Denim on Denim Can Work Out

We all remember the painful fashion moment when Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears went out in matching bedazzled denim on denim outfits complete with cowboy hats. So it may come as a surprise that one of this year’s trends is, well, pairing denim on denim. Just not like this:

Photo courtesy of denimblog.com

Designers this year have been influenced by the economic news, many of them are taking their cues from classic American staples, such a denim jeans and button up shirts. So the long time fashion don’t of denim on denim is getting a boost.

Photos courtesy of style.com (L to R , Diesel Black Gold Fall 2010, Helmut Lang Resort 2011, William Rast Fall 2010)

I do want to give Justin Timberlake some credit here, the look on the far right is from his clothing line (William Rast), so he obviously learned something from his earlier denim on denim debacle. Of course, as with any trend, denim on denim can be worn a variety of ways. Celebrities, stylists, and bloggers have all embraced the denim on denim trend and have their own opinions on how it should be worn. But really there are just a few general rules to keep in mind to give the denim on denim a modern twist.

In order to pull off denim on denim:
1. The top and bottom should be two distinct pieces - you don’t want to match the color exactly (refer to the picture of Britney above to see why). For example, wear a light colored top over dark jeans or vice versa.
2. Mix up the textures - wear a soft chambray button up over stiff, dark wash denim with neutral accessories.
3. Break it up by wearing a belt that clearly separates one piece from another.
4. And finally - keep it simple! Choose solid or slightly distressed denim and leave it at that, no need for acid wash or tie dye when pairing denim on denim.

Denim on denim is a neat trend that easily updates your wardrobe without having to go too far out of your comfort zone. Have an opinion on denim on denim? Vote in our poll from our last denim on denim entry here!

Schooled in Style: Back to School Jeans 101

There are only a few days left for some (if not all) until class is officially back in session. In preparation for this madness, we at indiDenim feel compelled to give students everywhere a lesson in back to school style. While most of us no longer get to pick back to school ensembles for ourselves, we still know a thing or two when it comes to styling and wearing your basic Back to School Jeans. 

So take good notes and listen up as we’re about to tell you how to make the grade in denim style.

For your Everyday School Jeans
Cuffing your school jeans creates a cool yet effortless look for class.

For school days where you just don’t feel like dressing up but you still want to look like you’re put together, pick school jeans with a relaxed cut and a rise that sit comfortably on your hips and waist. Pair your school jeans with a vibrant top, along with a structured jacket and a statement necklace; you’ll be looking cool and comfy in no time.

School Jeans for a Study Date
Dress up your everyday school jeans and give it a more polished look by picking a sweet blouse to wear along your medium to dark wash jeans. You can choose to wear a knit sweater over it to give your outfit an overall feminine feel. An outfit suitable for a study date isn’t complete without universally flattering school jeans.

We sugest that you pick bootcut jeans since this cut looks sophisticated and slims every figure.

School Jeans for the Head of the Class
For a streamlined appearance, pick a chic button down shirt to pair with your school jeans. Skinny jeans are a great choice for this look. Pick a pair that’s fitted but not skintight, in a rise that flatters your shape. You can pair your look with skinny jeans tucked inside your boots for those fall or winter months of school.

Skinny Jeans for Chubby Little Legs

Did you know that your mini-me could have a skinny jean? That’s right—now babies can join in the latest denim trend! Lack of potty training is no obstacle to wearing this snug style, because the baby skinny is designed to fit over diapers. In fact, diaper coverage takes up half the fabric needed to make an infant sized skinny jean. Made from super comfy, super-stretch denims, these jeans are guaranteed to keep your ‘chip off the old block’ chipper.

For those that think it’s bizarre to dress children like little adults,  consider that children’s clothing has long been inspired by their elders. For most of western history, our little angels were dressed to look like mini-adults in clothing that must have lead to some devilish temper tantrums. It wasn’t until the 18th century that children were allowed to have their own—more comfortable—clothing styles.

But why should youngsters be allowed to dress comfortably while we make ourselves fashion victims to the latest trends? The baby skinny proves that with the right fabrics and constructions, skinny jeans can be not only stylish, but also practical and comfortable. The fashion forecast indicates that moms may take up this style after seeing it on their tots. Hey, it wouldn’t hurt to take a little fashion advice from a toddler now and then.

High waisted jeans, a trend worth trying?

High waist jeans. A fashion do or don’t? This year, according to fashion designers and celebrities like Katie Holmes and Jennifer Lopez, high waist jeans are continuing their comeback. However do high waist jeans work for every body type? And if you do decide to wear the high waist look, how do you style them without looking like you’re from 1974?

The key with high waist jeans is proportion. If you’re curvier on top or have broad shoulders, go with a flared or boot cut leg to balance your body out. If you’ve got a less curvy figure, head towards a straight or skinny leg.

To avoid going too retro when you wear high waist jeans, opt for modern styling and accessories. Pair the jeans with a simple button down (maybe plaid or a pattern if you’re feeling really funky) and tie it at the hem to emphasize the high waist of the jeans.  However, a simple fitted t shirt, tucked in with a fabulous belt or statement necklace would also be a good combination.

High waist jeans are a good trend, especially if you’re bored with your denim collection.  As long as you keep in mind your body shape, anyone can wear them.

To learn more about high waist jeans, visit our High waist jeans wiki page!

Jorts: A Definition

Jorts (alias: jean shorts) are our friends. Either that, or they’re our mortal enemies—It’s hard to tell. In any case, jorts never leave us for long; they seem to go in and out of style faster than Kanye West can embarrass himself.

If you are fan of jorts, you may want to join the Facebook group, I Love Jorts!, which fawns, “Spreading like the sexiest plague to ever wipe out lameness, jorts are a potent mixture of denim and leg.” Those who disagree can retort by uploading their latest photo evidence to nojorts.com, an anti-jort website.

