Skinny jeans are hardly news these days. I know some of my friends were hoping they were on their way out….but no. Despite the fact that wide leg and trouser jeans are making another appearance, skinny jeans are still going strong. With good reason — they are edgy, sexy, and, in the winter when the ground is covered with snow or slush, immensely practical. There’s nothing I hate more than coming in from the cold only to have the bottoms of my jeans soaking wet. A pair of skinny jeans tucked into boots is the cornerstone of my winter uniform. I do think that all body types can pull off this look. When skinnys are tucked into boots, the boots provide mass in the ankle region, which offsets mass in the hips/butt region. My only word of caution is to the faint hearted — if you go the skinny route, they need to fit all the way up. There’s nothing more unattractive than skinny jeans that are tight around the ankle and loose on the butt. We don’t need stuffed sausage tight, but the fabric should actually be touching your skin. So this fall, if you haven’t tried the skinny, let’s get you in touch with your inner Kate Moss.
High End
Both pairs featured are from revolveclothing.com (BTW – revolve offers both free shipping and free return shipping – LOVE that)
The pair on the left is the JBrand 12” Pencil in Memphis, $189. The pair on the right is the Joe’s Jeans Cigarette in Blanche, $173. Both of the jeans are in an easy to wear dark wash, and have an 8” rise. The higher rise is important to help hide post baby muffin tops. JBrand also makes skinny jeans with an 8.5” rise.
Affordable
The jeans on the left are the Levi’s Low Skinny 531 Jeans in Tammy, $60 at levi.com. The Low Skinny 531s come in darker washes (for slightly more $$), but I actually like the medium dark tones of the Tammy wash. It gives the look a slightly casual vibe. The rise is 8.25”.
The jeans on the right are Forever 21’s Lindsey Skinny Jean in Indigo, $12.50. That is not a typo – they really are less than $13. These jeans are pretty much perfect – great color, great rise (8.5”) and will only cost you the equivalent of a few cappuccinos at Starbucks.
How to Style
Again, this look is all about practical. Throw the Skinnys on with a tall flat boot, add a drapey T to to cover a post-baby belly (it should ideally hit right at the hips) and increase the cool factor with a couple of baby friendly accessories. If you are prone to cold, a swingy jacket looks good over just about any Tshirt-n-jeans combo, but I think it really shines with a pair of Skinny jeans.
The top can be purchased at Nordstroms; it’s the Michael Kors Cap Sleeve Top in in black, $60. The jacket is Old Navy’s Wool Blend Swing Jacket in Gray Tweed, $70. If you don’t own one of these, a swing jacket it a great way to make any outfit look good. The fabulous boots are from piperlime.com and also come in a terrific caramel color. They are the Peachie boots from Boutique 9, in black, $275. The kid friendly accessories are the ever-classic Return to Tiffany Heart Tag Bracelet, $195 and the Ravenclaw scarf from PurpleKnits, $36. The bracelet will be able to withstand pulling, yanking and teething (just make sure any additional charms don’t have small pieces that can come off) and the scarf…well…it just doesn’t get any cooler than a Harry Potter themed scarf. Wind this around your neck and let the ends peek out from under the jacket. PurpleKnits appears to be out of the Gryffindor style, but the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw styles are amazing as well. You gotta love a scarf that celebrates the true heart of cool – imagination.
xo, S
