/ Q

I'm wondering if it's worth it to invest (and I use the term "invest" loosely) in a new pair of skinny jeans for this fall, or if it would be a total waste of money because it's a trend that's on its way out. I'm totally torn between trouser jeans and skinny jeans (when I'm pretty sure that bootcut jeans are the only ones that actually look good on me). Also -- Old Navy skinny jeans -- yay or nay?

/ A

Skinny jeans are gonna be around for a long time. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they’ve become a classic denim silhouette that runs second only to straight leg and bootcut varieties.

Trouser jeans or wide-leg jeans (and especially flared leg jeans) are a far more “trendy” item right now than a pair of skinny jeans. If you’re already a fan of skinny jeans, I’d say to absolutely stick with that look. If you’d prefer a bit more movement, go for straight or bootcut. Why stick with skinnies over trouser jeans? Trendiness aside, skinny jeans are the far more practical, versatile choice. You can dress them up or down, wear them with boots, flats, heels or sneakers, and can form the base to any number of “looks”: vintage, classic, sporty, etc. Trouser or wide-leg jeans limit the mileage (in terms of numbers of outfits) you can get out of them.

As far as Old Navy skinny jeans are concerned—I give it a cautious yay! I haven’t bought skinny jeans from them for a while, but the ones I did have, I really loved. I have a few pairs of skinny trousers/skinny cargo pants from Old Navy that I get a lot of mileage out of every fall/winter/spring.

If you’re wondering, here are my recommendations on what denim to own so you’re never at a loss when looking for the perfect jeans in your closet:

• Skinny Jeans: Light Wash, Medium/Dark Wash, Black
• [Optional] Skinny Jeans: Gray, Dark Wash, Distressed
• Straight Leg Jeans & Pants: Medium/Dark Wash Jeans, Black Pants, Khaki Pants
• [Optional] Straight Leg Pants: Bright-Colored Pants
• Bootcut Jeans: Medium/Dark Wash
• [Optional] Bootcut Jeans: Distressed
• Trouser Jeans: Medium/Dark Wash
• Wide-Leg Jeans: Light Wash
• Cropped/Cuffed Denim: Light/Medium Wash

I think I’ve caught a cold or some other bug because I’ve been feeling worse and worse over the past few days. If I can slip in a nap tonight, it will be the perfect Thursday night.

I can’t wait until the weather gets warm and stays that way so I can haul out my new rompers and dresses and sandals.

1. Old Navy Scarf

2. Forever 21 Striped Sweater (it came with shoulder pads—I removed them)

3. Jeans from Marshall’s

4. Nine West Moccasin Flats

(Pictured below: Michael Kors watch, Forever 21 ring)

These jeans are really comfortable, but my only complaint is that they’re a little…drafty. Not great for a cooler day, and especially not great when I’m getting sick! As far as the moccasins are concerned, I bought them in DC one day when my heeled boots started giving me blisters and they were a great impulse, COMFORT-PLEASE buy. I don’t wear them as often as I should, considering how comfortable they are!

Here’s how to get the look for yourself:

1. Puma Scarf, $17.50

2. American Eagle Jeans, $40

3. Forever 21 Nautical Stripes Sweater, $9

4. Delias Moccasin Flats, $25

On my last outfit post, I mentioned my height (6’) and adisasterpiece wrote this:

adisasterpiece said: i’m on the opposite end of the spectrum…BUT, if you need long jeans - lucky brand, Lucky Brand, LUCKY BRAND! they make long (34), & even EXTRA long (36) lengths, & their jeans really last. not that i worked there for nearly 3 years or anything…

I know a lot of people think 36” is extra long—but it’s not long enough for me! I wear ridiculous, hard-to-find, super-super-long 37” or 38” inseam pants. I can get away with shorter inseams for skinny jean/ankle cut styles, but if I need bootcut jeans, flares, trousers—I’m usually out of luck.

Then we have the other end of the spectrum: the petite girls who can’t find anything short enough, that have to get everything hemmed (or cuffed). Most of my friends are much shorter than I am and constantly bemoan the standard lengths of pants from retail stores like Banana Republic, H&M, J. Crew, Gap, etc. The problem with buying petite lengths is it can often solve one problem (length) and create another (fit). Petite often translates into a more thin cut overall—never good if you have some curves.

