31 Days Closer to a Cuter You! Day 11 "It's All in the Jeans"

 It's All in the Jeans & in the Genes

Not until I was a senior in high school did I finally "figure" out why I had a hard time finding good fitting jeans. (I wasn't looking for perfect; good would do!)
The problem? I was an X in an H world of jeans.
But one day, on a whim, I tried on a pair of boys Levis. They fit! And here's why. The waist did not hit me at my natural waist, they landed on the high hip area which means they did not gap. So it was really a matter of finding the right inseam and the right boy's waist and voila! I had myself a pair of good fitting jeans.

In MY OPINION, it's nice to have a "jeans wardrobe." Three pairs will do you nicely. Regardless of length, your pants should cover 1/2 of the shoe heel. Wearing pants that are too short for your shoes is not a great look. (my pet peeve)

jeans too short for this heel length

Jeans Wardrobe

• A Dressy Pair ~ dark wash, (straight leg, flare or bootcut) long enough to wear a mid or high heel
• A Casual Pair ~ dark or medium wash (straight or bootcut) shorter length to wear with low heels or flats
• A Saturday Pair ~ medium or a lighter wash (straight or bootcut) shorter length to wear with flats or sandals/flip flops (Flip flops are the state shoe for Florida. ; )

dressy dark wash to wear with heels (Gap jeans)

casual medium wash to wear with flats or low heels (Gap jeans)

Saturday pair, lighter wash (Gap jeans)

Jeans Tips for All

• A straight cut (not tapered that goes in at the ankle) or a boot cut is flattering to most every body type.
• A dark wash is more slimming than a medium to light wash. 
• Jeans that sit right below the belly button work for most every BODY. 
• Do not call attention to challenge areas. If you have some extra junk in the trunk, avoid back pockets with flaps. 

From goodhousekeeping.com ~ Click HERE for "Jeans for Every Body Type" ( a quick look at jeans and body type)

Symmetry, balance, and proportion are the keys to choosing clothes, including jeans, that flatter your figure.
Here is a terrific online resource in finding styles and brands for your body. You will need a bit more time than the link above but it's well worth it. Click HERE to "Find the Best Fitting Jeans by Dressing for Your Body."

These are my current favorite pair. They are Gap dark wash, mid-rise, boot cut and I always get the length that Gap calls "ankle" because I am 5' 2 1/2". You can see that I wear them with a lower heel. These jeans would not work with a high heel because they would be too short! A boot cut is slimmer through the thighs and nips in at the knees to a slight flare.This style balances my X body type. Another good cut for me is a straight cut (NOT tapered) or a straight cut with a slight flare.

My favorite jeans ~

When you know what to look for when you shop for jeans, it takes a lot of the frustration out! I like to avoid that stressed out feeling in the dressing room.

When you know what to look for before you go into that small room with bad lighting, you are more likely to find a pair of jeans that fit your GENES.

One last online resource: a video from Shine.yahoo. Click HERE to view.

How about sharing some good fittin' jean love with the rest of us? If you have a pair that looks great on you, please share the brand and style and adding your body type would be helpful, too.

Coming up:

• bathing suits for your body type  
• a guest post on identifying your fashion personality from blogger Mariah at Clothed with Lilies 
• hair color tips from my friend, Michelle - stylist to the stars ; )
• favorite beauty products from my friend, Laurie

Visit the other "31 Days Closer to..." bloggers.

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