As you can see, jorts are a controversial garment, one that indiDenim will have to take a purely neutral stand on. The rest of you can duke it out…

For those jorts fans out there who prefer a little bit more coverage, there is a wide variety of styles to consider.

Jeremy Priven shows us how to rock a bermuda jort.

Cuffing can give your old jorts a brand new look.

Cutoffs will take you from jeans to jorts in no time flat.

And don’t forget one of the newest additions to the jorts family—“pockouts”!

Customization Served Up Two Ways: A Special Interview with indi and Custom Made

As much as we’re obsessed with everything denim, indi is all about customization. Consumers today expect increasingly more personalized products, customized to their style preferences and, when it comes to apparel, their bodies. In the world of customization there are two major camps: custom-made (i.e. a traditional custom tailor) and mass customization, which enables consumers to design their own individual products that are then manufactured on an efficient, massive scale, keeping prices competitive with non-custom products.

indi was recently approached by Custommade.com, a website dedicated to everything custom and specializing in artisan custom-made furniture and woodwork.  In the spirit of custom, we did an interview with Custom Made to share two perspectives of customization with you, showing the ins and outs of custom from different approaches yet with a fundamentally similar end goal: matching consumers with products that reflect who they are. We hope this interview will give you insight into indi, how this trend is evolving and where customization is headed in the future. Enjoy!

Question 1: What is your company all about?

indiDenim: indi is about changing the way apparel is sold. Traditionally, consumers have been expected to buy clothes that were made for the masses, not a unique garment specifically made to fit their bodies and style aesthetic. At indi, we believe in giving every consumer the power to design their own apparel and customize it to fit their unique bodies. We are also about making shopping a technologically-enhanced, seamless process. From the online visualization of our custom products to our completely automated systems for pattern generation and order processing, indi is technologically advanced throughout the consumer experience and behind the scenes.

CustomMade: President Mike Salguero’s words say it best! “In my travels I have come across some incredibly talented custom woodworkers, craftspeople and artisans who are unable to focus on their craft because they are running a business. Their dedication to their art is compromised by their need to divert attention to the marketing, advertising and sales of their creations. I wanted to assist these people and created CustomMade.com to help.”  We also believe that there are a ton of consumers out there interested in buying Custom, but they don’t know where to start…our site will help both makers and consumers to bridge the frictions that exist in this marketplace and will help them to get in touch with each other.

Question 2: How did you get your start?

indiDenim: Our “About Us” section of our site really says it best: “In our eyes, the way clothing is sold is an anachronism. The current system of mass produced, standard sized clothing is convenient for the companies selling the apparel, but doesn’t work all that well for a lot of consumers. We founded indi to change all that - rather than individual consumers of all shapes and sizes trying to fit into standard sized clothing, we think consumers ought to be able to get exactly what they want in a size that fits them.”

Read more here

CustomMade: Custom Made started with one artisan working out of his home fourteen years ago as an online community for woodworkers to come together and post their custom creations online. In 2009, co-founders Mike Salguero and Seth Rosen saw the potential such an organization had and purchased the company, gave it a new look and feel, and started to change the way custom was looked at by artisans and consumers alike. Within a year, a community of 350 woodworkers has grown to over 1,000 of the highest caliber woodworkers,metal workers, and glass workers in the world.

Question 3: What are some of the challenges you face as a custom company?

indiDenim: Fit is very personal, and understanding the perfect fit for our customers is definitely a challenge. Because we’re custom we set the bar pretty high in terms of fit, just like our consumers. In fact, we guarantee that if for any reason our customers aren’t 100% satisfied, we’ll remake their garment at no charge or give them a full refund. Although this can be challenging, we absorb these costs willingly, knowing that we instill confidence in our customers that the end result will be a perfect-fitting garment that they can always re-order, time and time again.

CustomMade: Our biggest issues right now are related to getting the right people involved with our company.. We currently have 25 people working full-time on this idea, but we need more. We are always looking for marketing, web-design and development, and salespeople.  In addition, we have a challenge of convincing consumers to buy custom.. You would think it is a no-brainer, since they can get something locally made, handcrafted, with 5x the quality for a similar price, but the big-box retailers dominate the advertising out there, so it is hard for the little guy to compete.

Question 4: What are your focuses/strong points at the present?

indiDenim: indi provides an ideal shopping experience for the tech-savvy consumer. Our Jean Builder lets consumers see a real-time visualization of their jean change as they pick every style feature of their jean. Consumers can also save their designs in our community vault, where consumers can share designs via social media networks and/or choose any jean from the vault, customize it to fit them, and buy it. We also save our customers’ patterns forever, allowing them to re-order the same pattern with or without adjustments and get a perfect fit, every time. In short, indi provides the most personalized, technologically-advanced experience available, making mass customization fun and easy.

CustomMade: We have a group of the best artisans in the country in the fields of woodworking, glass working and metalworking.  These guys and gals are being serviced by our website. We also bring in about 1 Million visitors a year and expose them to the idea of purchasing custom, which is fun and a challenge, but we feel that we do it well!

Question 5: What is your vision for the future of the company?

indiDenim: We intend to get to know our consumers more and more, developing more style content on our site that would interest our audience. We recently launched new style pages and a DenimWiki, packed with useful information on denim history, mass customization, a glossary of denim terminology, and more. We will continue to understand our consumers’ needs from a user experience standpoint, but also a product standpoint, always striving to ensure our patterns fit every consumer perfectly. 

CustomMade: We want to be the internet’s one stop shop for anything custom. We are not interested in the manufacturing, rather we want to get you the consumer in front of the right provider of custom services.