I can’t speak for the best places to buy denim and pants for the shorter set (e-mail me or comment if you have some suggestions and I’ll update this post), but I will offer of my own tips for finding long enough denim and pants.

SEARCH BY INSEAM

This website is a bit like ShopStyle, except they allow you to search by type of pant, then by inseam and you can filter further by brand.

The best thing about this website is that it’s not specifically geared to just tall women, but also has petite, plus and maternity sizing.

If you’re at the end of your rope, it’s helpful to use this as an initial tool to see what brands may offer styles that could work for you. I would shy away from ordering pants online initially, unless you are fine to deal with the possible hassle of returns/exchanges. The catch here (and there always is one) is that a lot of extra-long pants are ONLY offered through the retailer’s website and are not always available in stores. But, if you can, find a store that carries a brand or style you’ve been eying so you can try them on in person. Once you know your size and how they fit, you can begin buying online to save time.

ALLOY.COM

Yes, this retailer is juniors-sizing only, but they were the first online retailer (to my knowledge) to offer extended inseams up to 37” at an affordable (under $100 per pair) price.

I have found some fantastic jeans and trousers through Alloy, and they often run specials or clearance sales as well.

(Don’t forget: with juniors sizing, make sure you check and re-check the sizing chart and when in doubt, size up. Juniors sizing only rarely accommodates for things like…hips.)

Paris Blues Lightweight Wide-Leg Jean, $36.90 (up to 37” inseam, extended sizes available)

Clarkson Stretch Trouser, $34.90 (up to 37” inseam, extended sizes available)

H&M

I have great luck finding long skinny jeans and jeggings from H&M. They are often the perfect length on me (leading me to wonder how shorter girls fare with H&M pants!). Their trousers or bootcut jeans, I should note, are often several inches too short, but the skinny styles work great.

H&M denim, around $20-$30

DELIAS

Delias is another great juniors retailer offering 37” inseams. They don’t have as wide a selection as Alloy, but it tends to be a little better curated.

(Like before, watch out for that juniors sizing! It’s tricky!)

Reese Low-Rise Boot-Cut Jean, $39.50 (inseams up to 37”, extended sizes available)

GAP & BANANA REPUBLIC & OLD NAVY

I’ve had one-off luck with all three of these retailers, but their “extra-long” inseam is only 36”. (Only 36”! Haha.) Like with H&M, I have good luck with skinny pant styles, but the trousers are often one or two inches too short. If you have some time, energy and a good tailor, I’ve bought their trousers before and let out the extra inch of fabric at the hem and had them rehemmed. It’s a workable solution if you’re willing to put in the effort…and I’m usually not, unless I can talk my mom into hemming my pants for me. (She hates sewing and instilled that hatred into my sister and I as well. Fear of the needle!)

A note about fit at these retailers as well: you have may have noticed this is in the past, but you can pick up four pairs of pants at Gap in the same size, style and wash and none will fit exactly like the other. Their quality seems to have increased over the past year or so, but to be on the safe side—go to the brick-and-mortar store and try them on before purchase.

AMERICAN EAGLE

Although their boot cut jeans are not long enough for me, the quality and fit of their skinny styles are good and they are also well-priced (usually from $30-$50). Their extra-long inseam is 36”.

AE Skinny Jeans in Medium Antique, $30

If you have any tips on where to find extra-long pants (37” inseam +) or good options for petite women (i.e. denim/pants that don’t have to be hemmed), please leave a comment or send me a quick email! I’ll update this post over the course of the day.

Good luck and happy shopping!

READER TIPS:

Caroline Reginato: A quick little note about jeans from Delias.. As a huge fan of their jeans (mainly because they are the only ones that fit right.. ever), I have to say that buying online can be super tricky because I´ve found that two pair of the same size and style jean can fit pretty differently. I´d say if you really want a good fit, your best bet is going to a store and trying them on. They also stretch out a little bit, so don´t be afraid of the ones that are a little on the tight side!

Jennifer: I love J Brand and Citizens of Humanity jeans. I think some of them have up to a 35” inseam but it can vary from cut to cut. Yes, they’re expensive (retail!). But I just wait until Gilt, Rue La La or Hautelook has a sale and get them for under $70 a pair!

