Your Blue Jeans CAN be Your Friend!

By JuliAnn Stitick –

Be honest… how many pair of blue jeans do you have in your wardrobe? Although a wardrobe consultant, I confess I have quite a few. Jeans for my bloated days, jeans for my “skinny” days, jeans for hiking, jeans for a date night with my hub and…. well… you get the picture.

American women have a tempestuous relationship with blue jeans. Not since the bathing suit, has the search for the perfect pair become so elusive! Recently the LA Times Business Section had an article about blue jeans. In it, Alice Harris, author of “The Blue Jean,” a book that chronicles America’s love affair with denim, talked about shopping for jeans.

“It’s a nightmare,” she said, “you have to go first thing in the morning before you have eaten. You simply can’t try on jeans at 4 in the afternoon unless you are 16 years old. For the rest of us, it’s an 8am call!” Amen to that, sister!

When I shop with my clients, blue jeans are at the top of the list. Jeans have become a wardrobe staple — the foundation that millions of women live in. While many have recently turned to premium denim, for me (and my practical Irish side), the right fit is far more important than the logo on the pocket, which is usually going to be covered up anyway.

Finding the right jean can set the tone for a shopping day. It’s the first thing I fit when working with a client. Comfort is KEY! With jeans, while style is definitely important, comfort creates confidence, which is your best accessory!

Gonna touch on a sensitive subject here, ready? For most body shapes, pants and jeans should sit at the hip (or just slightly above). The mid-rise allows them to fall from your hip which allows for the cleanest drape.

My mid-rise favs are: Land’s End Bootcut, Fidelity Denim’s Belladonna, Levi’s Slightly Curvy, Levi’s Perfectly Slimming, Agave.

My high-rise favs are: For those of you who want wear their jeans at the waist, your best choices are Miraclebody Jeans and Not Your Daughter’s Jeans.

15 Tips for Blue Jean Success!

1. Buy jeans with stretch in them, but not too much. I’d love to be able to give you a guideline here, but there are so many fabric blends out now that I would just confuse you.

2. Puhleeezzeee don’t focus on designer labels. The fit and comfort is so much more important.

3. Do the “squat” test when trying them on. Then sit in them for a few minutes. Are they comfortable? Do they hold their shape when you stand back up?

4. Plain pockets on the back create a smooth look

5. Chose jeans with quality fabric that fit well (if you can’t put them on and forget you’re wearing them, DON’T buy them! Pulling at your clothes is a confidence buster!)

6. RESIST the urge to wear your jeans before you’ve had them hemmed

7. Wash and dry them twice before you hem them

8. When you find the perfect pair, buy 2

9. Have a pair hemmed for flats and a pair hemmed for heels (hem should be 1⁄4” from the floor)

10. Go for a dark wash – the most versatile

11. Wash them in cold water with Woolite for Darks for lasting color

12. Bootcut is best for most bodies – tapered at the knee and a slight flare at the hem

13. Search for quality, not quantity (a good pair of jeans will last for years)

14. Where you purchase them matters! What is the return policy like? If you wear them a day and end up not liking the quality, can you return them?

15. Have a great time on your “Blue Jean Safari” and when you find your perfect jeans, do share with us! Tell us the name brand and why they are your favs!

For years, JuliAnn, The “Heart” of Empowered Style, has been blessed to say that she has a dream job! A recipe with the main ingredients being her passions of inspiration, fashion and organization. Whether teaching at a live event, one of her Discover Your Style Workshops, providing corporate image training or working one-on-one with a client, JuliAnn’s mission is to use her fashion expertise to show love, encourage and empower women. From the unmentionables to the accessories, JuliAnn gently and lovingly guides women in discovering their inner style and then translating that to their outer image. An image and feeling of confidence for a more fulfilling and successful life! Her Website: http://juliannstitick.com/.