Thank you to Custommade.com for participating in this interview! Let us know your feedback and feel free to share your comments!

The Negatives of Plus: The Challenges of the Plus Size Market

There was a great article in the New York Times recently about the challenges Plus women face when shopping for apparel, despite the fact that Plus has been a category for nearly a century and represents a huge portion of the US population. The article highlighted some staggering statistics:

“According to a 2008 survey conducted by Mintel, a market-research firm, the most frequently worn size in America is a 14…[y]et plus-size clothing (typically size 14 and above) represents only 18 percent of total revenue in the women’s clothing industry.”

If the most common size two years ago was a size 14, how is it possible that total revenue from Plus apparel is only 18%? Shouldn’t there be more opportunities for clothing brands to serve literally the majority of women?

The article also defined some of the key dilemmas the apparel industry faces in designing Plus size apparel, which shed even more light on challenges for the end consumer:

“The most formidable obstacle lies in creating a prototype. If you already have a line of clothing and a set system of sizing, you cannot simply make bigger sizes. You need whole new systems of pattern-making.”

Unfortunately, most brands don’t do this. For the most part, clothing brands size up according to a much smaller, drastically different pattern than the actual body of a Plus woman. Instead, new patterns need to be made in order to accommodate women with different proportions, not just of a larger size. This means that out of the already limited selections Plus women have to choose from, many of Plus clothing doesn’t represent real Plus women.

At indi, we’re proud to have a Plus pattern specifically designed for Plus women, and we are committed to customizing all of our patterns to fit every consumer. Unfortunately, most of the larger brands that have introduced Plus sizes (which certainly is a step in the right direction) morph smaller patterns into disproportionate ones.

For more fascinating information on the Plus market, read the full article here.

Stretch Denim: Who Put the “Expands” in Spandex?

Stretch denim has been hugging our booties since 1978 when Peter Golding designed the first stretch jean. Before the invention and inevitable popularization of stretch denim, denim lovers who wanted a tight fit were forced to squeeze into stiff, uncomfortable jeans. How did they ever survive?

Of course, stretch denim wouldn’t be stretch denim without our BFF, spandex. Spandex is a marvelous invention—each fiber is made from alternating stiff and soft segments. The soft segments allow the fiber to stretch and the stiff segments help the fiber snap back to its original length. This allows spandex to stretch up to four times its length and then retract. You go, girl!

Not all of spandex’s traits are desirable—spandex does not take dye easily and it’s not comfortable against the skin. But when combined with its soulmate, cotton, spandex is almost unstoppable. Spandex fibers are wrapped in cotton to create cotton/spandex yarns. When these yarns are woven into a twill, the resulting fabric is (you guessed it!) stretch denim.

Stretch denim, you’ve come a long way since 1978. Today’s fabric designers have created new breeds of stretch denim by adding additional fibers, such as polyester, and by inventing new yarn constructions. These new stretch denims have unmatched recovery and threaten to eradicate jeans that stretch and then stretch out. Bye-bye baggy butts!

Stretch denim means that denim lovers never have to choose between fashion and comfort again. As designers continue to enhance denim, jeans may become a regular at yoga class.

5 Tips to Finding The Perfect Jeans

Finding the perfect jeans is probably the biggest shopping challenge in existence. From the nightmare of limited sizes and retail inventory to unflattering trends, we all have our denim disaster stories to tell. Custom jeans certainly help the situation drastically, but whether shopping or designing the perfect jeans there are some key tips to always keep in mind:

1. Dress Your Body Type: Nothing is more upsetting than trying to dress a trend that just doesn’t work for your body. Whether you are pear-shaped or apple-shaped, take a look at your proportions and learn what works best for you. This tip alone will get you well on your way to finding the perfect jeans. Learn how to dress your body type here.

2. Know Your Measurements: Jean sizing, as you’ve probably experienced, varies from brand to brand, especially between premium and mainstream brands. Knowing measurements like your natural waist, your pant size, your inseam, etc. are key factors in getting perfect-fitting jeans. Learn how to measure yourself here.

3. Flatter Your Frame: While it’s important to know what doesn’t work for your body, it’s just as important to know what does. Flatter your finest features. For example, pear and hourglass shapes can accentuate their small natural waists with a mid to high rise pant.

4. Make Trends Work For You: Before you try wearing a trend you have to have, say skinny jeans, know which skinny jeans will work best for your body. Skinny jeans made from stretch fabric, for example, give a slimmer look and more comfort for any body type. Whether designing or buying, have a specific type of skinny jean in mind like “stretch fabric, dark wash, mid-rise skinny jeans” and you’ll get a much better result.

5. Determine your Price Per Wear (PPW): When buying jeans it’s important to make a good investment. Price per wear (PPW) means how much you spend on a jean for each time you wear them. By investing in a good pair of jeans up front, you greatly reduce your PPW. For example, if you bought a jean for $60, washed it 3 times, and it:

A/Doesn’t fit anymore
B/Becomes stiff
C/Deteriorates

Then you may only get 6 or 7 wears from them, which is not a great investment. That’s practically $10/wear! Be smart and invest in a jean made from quality fabric and with premium construction.

Announcing the winner of Design, Share, Wear for June

Drum roll please…

The lucky winner is…Tabitha T Council! Congratulations Tabitha! You won a FREE pair of custom jeans from indiDenim! We just love our free jean Fridays…

While Facebook and Twitter reigned supreme on the sharing front, we saw an increase in sharing on Stumble Upon, Google, YMail and Gmail. We love seeing some of the same determined entrants in addition to an influx of new designers looking for their perfect pair of free custom jeans.

To all of our participants- thank you for entering! Remember, we’re giving away a pair of free jeans EVERY month, so keep entering! We’ve already started getting entries for July, so start designing your custom jeans to get your new pair!

