Ladies of DU - I need fashion advice.

[TNDemo]

I am a lady too, BTW. I need to know what is in style for jeans now for someone my age (40s). I have been through so many trends I can't remember which one is the current one. I am going through my clothes for Goodwill this weekend and trying to decide which jeans to keep. I saw the skit on SNL about "Mom jeans" and thought - egad, I have some of those. I certainly don't want any of those low rider things with the two inch zipper that are back now. I wore those in high school and really they are the most unflattering things on earth unless you are completely perfect. And of course none of those are in my drawer. So - no pleats, right? Flat front only? Cuffs? No, I think. Straight leg or no?

[maxanne]

1. you can't go wrong

with the classic flat front straight leg Levis.

That said - I am in favor of wearing what you like and feel comfortable in.

[DODI]

2. Old Navy Straight Leg Stretch

They look like "real" jeans but are very comfortable -- and look good.

[ikojo]

3. I wear cuffs because I am SHORT

I don't sew and cannot afford to take everything to a tailor to have them hemmed.

Who cares about "fashion trends?" I agree with the person who said wears what is comfortable for you. Me, I wear a lot of polo type shirts (we have a casual workplace) and jeans and cargo pants.

[amazona]

9. i'm short too and I'm guessing shorter than you...

...since I am shorter than most everyone. :-)

That said, it is easy to hem pants yourself with needle and thread or even with a hot glue gun. (But the old hot glue from the 1980s and early 1990s kept the pants hemmed for the lifetime of the jeans, and the new hot glue is not so long-lasting, so I recommend a return to hand-sewing.) Another option I'm seeing around lately and which I've tried occasionally is to cut off the jeans instead of hemming them and letting them form a fringe -- this looks great with faded and even ripped jeans although it probably isn't a workplace look.

[TrogL]

4. Advice from a gay guy

You're right, forget the low riders. Go to the Jean Lab at the Diesel store. Straight legs are fine unless you've got thunder thighs. Keep it simple and concentrate on a nice top.

[TrogL]

5. Blouse, shirt, sweater

jeez, get your mind out of the gutter

[Kamika]

6. faded jeans

I got some faded 70s jeans right now they look really nice.

I also got some faded straight leg ones.. they are realy nice aswell i recommend those

[amazona]

7. you can wear almost any style now

...personally I think low riders are a great invention and flattering to almost everyone whose waist size is not necessarily in accord with her hip size. (I have a small waist but a big butt, which makes traditional jeans impossible to fit because they are tight in thigh or bag at that waist. Low riders skip that problem nicely.) That said, I don't need superlows that show butt cleavage. But there are a variety of jean styles in the stores now and the great thing about being in your 40s is that you can wear whichever looks best on you -- you don't have to go with whatever random style the kids at your high school thinks is "the" style. I agree that cuffs are out and unflattering anyway. Straight legs look great but bell bottoms --oops-- boot cut is still very acceptable. It's a time where you can wear exactly what you like.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

8. It depends on...

what shape your body is, not necessarily what is in style. Do you have access to the BBC and the show "What Not to Wear"? (Go for the Brit version not the US.)

I have found it to be very good at illustrating to woman what they can wear that will flatter their figure.

I am only 5'4, have a short waist, a smaller bust, and child-bearing hips -- if I wear straight legged or high waisted jeans it makes my butt look bigger and my waister shorter. Capris or shorter jeans make my legs look stumpy. The perfect jean for me is a hipster with a boot cut (balances out the big butt) and long in the length. When I wear them I literally lose 10 pounds visually. And I should add I am 43.

As for what is strictly fashionable right now, you can't go wrong with a flat front, hipster (not "crotcher") with a boot cut. It's close enough to the bell bottomed low riders that are in but without the extreme element.

[Skittles]

10. so what exactly is wrong with "mom jeans"

screw that fad stuff - keep trying on different kinds of jeans and when you find some that LOOK GOOD and FEEL GOOD, BUY THEM.

[maddezmom]

13. couldn't agree more

when you find something you like and fits well buy them and buy more than one.

[Rhiannon12866]

11. I prefer faded and boot cut

I am probably about the same age as you are and get most of my jeans from Victoria's Secret. They have an amazing number of colors and styles and, though their latest styles are ridiculously expensive, they go on sale extremely fast. They also have different lengths. I got a nice black pair from them which I can wear with anything. I also like their Blue London jeans, which are just plain straight-legged jeans. You can get slim cut or regular, in several colors and lengths, for $29. They have recently expanded that line to include different styles in a stretch fabric. Since they are new, they are expensive and haven't gone on sale yet, but just wait.:-)

[radwriter0555]

12. Yes, faded, boot cut, but low rise as well.... not necessary down to the

crotch hip huggers, but lower.

and the boot cuts look FANTASTIC with high heels.

[Rhiannon12866]

14. I get the low rise, but not too low

I like to wear mine with boots or clogs, so appreciate boot-cut or flares.:-)