I got an anonymous question in my ask box that said the following:

I have a problem with skinny jeans and boots mainly because i have wide hips and the combination does nothing to compliment my figure. Do you have any suggestions as to how i could make this work and keep my skinny jeans?

This is something I hear often—that wearing skinny jeans and boots together throws off your proportion and makes it look like you have wider hips than you do. That’s all true! Anytime you have a tapered silhouette on the bottom, your upper half will automatically look larger.

These combos especially bring out the tapered look:

Skinny jeans + flats

Skinny jeans + flat boots

Skinny jeans + sandals

Pretty much anything you wear on your feet with skinny jeans that does not have a heel is going to require a bit of fixing up with the general silhouette so that everything balances out.

Here’s an example of the ideal outfit to achieve that balance.

1. Forever 21 Trenchcoat, $38 - A belt is key if you’re putting a coat over skinny jeans and boots. The cinched waist will help define the look up top, and the length will slim your hips.

2. Delias Tunic Sweatshirt, $40 - Whatever shirt or tunic you decide to wear, it should hit at the slimmest point of your hips—which is, for most women, right below your butt line, or about an inch above it. Follow the line at the bottom of your butt around to the front of your legs and that’s more or less where you want your top to hit.

3. Dorothy Perkins Belt, $10 - Despite wearing something longer on top, you don’t want to have a lot of volume there. Use a skinny belt to tone it down, or wear something that’s long but with a slim, tailored cut.

4. American Eagle Skinny Jeans, $50 - I feature AE’s skinny jeans a lot because they are well-priced, good quality, come in a variety of sizes/washes/lengths and you can try them on at your local mall. If you want a slimmer look, you should always go for medium to dark wash jeans—the lighter the wash, the bigger your legs will look. (It sucks!) Also, stay away from whiskering—it makes your hips and thighs look wider than they are.

5. Dorothy Perkins Satchel, $56 - I just really love a good satchel—that’s basically why that’s in this post.

6. Forever 21 Biker Boots, $35 - Try to always find boots that hit you in the sweet spot on your calves. A lot of shorter women think that they can’t wear knee-length boots, so they go for ankle boots instead—big mistake! You’ll look even shorter. The most flattering place for boots to hit is RIGHT below your knee, where your calves start to taper into the kneecap.

Good luck and I hope this helps!

Did you know Piperlime has an awesome Girl On A Budget section?

I didn’t! Sam sent me the link a few days ago and I was so excited to see that they’ve put all their under $100 items in one place.

The items that I’d look for in this section would be the under $100 denim and the well-made, mid-range priced boots.

Here are a few of my picks:

• Skinny Classique Jeans, $78
• Jack by BB Dakota Alex Coat, $85
• MM Couture Sequin Vest, $59
• Big Buddha “Ivy” Handbag, $90
• Rocket Dog “Rideon” Boots, $70
• Nine West “Casilda” Boots, $99

One of your must-have items for fall should definitely be a pair of jeggings. The slim-cut look of leggings with the versatility of denim and the comfort of a pair of pajama pants. I promise—you’ll never go back to regular jeans again.

Bonus: jeggings are cheaper than traditional denim too. Here’s five pairs under $25!

From left to right:

• ASOS 70s Blue Jegging, $17
• Arden B Jegging, $20
• Target Jegging, $25
• Forever 21 Jegging, $15
• Forever 21 Wide Waistband Jegging, $16

Flared jeans are kind of in the same bucket as jean jackets. Season to season, fashion editors scream at you, “BUY THIS NOW! YOU MUST HAVE IT!” and so you run out and grab a pair or a jacket (whichever the case may be), and sure enough, three months later, you dutifully shove it to the back of your closet because those same fashion editors are pumping out headlines to the effect of, “SO OVER! TRY THIS INSTEAD!” and so you grab a leather jacket or skinny jeans instead. Such is the life of a fashion trend slave. To be on the safe side, maybe buy a pair of flared jeans AND skinny jeans so the next time those fashion editors are screaming at you, you can shrug and haul out the trend-appropriate pair and be done with it.

[JACKIE SIDE NOTE: I don’t care what fashion editors say, black skinny jeans are always on trend. END NOTE.]

