The Skinny On Skinny Jeans

Throwback Thursday time. This skinny jean post is from January 2012. 

Love them or hate them, they are around to stay. I'm talking about skinny jeans people. Some of you have it in your mind that you will end up looking like an ice cream cone if you tried them on. But really everyone can wear them. 

If you are a guy, I am going to redirect you to The Woods Style. It is a fashion blog for dudes. If you are a lady...lets continue. 

This is NOT a skinny jean. It is a badly tapered jean.

THIS is a proper skinny jean.

Okay, lets get one thing straight. Skinny doesn't mean tight. Tight jeans don't look good on anyone. Skinny jeans are referring to the way jeans taper down the leg. Think Audrey Hepburn. I'm going to break it down really simply for you:

• It doesn't matter what size you are, you can wear skinny jeans. If you aren't comfortable with the way larger hips look in them (I happen to think it looks fantastic, but that is just me) then you can go for a slim or straight fit. This basically means that instead narrowing between the knee and foot the cut will go straight down from the knee. It balances out curvy hips nicely & creates the same effect. Its also good if you feel you are too old for skinny jeans but want to get in on the trend.
• If you have large thighs, get a dark wash. Fading or texture on the pant leg will only draw attention to the thighs.
• We all love muffins, but not muffin tops...at least not on us. To avoid a spillage at the waist, the band should be about 1 or 1.5 inches below your belly button. You might be tempted to go for a higher waist as an effort to cover up any extra weight. BUT, if you do that then you push all your weight down under the waist band and create the belly bulge. After having two children I am prone to the belly buldge. Boo.
• Proportion is everything. Really. Everything.

Here is a perfect way to wear a skinny jean if you want to minimize a tummy or hips. And this chic looks adorable!
• If you tend to carry your weight in the middle then go for an A-line top that will create shape but still skim past your skin. 
• Don't wear a tight top with skinny jeans. Personally, I wish women would skip tight tops all together, but really really skip it if you are wearing skinnies. It is just too much.
• If you are not wanting to highlight your curves, opt for a cute tunic top. It covers the hips and exposes the narrowest part of your thigh. You can also hop on the boyfriend cardigan trend. Wearing one will cover hips & butt nicely. (If you have no idea what I am talking about click here. )
• Shoes! Tuck your skinnies into boots. Wear them with heels or flats. It all works. 
• One thing to note. If you are curvier, wearing flats will draw attention to your hips. If you don't want to show those darlings off, then go with a boot or bulkier heel to bring some proportion. 
• Check your backside. Make sure the pair isn't giving you a wedgie. And make sure the pockets are centered in the middle of your butt to keep you from looking like you have a saggy behind. Don't get buttoned down pockets on skinnies. It ruins the silhouette.

Okay. That is skinny 101. You can get great skinnies pretty much everywhere these days. Target to Barneys. 

If you are curvier and a have trouble finding a flattering pair, I have found the perfect starting point. Check this out, Levi's Curve ID Skinny Jeans. They have 4 degrees of curve options and you can pick which shape fits you best. Then buy a pair of jeans cut for your curves. And they are a pretty good price. 

Most of my skinny jeans are from GAP and Urban Outfitters. If you have some serious money to spend you can get fantastic pairs from J Brand, Habitual, Hudson Jeans, Joe's Jeans, and Alice + Olivia. 

Now you can march boldly into the land of the skinnies.