Do You Need To Update Your Jeans? Take This Test…
True Religion Jeans from Nordstrom
How do you know if you need to update your jeans or not?
Here’s our advice if you tell us……..
1. My jeans are all sizes and I don’t know which ones fit.
Try on your jeans. Get rid of the too small or too large ones, and get them out of the closet.
2. My jeans are all light colored or faded.
You definitely need to update your jeans. Dark jeans are in style and look much more chic! See below for suggestions.
3. My jeans are pleated on top and tight around the ankles.
Yikes, these are mom jeans…go straight to the trash can with these!
4. My jeans have those little bleached “kitty cat” wrinkles in them, that were so in style a few years back.
MEOW! (translation: no good). Those are dated and really not flattering. Good for gardening, cleaning the house, and sitting on the couch by yourself, petting your dog.
5. My jeans are boot cut at the bottom.
Good! Boot cut jeans are flattering on most body types and especially good to balance out a figure that is a little fuller! (We like these from Nordstrom’s.)
6. My jeans are straight legged and fitted.
These can be great to tuck into boots! If your legs are thin, you are good to go! A sweater cape, oversized handbag and large sunglasses will complete the look!
7. I’m looking at the new high rise jeans. Should I try them?
Sure, but it depends on your body type. They are in style, and will look great this spring with a pair of wedges and a tucked in top. If you are thick in the middle, you might not like it. Pears, you will look super!
8. Can I keep jeans with the pre-made holes?
Just saw that Nordstrom’s is showing lots of these types of jeans for spring. Ladies, your teenage daughters are going to be wearing these… so we don’t think you should be too.
9. I have jeans with some little sparkles on the pockets and some with fun embroidery on them.
If you want to look updated and hip, we suggest putting those away for now. That glitzy trend comes and goes and they are gone for now.
10. What about wearing straight legged jeans and flipping up the cuffs?
We’re surprised to see that this is still in style! If you haven’t tried it yet, it looks best if you wear a little wedge with these jeans to keep your leg from looking stumpy!
To see the 30 best jeans for women check out the article at More Magazine or visit www.shop.nordstrom.com
Please comment below and let us know your favorite jeans and how you wear them!
I’m 5 foot but am short-waisted. I wear mid to short rise which seems to work for me(depending on the cut)but would like to try the high waist. Should I?
I generally find the longer the leg, and the darker the wash, the more flattering the style. So I wear deep, deep dark wash bootcuts, as long as I can wear them (floor skimming) and they look terrific. Especially paired with some heeled boots (sorry to the flat shoe fans, but heels look soooo much better!)
I think anyone who has ever had a baby will be glad that the higher rise is coming back! Do as much work at the gym as I can, I can’t shift that “little extra” my kids endowed on me! (Thanks, swwethearts!) And most of my friends are the same.
Hi Pajama Jeans,
Jeans that don’t fit or are out of style (e.g.really big flair) or look worn out. Otherwise you can keep them for a long time!
Good post. When do you believe that a pair of jeans has outlived its’ usefulness?
Wow, Claire, that you can still fit in them is amazing…no need to put them away at any age, just make sure you are wearing it in an updated fashion. Good luck!
Okay, that makes perfect sense now. The truth is they are my high school jeans and they feel great because I can still fit into them. I paired them with a white embroidered blouse and bohemian was the right name for it. I promise I’ll put them away when I turn 50.
If you really like that worn out jean look go with a simple shiny silk top. We think the crinkle top is something to be put away for now.
It’s just the Glam Gals opinion, but we do not recommend the “holey” jean look on women over 40 and especially not great on women over 50 and beyond. We like to leave it to the teenagers to pull off that trend, even if you are a bohemian soul!
If you want to go fancy wearing a dressy top with jeans, we would rather see it with a pair of either tight pencil legged jeans (no holes!) and high heels or a dark wash jean.
What’s with the trend of very dressy tops with holey jeans? Would a black crinkle top be okay with faded slightly holey jeans?
I wore my white jeans just today (in Dallas TX) and felt very chic. Also our local tailor does an “original hem” similar to the one described by the first reader. They don’t cut off the hem, they do an invisible fold so the jean is never cut. It costs $10.
Hi Dina,
YES, getting those jeans altered is one of the BEST tips ever!
As for your question….
We have tried “Not Your Daughters Jeans”, and have found them a little on the matronly side of the “chic” factor!
That being said, depending on the style they can fit those with an “apple” or “pear” body types nicely. They are definitely cut with a higher rise, but not high enough to qualify for the new high rise look and yet are too high to be really cool.
We think the Kenneth Cole line is much better!
Hi Karen,
Thanks for your tips! They are good ones!
However,we know most of you out there already have light colored jeans…we are trying to suggest how to move your jean collection to look more classy and updated.
Okay Girls, I like dark jeans too, but light jeans that are not acid washed, that are long and have a modern cut, with unembellished pockets will work just FINE and give us an alternative to the “dressy” jean. If you wear light jeans here’s some guidance:
NO HOLES
NO SPARKLES
NO FUNKY WASHES
NO OVERDYE
NO “MOM” CUTS
Hi Andrea,
Yes a boot cut jean is a great choice and is still in style. The one we show here is a good one too and can be found at Nordtroms.(just click on the blue hyperlink on the blog)
FYI…The higher rise ones tend to look best when they have a wider leg.
I love the new dark wash and black jeans. They easily go from a day look to evening out. Best secret I ever learned about jean, and clothes in general, is: find a great tailor! My guy can make anything look better on me; it’s worth the prices, especially since good clothes can be so expensive. Right now, I’m loving my Kenneth Cole wide leg jeans. I look at least 5’4 in them!
What do people think of those ‘Not Your Daughter Jeans’? The jeans may be great, but I hate that name.
Great article once again, ladies!
Dina
High rise jeans are coming back! Yea! I hate to wear low cut undies so this makes my day!
What about jeans that are wider at the bottom? (like in the photo) Are they staying in fashion? I have a pair that are still in good shape. Should I get a pair of boot cut ones too?
Here is a recent comment from a reader:
Because I’m 5 foot nothing, I found that my best jeans strategy is to wear them with high heels and have them hemmed about a half inch above the ground. I always have a European hem done at the tailor if the jeans need to be shortened. They take the original hem and re-attach it at the new length. Though it costs more, it looks much better as the hem retains the same wear pattern. When the fabric is just cut and turned under, it looks like it was done at home. This is fine for jeans that won’t see the public eye, but if you are spending any kind of $$$, it’s best to go all the way. Dark jeans look great, but so do sparkling white jeans (when appropriate for the season or climate, of course). There is something so fresh and clean about them, and they seem to bridge that gap between casual and dressy, especially when worn with a nice jacket and heels.
krysanton@sympatico.ca
Glam Gals reply:
Spoken like a true fashionista…thanks for the great tips. We could not agree more!