What’s The Skinny On Jeans?

I love my jeans. All eight pairs of them. It’s been said that I may have a jeans fetish. Perhaps. But I can’t resist them.

Outside work I practically live in jeans.  They’re comfortable, go with practically anything, and always in fashion. My favourite way to wear them is to team with a white tee or white shirt, a jacket with heels or sneakers.  Or with a cosy sweater and boots on colder days. They are the ultimate in cool casual that you can dress up at your will. Can’t imagine my world without them.

Believe it or not, Nudie jeans recommends waiting 6 months before washing your jeans for the first time to create your own custom worn look. (Of course, you knew that didn’t you?) Well worth doing. Wearing jeans should be like saying hello to an old friend, they should fit your form perfectly.

For the past couple of years my favourite jeans have been Levi’s Low Boot Cut 545s in Worn Black. I love the Levi fit so much that I never really bothered investigating other brands, just bought the whatever suited me – as long as it was Levis. This year however, acting on a tip from my style guru Geekigirl I shall check out Diesel, but only in the sales. I consider $200–$300 pretty steep for a pair of jeans, even if they are Diesel. Ouch. True Religion are on my list too, again, waiting for the sales. Time to try a new style and see.

The skinny on jeans is that the skinny “drain-pipe” jeans are in this year.  They are everywhere in the shops. Trying them on is a hoot. You need good balance (on one leg) or a good friend and a large changing room. All three if possible. You may not need help getting them on, but you’ll almost certainly need help peeling them off. They’re skin tight, moulded to you and look like they’ve been  painted on. Now I am slim, but even on me they were bordering almost on the indecent. Maybe I’d picked up leggings by mistake…

You’ll also have to point your toes to the utmost to get your foot through the leg. They also feel like they’ve been painted on you as well. There is supposed to be a skinny style for every girl… that might help sell them, but I’m not so sure it’s true. They may be trendy, but they show every single bump and curve, so some are going to have challenges if they are going to claim then as their latest must-haves. Should be interesting.

They may be called the “new skinny” jeans, but they are suspiciously like the 80’s “drain-pipe”  jeans, recycled. I didn’t like them then and I dislike them even more now, maybe because they are being touted as “new”.  I prefer a little more room to breathe so my style is a little more relaxed.  Meanwhile, I’ve heard that some are thinking that the narrow skinny jeans are going to be as popular as they were in the 80’s. I’m not holding my breath on that one. But even if they are, as long as there are some alternatives around, they can be as popular as they like.

High waist jeans and trousers are also back in. I tried on one of the “new” high waist styles and it felt…odd. Constricted.  That meant back to the rack with them, with the thought that maybe I’d  better stock up in case I can’t get my low rise, sit on the hip styles again.

I am going to Montreal later this month. I’ve heard of a great place for jeans on Rue Sainte-Catherine W… but I am being strong…I must… resist…