Congratulations again to Tabitha!

Best Jeans For Travel

So what exactly are the best jeans for travel?

If you are taking off on vacation this summer, jeans would probably be the last thing you want to wear in flight. Even the best jeans can be constricting and less breathable than other pants, making traveling extremely uncomfortable. When picking jeans for travel, it comes down to three important factors: content, color and weight.

In our humble opinion, the best jeans for travel are lightweight, medium to dark wash, soft to the touch (jeans with polyester are wonderfully soft) and contain some amount of stretch for ease of movement and comfort.  To give you a little in-flight inspiration, here’s what we consider the best jeans for travel (including what we think you should wear with them): 

1. Best Skinny Jeans: Wear a pair of skinny jeans that are not too snug. Don’t wear them if they are cutting out your circulation. This is especially important when you travel; you don’t want to add to the lack of comfort and space that you already have to deal with while in the air. We can appreciate the weight and color of Selena’s attire, light enough for travel and black, a color universally stylish in almost any part of the world. She keeps it casual and comfortable with her converses. 

2. Best Bootcut Jeans: Pair a classic with a classic. Bootcut jeans never go out of style, so pair them with a piece that does that reflects classic good taste like a leather jacket for instance). Another top from Hilary: layers, layers, layers. When traveling, it’s important to dress for a multitude of climates, as it’s hard to predict how the temperature will change from that cold air conditioned airplane to a possibly warm destination.

3. Best Dark Jeans: If you want to maintain that fresh look, keep your outfit clean and minimal. When you are traveling for hours upon hours, it’s best to wear jeans that are easy on the eye and the body, allowing you to easily blend into any environment. Also, dark jeans are more forgiving in case of any spills or stains, unlike lighter washes, so that in case of an accidental spill you won’t arrive at your destination with an embarrassing stain.

For example, a simple, crisp lightweight shirt paired with dark skinny/straight leg jeans instantly make you look like a jet-setter without any fuss. Camilla’s trench also is a travel must, equally useful on rainy and windy days, perfectly lightweight enough to carry in hand. We’re also loving her red flats, adding style and comfort.

How To Wear (And Not To Wear): Light Wash Jeans

Summer is upon us (technically June 21st in the Northern Hemisphere), and brighter colors are, per usual during the spring/summer months, dominant. While dark washes are still as sleek as ever, light wash jeans and white jeans are ever chic and ubiquitous.

We all know that light wash jeans can be much less flattering than their dark wash counterpart, especially as we are faced with the popularity of boyfriend/slouchy cigarette styles. Many of us shudder at the thought of blaring white denim, accentuating our lower bodies in all the wrong places. Well listen up fashionista/os: here are our essential tips on pairing your light wash denim.

1. Light Wash Jeans with an Airy Top

Ashlee Simpson in Light Wash Jeans

Match the lightness of your denim with an airy, floral print top or a light and loose garment to match. Watch Ashlee Simpson balance the light airiness of her top with slim fit light wash jeans and summery sandals. Effortlessly whimsical, Ashlee is the epitome of summer style.

2. Light Wash Jeans with a dark blazer and heels

Gwyneth Paltrow pictured with Stella Mccartney in Light Wash Jeans

Lo Bosworth in Light Wash Jeans

As an instant way to chic, heels and a blazer with denim is simply a failsafe look. With light denim, a blazer and heels balances out the casual nature of the denim and helps it pop in contrast to the darker colors of the blazer.

3. Cuffed Light Wash Jeans

Eva Longoria in Light Wash Jeans

For an every day look, roll up your light wash jeans into a 2” cuff and pair with a pair of cute flats or sneakers, especially for petite women like Eva. Cuffing jeans helps elongate the legs and draws attention to your feet, so make sure to wear a cute pair of flats, sandals, or heels! Even if you’re not quite ready for boyfriend jeans and heels, you can still benefit from the better functionality and lighter look of cuffed jeans.

What NOT To Do: 

1. Make Daisy Dukes an Oopsie Daisy. While we would never discount any use of denim (well, ALMOST), Daisy Dukes are not meant for every girl (despite their newest advocate, Katy Perry). If you’re going to wear them, make sure they have enough coverage in front and back, aren’t ripped in embarrassing places, and that you balance them out with a more conservative top.

2. White Out. What is the point of wearing ALL white? Overkill much? Balance in fashion is key, so try to keep it to one or two white pieces with more subtle colors to match (especially if your skin tone is lighter!).

3. Wear 1/4 of a jean. Ripped jeans, destroyed jeans. What’s next? Jean scraps? If you’re going to wear ripped light wash jeans there is a fine line between radically ripped and getting a denim peepshow. Know the difference and you’ll be golden!

Fashion’s Contradiction: Trendy + Me

In shopping for apparel, most of us are faced with a great contradiction: shopping for trends and defining our own style. While of course many of us love to stay current with latest fashion trends, it is just as important (and we argue more so) to establish a unique look, expressing your personal style through fashion.

The solution seems to be in the great diversity of options that the apparel industry offers. When looking for a white blouse, for instance, we all know there are infinite options out there, many of them that look identical. Yet how many of these designs are both fashionable AND unique? How can we really be sure the “one-of-a-kind” apparel we buy is such? Are there even protections to ensure that the things we buy aren’t merely knock-offs? 

Believe it or not, there is no copyright protection for fashion designs in the US, meaning that anyone can slightly alter an existing design and call it their own. From a recent Ted Talk by Johanna Blakely entitled “Lessons from Fashion’s Free Culture,” Blakely discusses this lack of copyright protection in the fashion industry as both a blessing and a curse.

