best Flare: Lucky

Best Straight: Gap


4.) Check the pictures to see what outfits I made with one pair of dark denim jeans from Gap. I made a semi-cocktail outfit, a business casual outfit, and a casual one. They are shown in pictures 1, 2, and 3. Believe me, taking pictures of myself was harder than it looked. And sorry for the cropping, I tried several angles and could not get a full body shot. And no, you do not have to go buy these whole outfits; I just do not expect that. Explore your closet, which is all I ask.

5.) Ok, here is a Christmas gift idea, or a gift for anytime of year for that matter! If you do not have all your Christmas shopping finished, consider buying dark denim for your close friends and family if you are enough acquainted that you know their size. For people that love fashion and those that do not care for it at all, this is a classic item that everyone can use. I love putting thought into gifts and over time, I have found that people really appreciate the thought of a basic item for their wardrobe. It seems that the more time you put into showing them they should value their beauty, the more they use the item you bought. And, even if you try it and include a gift receipt, the thought might make them want to find the right size. This gift is something that keeps on giving.

Hope all of you are having a great holiday season. As for me, I'm off to a Christmas party! Thanks for reading and for all the encouragement!