A question I recently saw on a forum I frequent. My answer? It depends. Low rise jeans can be extremely flattering, provided they are not too low rise, and provided the wearer has a relatively flat tummy.
Extreme low-rise isn’t flattering simply because it shows too much. There’s nothing sexy about showing your butt crack, or even the top of your pubic hair (saw both, more times than I care to remember, in real life). There’s also nothing sexy about a roll of tummy fat rolling over the top of your low-rise jeans.
But if you pick moderately low-rise jeans, and your tummy is fairly flat, then – as the photo here clearly shows – low rise jeans can be a very flattering choice.
Note that the pretty woman in the photo is wearing jeans that are not super low-rise, that she’s wearing a belt to help keep everything where it belongs, and that her tummy peeking above the jeans is womanly and rounded, but not fat. So even though normally I would think she should have paired her low rise denim with a longer top, in her case, I have to admit she looks fabulous! But again, this is because she’s not overdoing it in terms of how low the jeans are. The belt is really important too.
All of us jeans overs should consider ourselves lucky to be living in an era where jeans are OK almost anytime, anywhere – and this includes the holidays. Depending on how formal are the events you’re planning to attend this holiday season, you can most definitely wear denim to at least some of those events, maybe even all of them.
Unless your parents insist that jeans are inappropriate for a holiday dinner, you can probably wear jeans to all family meals. When it comes to meals elsewhere, it might be safer to avoid jeans, or – if you decide to wear jeans – plan on wearing a pair of dark, tailored denim- definitely nothing worn, torn or overly embellished.
When it comes to holiday parties, check to see what the invitation says and judge by that. Formal or semi formal means no jeans, but casual elegant and business casual mean that again, you could get away with a pair of dark, tailored jeans.
For more casual holiday parties, by all means pair your favorite, worn-out jeans with a sparkly top and strappy heels!
“I hate jeans. Jeans are uncomfortable,” declared my friend, whom I love with all my heart, except she’s completely wrong on this one.
Sure, the yoga pants she favors are more comfortable than jeans. But they’re not as flattering, or as versatile, and the happy truth is that modern jeans are made of thin, breathable, stretchy materials that are nothing like the stiff denim of days past.
If you forget about fads such as skinny jeans, jeggings or even high waist jeans (those can put pressure on your tummy, especially when you sit) and opt instead for moderately low rise, boot cut jeans, then truly you should be very comfortable in your jeans – and you will look great, too!
Photo credit: Shingleback
Sometimes, as I wear my jeans and T-shirt during the day, then quickly change to heels and a glamorous top at night but leave my jeans on, I think to myself, what would I do without jeans? And then I just feel so grateful that jeans were invented, that they have become a fashion staple, and that they are completely mainstream now, meaning you can truly wear jeans whenever, wherever – except for the most upscale occasions.
So, while I wouldn’t wear jeans to a wedding (even a casual one) or to a job interview (even tailored jeans), I pretty much wear jeans to all other occasions. They go with everything, they are durable and flattering and they wash well.
Think about it. How lucky we are!
Photo credit: Shopbop
It’s summertime, and I can’t help but notice all those teenage girls around wearing jean shorts that perhaps were sold to them as shorts, but might as well have been labeled “underwear,” as they are so ridiculously short that I really don’t see much difference.
Call me old fashioned, and hey maybe I am, but I believe there IS such a thing as “too short” and that it’s safe to assume that too-short jeans are when they are the same length as one’s underwear. And it’s especially sad on teens, because they are so young and clueless and don’t get that while they certainly attract male attention this way, it is very much the wrong kind of attention.
I’ve got nothing against denim shorts – I just want them to be shorts, not underwear labeled as shorts.
Photo credit: SpecialKRB
I have a friend who washes her jeans after each time she wears them. On the other hand, I have recently read that some jeans enthusiasts say that you should only wash your jeans twice a year.
Well, I’m somewhere in the middle. Washing your jeans after each time you wear them is crazy – it’s wasteful in terms of water and electricity, and it will also mean they get destroyed sooner.
On the other hand, washing my jeans just twice a year seems a bit on the, well, non-hygienic side 
There’s also the issue of jeans slowly becoming looser the more you wear them, until they are too loose, and then after washing and drying they’re tight again – admittedly sometimes too tight!
I wash my jeans about once a month. Even though most experts recommend washing by hand (soak for a few minutes in a tub filled with sudsy warm water, then rinse) and air drying, I admit that I just toss my jeans in the washer and dry them in the dryer. Convenience wins!
I was recently shopping for a new pair of jeans. As I was trying the jeans on in the dressing room, I overheard a conversation between the very knowledgeable sales person and another shopper. She tried on the same pair of jeans, in two different sizes. She had felt that one was a little too snug, while the larger size was “just right.”
The sales person gave her an interesting advice. He reminded her that jeans tend to relax and become looser as we continue to wear them. he told her that unless she decidedly wants a loose, boyfriend-jeans look, jeans should hug the curves. So he advised her to get the smaller size.
I thought it was very good advice. I remember a woman walking towards me once – she was wearing jeans and she looked great, but then as she turned around, the jeans were baggy around her behind which was the most unflattering jean look I have ever seen! So while skin tight jeans are not the best choice for most of us, it’s true that a pair of denim should hug your curves. Loose denim, unless meant to be loose, is simply not a flattering look. Photo credit: idhren
I used to think that jeans were totally inappropriate in summertime. I mean, who wants to wear a heavy fabric such as denim during a hot, humid summer?
But these days, there are so many summer-friendly denim options out there. First of all, denim fabrics have changed over the past decade. We now enjoy jeans that are thinner, and have stretch in them, making them so much more comfortable.
In addition, one can opt for white jeans – a decidedly summery look, or for jean capris. Of course, denim shorts are always an option, at least for those of us who wee blessed with nice legs!
So I do wear jeans in the summer. Maybe not on the hottest days, but for the most part, I find that a pair of lightweight jeans, worn with sandals and a cap sleeve top, or a tank top, feels great and looks great.
Image from Shopbop.com
For several years now I’ve been moaning about how I dislike skinny jeans and how they don’t really flatter the average woman. So you would think I would get all excited about the change of denim trends: skinny jeans are out, flared jeans are in!
Not so fast. While I believe that in most cases flare jeans are a better choice than skinny jeans, high-rise, flared jeans carry their own risks, including looking too bulky, and making one’s tummy and behind appear bigger than they really are.
I still stand by my old advice: when in doubt, always opt for a pair of dark wash, medium rise, boot cut jeans made from a fabric that contains a little stretch. These are by far the most flattering jeans, and this is true for all shapes and sizes.
Maybe it’s boring… maybe we need variety and fun. So keep experimenting with different denim styles! But make sure you can always fall back on a “safe” pair of jeans. Photo credit: bluefly.com
These are very low rise jeans and most of us would not look too good in them. But of course, the gorgeous Megan Fox can pull it off.
