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Hi Imogen, you’re looking fantastic! What a big year its been for you. Congratulations on all your achievements. I have a question about boot cut pants and/or jeans. Are they still current? I put a pair on the other day for a working bee at school (as they were my oldest pair) and though they still suit me I hoped they didn’t make me look out of date. I’m approaching 50 and don’t want to look frumpy or MDAL!!!! Cheers, Lynda
Jeans styles are all over the shop at the moment. The skinny jean is still the most common shape around, but I am noticing that there is a resurgence of flares and bootcut jeans, and you can always get a straight leg jean if skinny is too skinny for you.
Never before have I noticed in fashion that so many trends are wearable at the same time, from boyfriend jeans to flares, from culottes (making a comeback) to skinny, pretty much all silhouettes are back in fashion.
Flares
Balance the width of your flared jean with a wedge heel. If you love the 70s vibe of the flare, team it with a tucked in blouse.
Bootcut
Bootcuts are made to be worn with a short boot with a stacked heel. Wear them with a t-shirt for a casual look and a biker jacket if you need an extra layer. Wear them long, not quite touching the ground but almost.
The difference between the bootcut of 2000 and the bootcut of 2014 is the rise. Back in 2000 it was low, low low. Now, we are more into mid-rise and high-rise jeans (nobody needs their butt hanging out the back of their pants when they sit down).
To maximise the slimming effect of the bootcut jean, wear them in a dark, non-distressed denim. Yes, they are a classic shape that will be around for a long time, but be aware of the length and the rise, as these are the elements that change the most.
Straight Leg
Straight legs are easy to wear, they make your legs look longer without over highlighting your hips. They look great with a pair of oxfords or even a ballet flat and can be worn with all manner of top styles.
Boyfriend
Boyfriend jeans are a style to be more wary of as they tend to make your hips look larger and your legs shorter, so add some of that height back with a pair of feminine but edgy cage heels and wear with a knit and moto jacket.
Skinny
Skinny leg jeans are still everywhere, they are easiest worn with knee high boots if you want to wear a shorter top. Alternatively, wear with ballet flats and a tunic top if you want to cover your upper thighs. Skinny leg jeans are the only shape that work in a 7/8 length as well as full length.
Given that I am an H shape and find that only low rise pants fit me, how do I not look dowdy in wearing them? Because I am an H I never stop at that area anyway so I guess that nobody would see what the rise was.
Ive a pair of of acid-ish black boyfriend jeans with cuffed hemline and personally I prefer wearing them with sandals, ballet flats or combat boots that end just below where the hem of the jeans ends, with a more form fitted top.
Due to ankle and back problems, I would never jepordize health for looking taller, because comfort always win over style, at least to me. I bet most people would ignore bf- and capris jeans if they cannot wear heels, but I like to be rebellelous. X’D I dont mind looking a bit heavier on the bottom, because thats where Im the skinniest (aka “chicken legs”) anyway . 😛
and I love that mid-rise and high rise jeans start to show up more, because I cannot stand low rise. Not because of the “flashing underwear” or butt-crack dilemma (my tops are on the longer side), but because of my protruding bony hipbones. Low rise jeans and skinny jeans (unless they are very stretchy) like to squeeze the bones out of me! :L Last year I had to throw out a pair of colored jeans I bought, because I was in pain already after the Ist hour. -_-‘ Lol, ironic, you can find wardrobe dilemmas on any part of the body. most people worry about their bellys, I worry about my hipbones. XD
The only thing I’ve problem with is what hem to wear when wearing bootcuts and flares with flats and delicate sandals because now I mainly wear them with low heeled combat-ish boots because I cannot switch from low heeled pumps to walking shoes without having them dragging on the floor and I think it would look silly to carry around with chunky combat boots, especially during the warmer month when I dont want to wear skirts/dresses/highwaisted skinnies. ;P
You are one of the lucky ones Lina who has long legs and slim hips so can wear boyfriend jeans in this manner! I often think you need jeans hemmed at different lengths for the different heights of shoes you wear.
I love the new look to your site!
I love this post – very often I do not know which shoes to wear. If there are rules for choosing shoes for other outfits, such as skirts etc. , I would be very happy if you good make a post on it.
By the way, I was really wondering about the fact that the length might change with bootcut jeans – I wasn’t aware of that – I always thought that it has to be long.
Yes lengths change – the best tips is to wear a length that hits at least at the back of your heel, depending on your heel height. With a bootcut jean you want them to go over your foot when standing with a heel. If wearing with flats, then just above the ground (not dragging on the ground.).
Thanks Imogen, it’s a pitty that you don’t find those things in styling books – maybe you good write an ebook with all those things – most styling books on the market don’t go very deep.
My blog is probably bigger now than any styling book!
Oh, I meant – you could write instead of good
Definitely, your blog is much bigger now than any styling book – I really have to say that you have the best blog on the world wide web! I am so glad to have found it!
Thanks Lee – you are very kind! I try to please and share all that I’ve learned over the 10 years I’ve been working as an image consultant!
Thanks for the information; I was wondering the same thing. At 5-feet tall and curvy, I made several pairs of boot cut jeans because I think the silhouette looks the best on my frame. I will probably not jump on the skinny jeans bandwagon for the same reasons. I’ll have to try straight-legged jeans.
I love wearing jeans! But I find that all of my t-shirts and even jumpers develop little holes around the area over the top button of the jeans. I don’t recall this happening when I was younger, when I lived in jeans, t-shirts and jumpers!. Does anyone else have this experience? I have been wearing a belt but am not yet sure if that will make the difference.
It’s a really common issue. Try wearing a cami underneath that you can use as a layer over the button so that you don’t wreck you good outer layers
Hi Imogen,
Love the blog! I am trying the boyfriend trend for the first time, but the weather is getting colder. Any other tips on shoes for the boyfriend jean?
Also, do they have to be rolled up? As a petite I’m concerned the color contrast of the turn up will add an extra line for the eye making me look shorter.
Would appreciate your thoughts..
Thank you
Oxfords are great, and also ankle length boots. As far as the turn up goes, that’s up to you. It tends to make them look a little funkier.
Hi, i was just checking on jeans and styletips, i found your post very attractive due to the tips with shoes to go with different cuts is really amazing. Will you be posting more styletips in jeans trends of 2015?
I will at some stage yes Divyanka