Essentially Blakely argues that it is more difficult than ever, due to our limitless access to information through digital media, to define ownership of anything anymore, be it a joke, a recipe, or a fashion design. While the lack of copyrights thankfully makes creativity flourish, taking older designs and transforming them into something “new”, too much creativity can make it hard to call anything original. Watch the whole Ted Talk below:

So what does this mean for your personal style? It means that if you want truly unique apparel (without paying couture prices), your options are pretty limited. It means that the apparel industry has created a top-down system in which consumers are expected to reflect “new” fashion trends, and not the other way around. It means that while we’re all about (some) reemerging trends and the awesome creativity of the fashion industry, we believe one shouldn’t be forced to choose between ever-changing trends and what compliments our personal style and body types.

Thankfully, indiDenim makes every garment to your measurements, to your style specifications, and only for you. We allow you to take a trend like skinny jeans and make them truly your own. Not to mention the fact that our fit technology used to create your unique pattern, our modular manufacturing processes, and our online customization platform make us a one-of-a-kind apparel brand.

So feel good, indiDenim lovers, for your apparel is really some of the only one-of-a-kind stuff out there. As Blakely states, there are plenty of advantages of copying, including the democratization of fashion trends. At indiDenim we feel that we are democratizing fashion even further, allowing all consumers to not only have access to fashion trends but to make them their own.

Event Recap: The indi By Appointment Launch Party!

At 440 Brannan Studio Showroom, a collaborative clothing design and retail space located in the heart of SoMa, indiDenim became the newest retail fashion presence in San Francisco. Launching our newest service indi By Appointment, indi combined its Fit Technology, style advice from indiStylists, and a range of jean samples to create the ultimate fashion experience for consumers to design their own jeans. All 20 fitting appointments were taken that night and bookings in May were quickly filled, kicking indi’s new service off to a great start.

Upon first walking into the studio, indiDenim jeans and raw materials were showcased throughout the space, allowing attendees to see a variety of pocket styles, sizes, and finishing treatments and feel the different fabrics they could use to design their own custom jeans. 440 Brannan also displayed unique apparel from local designers that attendees could buy. Similar to indiDenim’s raw materials display, sewing machines, cutting tables and fabrics used by designers in the same space were visible throughout the room to establish a hip and creative environment.

As a part of 440 Brannan’s “Wear Something Rare” mentality, indiDenim was proud to be the newest addition to this unique SoMa design studio.

An hour into our launch event, indi attracted a lively crowd of trendy young professionals primarily from the fashion and technology industries, providing both a high-tech shopping experience (with laptops all around to browse our site and order online) and premium custom denim. Among the attendees were noted fashion bloggers and writers including contributing writer Kirsten Owens from Denim Debutante and Nerissa Pacio from the SF Chronicle.

Attendees also enjoyed some amazing perks, savoring complimentary custom cocktails, a raffle for free jeans and 30% discount. For some, that was reason enough to show up…

As for launching our new service, we couldn’t be happier with the diverse and fun crowd of women we had for our first indi By Appointment customers. At an appointment, one simply tried on a pair of indiDenim jeans, discussed fit and style changes to the jean with an indiStylist, and placed their orders online. In addition to helping get the perfect fit, our indiStylists also guided customers through the design process, suggesting cuts and styles that best matched the customer’s body type. indiStylists helped customers design a perfectly-fitting, ultra-personalized jean and provided an online visual of the jean using our Jean Builder, allowing each designer to see their jean morph during each step of customization.

Seeing the excitement of our attendees with appointments, some women even buying two pairs of jeans that night, was definitely a highlight of the evening.

To see more photos from the event, check out our Facebook album: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2156527&id=1708708&l=2f3e716735

Interested in booking your appointment? Great! We’re opening up dates for June very soon. We’re also proud to announce we are now offering Men’s fitting appointments!. Contact us or check back at our appointment page for when June time slots become available.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and looking forward to many more fittings to come!

Skinny Boyfriend Jeans… Denim’s New Contradiction

There are some common contradictions we use almost everyday. For instance, how can someone act natural? Isn’t acting pretending to be someone else? Or how about when you buy a product that claims to be new and improved? If the product is really new then there should never be anything like it before, yet if it’s improved then there has to have been one before it to improve on. So how can it be both?

Well if you happen to have some time to think about our daily contradictions, you will quickly realize how little sense they actually make.

In the denim world, there’s another contradiction that’s been puzzling us lately… one that if thought about on a fundamental level makes little to no sense, yet one that is a trend not to be trifled with. It’s called skinny boyfriend jeans or boyfriend skinny jeans (or even slouchy cigarette jeans for some).

Skinny boyfriend jeans interplay masculine and feminine looks by combining two distinctly opposite styles in one: skinny and baggy.

So how can a jean be both skinny and baggy at the same time you may ask? Well, the boyfriend skinny jean has all the makings of a regular boyfriend jean except that it has a snugger fit. The jean is generally roomy through the thigh and slim through the leg.

At indi, we are still trying to make sense out of this denim reinvention (or should we say denim contradiction), but we do know that many a celebrity has pulled this ying-yang trend off with effortless style. Whether you go for a skinny jean, a boyfriend jean or both, all we have to say is that this trend is definitely worth thinking about.

Denim Problem, Solved.

It’s time for a little humor this Friday afternoon…we here at indi believe in the importance of dressing right for your body type. After all, wearing something that fits you perfectly is one sure way to look your best. Fit should always come first before you consider any hot trends or coveted styles. This is especially true when it comes to your jeans.

One of the most common fit problems we see is the “Plumber’s Crack.”

The plumber’s crack happens when one wears jeans with a low waistband leaving the butt exposed at times during bending, squatting and/or sitting down. The act of showing more than people want to see can bring all sorts of reactions and emotions. When I see this mishap happen, I normally can’t help, however painful it is, but stare at the problem head on. This is only because I find it unbelievable that some remain completely unaware of what’s happening.

