The Lean Jean Machine

The weather is shifting and jeans wardrobes are on their way back into heavy rotation. This ultra-flexible wardrobe staple can make you look casually chic or dreadfully dull, depending on the fit, finish and flare.

Navigating the trends of finish alone is treacherous. So here are three terms you need to remember on your next hunt for jeans: mid-rise, dark rinse and a slight flare.

Let’s break it down.

1. Forget the torture device known as the size on the tag and fit your curves instead, opting for mid-rise jeans (about two finger widths below your belly button) that skim your curves and highlight your assets. Then plan to tailor the waist, length and even the flare for the perfect fit.

2. Regardless of what the denim trends are, a dark finish looks best. This is often referred to as a “rinse” color. No bleaching, blasting, whiskering or anything else that acts like a spotlight on your thighs and butt. Embellishments and other sparkles on your jeans have the same effect. So if you like decoration, make sure you’re highlighting something you want everyone to notice.

3. Making sure there is some flare at the bottom of your jeans gives visual balance to hips, which is why it’s so flattering. Make sure your jeans are tailored to a half an inch off the floor with your shoes on. This usually equates to having one pair of shorter, straighter leg jeans for flats and another pair of longer jeans with more flare for heels.

Rachael Shayne is a Boulder-based style coach. Need a fashion fix? Contact Shayne at rachael@rachaelshayne.com or www.rachaelshayne.com.

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