• Rubbish Cuff Tee, $13
• American Eagle “Artist” Jeans, $30
• Max Studio Flats, $48
• Avalaya Earrings, $11
• A.J. Morgan Sunglasses, $20

getyourjacketon asked:

Hello, pretty lady! I need your help. I am in search of THE PERFECT denim jacket. It needs to be fitted and not involve anything that resembles acid wash (yuck!). I’ve been looking and looking and finally realized you would be the perfect lady to ask! I’d like to wear one over cute sun dresses, but do you have any other ideas? I pretty much only wear jeans and dresses, so I need some help mixin’ it up a bit! Thanks!

Every now and then you really wish you hadn’t gotten rid of some old clothing. That’s how I feel about the denim jackets I have donated or lost over the years. Although a great classic piece, their popularity depends a lot on current trends (just like leather jackets).

For that reason, and because denim is such a durable fabric, I’d recommend not spending too much on this piece since you may not be wearing it in a year or so. But, with cute sandals and a pretty sundress now? Adorable!

Top row, left to right:

• American Eagle, $40
• GAP Kids (goes up to XXL), $20
• Old Navy, $13

Bottom row, left to right:

• Forever 21, $23
• Forever 21, $27
• Dorothy Perkins, $44

danielac asked:

So I’m trying to grow up a little (not vertically, sadly) and find pants and jeans that are no longer lowrise (those are flattering on no one). I’m also trying to find black pants (not jeans) and jeans that fit this bill, while also fitting me (I’m 5’0 so I have to get short pants). Do you know where I could find pants like these that are affordable on a college student budget? Thanks in advance :)

Behold, the only pants you’ll ever need!

Well, probably not, but you can get an awful lot of use out of five basic styles of pants (none are low-rise either).

• Michael by Michael Kors Knit Black Pants, $54 - You mentioned a pair of black pants, presumably for work or interviews or things like that, and this is the most modern style of the black trouser. A slightly cropped version like this looks great with a crisp white shirt (tucked in) and pumps. Foolproof interview outfit, especially with a pair of pearl earrings and a cocktail ring for color (and for fun!).
• Silence & Noise Slim Jean, $40 - These have a GREAT high-rise and a dark blue-almost black color so you can wear them to more dressy affairs, or with a plain tee and flip-flops to go grab coffee.
• BDG Cigarette Jean, $54 - You MUST have a pair of classic, vintage-wash jeans. You’ll wear these all the time, I promise.
• ASOS Trousers, $42 - White pants used to be poo-pooed, but I think they are so chic, especially in this more casual style. Complete the perfect summer outfit with a slightly loose tank, belt and pair of jeweled sandals.
• Villa Boyfriend Chinos, $42 - Chinos are huge right now! I love this skinny style too. Wear with a striped shirt, cardigan and platform sandals. 

I know this looks like a lot of money to spend all at once, so I’d suggest buying one (or two) pairs per month or one pair per paycheck and you’ll have an awesome wardrobe of pants to choose from in the fall!

mytwopugs asked:

Miss Jaclyn,
Like everyone else, I love your blog! I trust all of your fashion advice, and I thought it was about time to ask one of the many fashion-related questions I have. I’m petite (5’2”) and carry a little junk in the trunk, but I love the look of ankle-length matchstick pants. Is there any way for a woman who isn’t a J.Crew model (i.e. tall and thin) to pull them off?

http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Shop_By_Category/pants/skinnypants/PRDOVR~24345/24345.jsp

Short women can absolutely wear cropped denim!

In fact, this length is ideal for shorter women. I’d aim for no more than 3 or 4 inches above the ankle bone.

A jacket always helps lengthen—have it hit at your hip bone—and heels are a must, although if you don’t like wearing heels per se, I’d go for one or two inch wedges just because that extra bit of height is always great with cropped pants, no matter how tall or short you are.

Here’s an outfit I put together illustrating what I mean.

(P.S. Monochromatic pairings of tops/bottoms help make you look taller too.)

• J. Crew Toothpick Jeans, $98
• Splendid Tee, $83
• TILT Blazer, $20
• Jessica Simpson “Cedary” Sandals, $79
• ASOS Cocktail Ring, $21