News flash: exposed butt cracks are not a sexy look. And while the obvious solution would be just to buy jeans with the appropriate rise, others went out of their way to come up with a creative way to give their cracks some flare. Case in point:

This plumber’s crack-friendly patch is supposedly adhesive, hypoallergenic and decorative… enough to cover something that’s inappropriately exposed and to bring a whole different level of embarrassment that I didn’t think was possible until now. You can decide if the patch is cute or not. It also comes with two replacement tapes if you have some doubts on its adhesive staying power. Then again, we suggest you simply raise your back rise. Just sayin’. Happy Friday!

indiDenim announces the April winner of Design, Share, Wear

Here it is, custom jeans lovers. The moment you’ve all been waiting for.

The lucky winner is…Amber Turcotte! Congratulations Amber! Not a bad way to start the week, eh?

This time around, we had nearly double the amount of entries and diverse sharing, the most popular places to share being Facebook and Blogger. We’re happy to see what an active readership we have in social media, and we’re also excited to see the diversity of custom jean designs. Men’s and women’s jeans, trousers and slim fits, and a ton of different finishing treatments amounting in an avalanche of custom denim designs. 

To all of our participants- thank you for entering! Remember, we’re giving away a pair of free jeans EVERY month, so keep entering! We’ve already started getting entries for May, so start designing your custom jeans to get your new pair for summer!

Congratulations again to Amber!

Launch Party May 13 - Come celebrate the launch of indiDenim’s new service indi By Appointment

indiDenim introduces indi By Appointment, personal jean fittings now available in San Francisco! And we are throwing a party to celebrate and meet our local San Francisco customers. Join us on May 13th at 440 Brannan Studio in San Francisco! 

What is indi By Appointment?
indi By Appointment is an in-person, one-on-one service with an indiStylist where you can customize your own jeans. With indiDenim’s Fit Technology, you’ll get the best fitting jeans you’ve always dreamed about! 

At a fitting, you’ll simply try on a pair of indiDenim jeans that you like, tell your stylist what you want customized about the jeans, and we’ll place your custom order.  Unlike shopping at a retail store that has limited sizes and style options, you can customize any feature of indiDenim jeans to create your perfect pair - details which range from fabric wash, to fit and length, to that perfect pocket style.

indi by appointment Launch Party and Fittings
Here are the details of our upcoming event (including how to sign up for a free fitting - we have 20 available fittings on May 13th!):

When: May 13th, 2010, join us for a drink anytime from 5:30-10:00PM
Where: 440 Brannan Studio Showroom, 440 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94107 (see map)

Here are some great reasons to attend:
- A chance to win a FREE pair of custom jeans
- Every attendee will get a coupon for 30% off an indiDenim jean purchase. Be the first to get free custom jean fittings with our indiStylists: schedule an appointment here!
- Free customtinis (wait till you taste these) - our customizable drink of the evening
- A chance to meet the team behind indiDenim and other fabulous fashion enthusiasts
- Shop with your cocktail!  Our retail partner, 440 Brannon Studio, is a retail store and studio factory where prominent and emerging Bay Area Designers create their limited edition lines and sell them.

RSVP on Facebook (optional)!

Note: Currently fitting for women’s jeans only, pant sizes 00-14. More sizes (including Plus Size!) and men’s jeans fittings coming soon!

What if I can’t make the event? Can I still get fitted?
We’re excited to have partnered with the folks at 440 Brannon Studio Showroom where we’ll be providing fittings in May and beyond!  As an active product development studio for the designers in residence (seriously, there are sewing machines here!), this space reeks of creativity and has been doing so since 1998.

Dates are available May 15th, May 20th, May 29th, and more to come! Schedule your fitting appointment here.

Get a group of 10 friends or more together and we’ll do a private jean party event.  We’ll even come to you for a group fitting at your home. If you are interested, contact us! .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

What if I don’t live in the Bay Area? Is this available at other locations?
Currently we are only offering indi By Appointment in San Francisco, but we plan on expanding very soon to other cities around the US. Interested in bringing indi By Appointment to your city? Contact us! .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

We hope to see you at our launch party for a fun evening!

The indiDenim Team

Spring’s floral fixation

It goes without saying that spring or any season for that matter has a big impact not only on how you dress but what you wear. Every spring, there is an influx of bright and flowery fashion sprucing up everywhere…on celebrities, boutiques, and in clothing stores. That’s because floral pieces (just like the season) add a romantic, charming, and fresh element to any outfit imaginable.

And while I don’t have anything against wearing them, I do realize that the only connection I have with anything floral in my wardrobe, unfortunately, is the empty closet space that I often stare at where there would hang floral prints if I had any. I guess after all these spring seasons I’ve been too afraid to try florals thinking that I would resemble spring way too much. For example, every time I consider wearing a floral top, I oddly happen to hear Miranda Priestly’s voice in my head from The Devil Wears Prada telling me “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking…”

Lately though, I decided that I need to be adventurous with my fashion choices, starting with changing my outlook on floral prints. I realized that they’re not so bad since all I really need to do is to pair them with something basic yet classic. Case in point: Skinny jeans. The versatility and basic element of a skinny jean can balance almost anything, even say a flowery top. In addition, the contrast of the bright and whimsical feeling of the top and the formfitting, darker bottom works perfectly. Whatever jean you choose, make sure to maintain this contrast.

Of course, the surest way to achieve this in my opinion, is by creating your own pair of custom skinny jeans (which indiDenim of course just released), but what do I know? Once you have your perfect jeans, whatever slim style you choose, you can dress forward without thinking twice about florals.

Take our poll: Choose your back pocket!

