by: The STYLE GURU Rebeccca J. Brock
Denim is everywhere these days, but it wasn’t always. Denim was first introduced in the late 1800’s and patented in 1873 by Levi Strass. In the early 1900’s it became the blue-collar workman’s ‘uniform’ because of it’s rugged durability. In the 1950’s, it was worn by ‘rebels’ rousing the establishment (think ‘Grease’) and by the 1960’s it was a wardrobe staple of hippies. By the 1980’s, denim was considered ‘high’ fashion and was seen all over the runways. Today, it is acceptable almost everywhere.There are a few things you should know about denim or ‘blue jeans’ as they are called today. It’s a modern wardrobe staple, but here are a few of my principles you should follow in order to pull of the denim-look like a true fashionista.…
1. Skip the Skinny
Listen, not everyone will look good in skinny jeans. While I realize they are all the rage lately, unless you have the body type of a 12-year old boy (stick straight)…they might not look good on you. I’ll let you in on a little secret…designers must come up with new styles every season in order to sell stuff. They will tell you that any other style other then what they are selling is ‘out’. You don’t have to buy into it. I have a few pairs of skinnies, but I prefer the straight leg style, and will never give up my flattering bootcut jeans! These never go out of style.
2. Don’t Get the Blues
Denim comes in all colors these days. It comes in white, black, gray and all colors of the rainbow. They don’t have to be blue. Wearing a nice pair of black jeans can be swapped out for your normal black pants and can make you appear more ‘hip’. As an added bonus, you can just throw them in the wash-no dry-cleaning required.
3. The Best Pants are No Pants
Hey! I’m not suggesting you walk out of the house with no pants on. I’m simply saying that not just jeans are made from denim. There are jackets, skirts, shirts, hats, shoes, bags and all kinds of accessories made from denim. Denim comes studded, bedazzeled, shredded, cut, cropped, wash-out, and everything in between. Have fun with it!
4. Limit your Denim to One or Two Pieces.
Remember Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears in head- to -toe denim? Yeah, that was a low point and obviously before they had hired stylists. It’s a very grave fashion mistake….don’t do it! If you’re wearing jeans and find the need for a jacket-opt for a leather jacket instead. If you’re dying to wear that new denim shirt, pair it with white/black jeans or slacks instead. You get the idea.
5. Don’t Push It
The whole point of wearing denim is to be comfortable. Wear jeans that fit…squeezing into a couple of sizes too small will not make you look good! And you might find it hard to breathe…Another thing worth mentioning is that you should know when a certain style is appropriate or not. For example, cut-off shorts where your butt cheeks are hanging out are only proper for the beach. Likewise those oh- so- trendy shredded styles may not be suitable or becoming for you and most certainly wouldn’t fly at any serious office. Know your limits…
6. Have Fun with Your Style
Having fun means breaking a few rules here and there. Currently, my two favorite jeans are my shredded white skinny jeans by AG Jeans and my cropped patchwork jeans from Current/Elliot. These kind of styles may not be respectable for every occasion so proceed with caution. Be daring and go for a style you normally wouldn’t go for…life is short and fashion is fun. You can tell the whole world (ok, maybe just the people you know) a considerable amount about who you are…before you even open your mouth!
Rebecca J. Brock is a model, writer and image consultant. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @rebeccajbrock and @truestyleguru