Now you tell us! What kind of back pocket best represents your style? Take our poll below and comment on what you like!

Give it up for the Back Pockets

Denim jeans are a common part of our everyday lives, so common that people come up with all sorts of funky names and odd assumptions based on the type of denim that people regularly wear. There are even names that describe the types of jeans that dont fit properly or jeans that look completely unflattering. Like for example,  the most popular choice of jeans by fashion-challenged moms are appropriately called mom jeans.

Now, by no means do we use these terms as a way to insult or ridicule people who continue to wear problematic denim. We at indi, simply use them to correct and address these problems because in our opinion, the only way you can really solve your own denim fashion faux pas is by designing a jean that is specifically made to fit your body AKA indiDenim. 

As for me, my favorite denim behavior is much less of naming denim fashion faux pas and more of a habit that I catch myself doing every so often. It is when a lady wearing jeans walks by and almost immediately, I turn around and look at her butt.

It may seem like I’m checking out her assets but really what I’m checking out is her jean back pocket. There must be some sort of weird psychology to why I do this (so does every girl I know) but I think it has something to do with the old saying that your eyes are the windows to your soul. The back pockets can be interpreted the same way as they are the window to your jeans since they happen to reveal a lot about the jeans themselves.

Back pockets were originally used strictly for functional purposes only but after the boom of premium denim labels, they are meant to be a strategic marketing tool that expresses the brand’s image with illustrations, bright colors, embroidery, lace, rhinestones, etc. During the 1960s and 1970s, consumers began exploring denim personalization and manufacturers started experimenting with back pocket customization.

It all came together with the birth of premium denim in the 2000s. While the back pocket became a way for denim designers to brand their jeans and give them a distinct style, we at indi, saw it as another tool to further customize your own jeans. We let you decide the back pocket shape and embellishment so you can give your jeans your own spin and distinct style. So give it up for your back pockets, they’ve got quite the history.

What’s next at indiDenim? You tell us! The indiDenim Product Survey

At indi, we pride ourselves on offering the most personalized and customized apparel as possible. Part of being a custom brand means enabling our customers to design their own apparel and choose what type of apparel they would like to design. We’ve already received many product-related customer inquiries, and we thought it was finally time for us to make some changes moving forward.

So here’s the exciting news: indiDenim is expanding its selection!

But first, of course, we want your input!

If you ever wanted more options for customizing your jeans or wished for other custom apparel products, then this is an amazing opportunity for you to make a real impact on the future of indiDenim. We’re proud to let our customers have a voice in designing and choosing their own apparel, and this survey is our way of bringing it to the next level. By answering only five short questions, you can play a critical role in our future offerings.

There have already been some great requests like including raw and white denim, but we want even more! Whether you vote for the options we have proposed or suggest some of your own, take the indiDenim Product Survey today!

Our First Design, Share, Wear Winning Jean

As promised, here are the custom jeans that the lucky Suzanne won for free. She went with a SoMa slim fit jean, made with our Spanish Zafiro fabric and a bootcut leg opening, heavy distressing, whiskering, and sanding, and even a back pocket embellishment.

Translation:  She went ALL OUT!

You can snag these winning custom jeans or customize them to fit your style simply by clicking the image below.

Or, better yet, enter Design, Share, Wear for April! Simply start designing your custom jeans and when you get to rise you’ll see a pop-up to enter the contest. Remember people, we’re giving away a free pair of jeans each month. Can’t wait to see what design will win for April…

indiDenim annouces the FIRST winner of Design, Share, Wear!

And the lucky winner is… Suzanne Stallings! Congratulations!

We’ll be following up with a longer post, but we wanted to announce the winner to you all. Suzanne will be wearing her indi design for FREE, thanks to our monthly giveaway Design, Share, Wear.

We had a lot of great entries this year and were happy to see social sharing that ran the gamut: from Facebook to Twitter, and from Blogger to even StumbleUpon we saw that the indi community clearly enjoys using social media (at least when it comes to free jeans!). We’re thrilled to see so many creative entries and the diversity of social sharing in the indi community, proving that anyone can design the perfect pair of custom jeans.

And don’t worry if you didn’t win this month, because we’re giving away of free jeans EVERY month! We’ve already started getting entries for April, so start designing your custom jeans so that you can be the lucky feature here in April!

Stay tuned for our follow up entry and more updates to come. Happy Friday and congratulations again to Suzanne!

indiDenim launches the DenimWiki: Your Ultimate Jean Guide!

If you thought you’d seen enough denim obsession here on our blog, think again. As a brand new interactive feature of our site, indiDenim is proud to announce the release of our DenimWiki!

The DenimWiki is a wiki-style jean guide for everything relating to denim: from how denim is made, to the history of skinny jeans, and of course how to style your denim. As a valuable resource for denim facts and style advice, we’re very excited to present it to you.

Through our many interactions with our customers and indiDenim enthusiasts, we’ve discovered that you are not just interested in customizing you jeans: you want to learn about jeans and what styles will best complement your body. Time and time again, we’ve heard you ask questions like:

“What fit would work best with my body type?”

“How do I measure myself properly to get a custom fit?”

“How is denim made and what are the different types?”

“If I’m not stick skinny can I really wear skinny jeans?”

These questions, and many more, are answered in our DenimWiki.

As a wiki (think Wikipedia), we also want YOU to contribute! While the DenimWiki provides a vast amount of information all about denim, it is also a space for our community to share their knowledge and elaborate on ours.

And the sharing doesn’t just stop here: you can share ANY page of our wiki on over 200 social networks by using our share buttons, allowing you to provide your friends with helpful articles or to simply invite them to contribute too.

Ready to go Denim crazy (as if you aren’t already)? Get started on our DenimWiki today!

Free jeans from indiDenim: Enter Design, Share, Wear!

Free jeans? Yes please! In case you haven’t heard, indiDenim has a new monthly contest called Design, Share, Wear. Each month, we’re giving away a pair of jeans designed by someone from the indi community. Here’s how it works:

  *  Design a pair of jeans that defines your style using the indiDenim Jean Builder.
  * Share your design using our “Share” button with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or another social network of your choice.
  * Wear your design for FREE if you are the lucky winner!

In addition, we’ll also have a special blog post about you and we’ll show your winning pair of jeans!

We already have entries from this month, so it’s time for you to get on it too. Go to our homepage to check out the contest rules and start designing your custom jeans to enter and win a free pair!

We hope our giveaway encourages our community to create even more innovative designs and share them with their friends. Remember, anyone can enter, so feel free to encourage your friends who have been thinking about trying indiDenim to enter! Then again, you may just want them for yourself…I know I would.

Happy designing!

The wait is over: indiDenim releases its new Skinny Jean!

Yeah, yeah, yeah…we know. It’s about time!

Backed by popular demand (and the need for indi to get with it), we’re proud to announce the release of our skinny jean!

   
            Customize Your Work                       Customize Your Everyday          Customize Your Hot Date (if only)

The skinny jean leg opening, available on the Soma slim fit jean, comes in our four stretch fabrics: Nimes, Dhunga, Genoa and Chieri. Our stretch fabrics give an ultra-contoured, extremely comfortable fit, giving you a super skinny appearance without the pinch.

We know how popular skinny jeans are nowadays, but we also know how hard it is to find the skinny jeans that you want. Just like all of our custom jeans, you can choose your skinny jeans for fabric, finish, back pocket details, leg opening, inseam length, the works!

So whether you’re looking for skinny jeans for the office or the weekend, you know indi’s got you covered. Start designing your skinny jeans now!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

Top of the morning to you denim lovers! And happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

I enjoy a good Saint Patty’s day celebration- delicious pub grub, shamrock shakes, green beer, and yes, even Lucky Charms!, but the worst part about today is the pinching.

Ever since that fateful day in first grade when I forgot to wear green, I’ve always been sure to mark March 17th on my calendar and to make sure that I’m properly attired. Today, thankfully, here in the office (most) all of us are decked in green, and will remain pinch free.

At indiDenim, we are also safe from pinching today for another reason: because we all wear indi jeans. It’s true that for some people, pinching is a problem 365 days a year- because their jeans do not fit properly. Jeans can be too tight in the waist and loose in the seat, or pinching in the thighs and gaping at the waist. We’ve all fallen victim to denim fit disasters at one time or another. Not that it’s entirely our fault, because really, it can be nearly impossible to find the perfect fit in your typical store.

indiDenim is proud to be not so typical. Personally, ever since my first grade incident I have sworn off the playground pinching episodes, and ever since I’ve discovered indi I’ve sworn off pinching denim as well and I hope you will too.

Avoiding the dreaded denim pinch can be tricky, but it helps if you know what to look out for. If you like skinny jeans (we sure do- we are introducing one for our SoMa jean VERY soon) make sure you go with stretch denim to avoid the infamous muffin tops and achy legs.  The idea is to hug your curves- not squeeze them!

For you more classic ladies, our Presidio Trouser jean is the perfect way to complement your shape without the pain of too tight pants. They are shapely at the top, with clean lines through the leg- a great look minus pinch or frump (which can be almost as bad!).

For me, the best part of today is the celebration of the color green (okay well, maybe EXCEPT for those shamrock shakes). Now, we don’t make green jeans at indi, but a novelty pair is interesting to imagine, and hey- they might be popular. Not only is green the new black (because as we all know being eco-conscious is both trendy and important), but it’s bright, spring-y, and fun.

Although, now that I’m *really* looking at my Photoshop experiment, I think we better stick to classic jean colors for now, and leave most of the green to those envious of my perfectly tailored indi jeans.

indiDenim donates to A Safe Place in celebration of Women’s Month

One of the most powerful facets of our work at indiDenim is how we make our customers, especially our female customers, feel confident about the way they look. We know how frustrating it is to never find pants that fit, and it’s all too common for women to blame themselves. If nothing else, indiDenim enables these women, just like our latest customer success story Niki, to finally find jeans that fit and that make them look great.

In celebration of Women's month, indiDenim is helping women who truly need our support. A Safe Place, an Oakland-based non-profit organization, is dedicated to housing battered women and children, helping families heal and recover emotionally and financially, and combating domestic violence.

In recognition of such an important support system for women, indiDenim is donating to A Safe Place: for every indi jean bought until April 20th, indiDenim will donate one pair of jeans.

So whether you want to support local women or have been holding out for that new pair, there’s no better time to design your own jeans. After all, for every pair you get, we’ll give. Talk about a 2-for 1…

Happy Women’s Month from indiDenim!

iPhone and iPod Touch Jean Pockets of the Future

Whether you’re a Mac or a PC, you most likely have an iPhone or iPod Touch. Apple wins when it comes to hand-held devices, but can your jeans handle your gadget?

Courtesy of wtfJeans

An up-and-coming trend is specifically designed iPhone and iPod Touch pockets on the front of the jeans. The micro-fiber interior protects your iPhone or iPod touch and also cleans it when the device is removed from the pocket. Aesthetically I’m not sold because front pockets that look like back pockets just make me think you’re wearing your jeans backwards, but I will withhold an informed opinion until I see these jeans with iPhone/iPod Touch pockets up close and personal.

Would you wear jeans that had a special pocket for your iPhone or iPod? Is it really necessary or something that should have happened a long time ago? Vote in the poll below!

Happy International Women’s Day! (Celebrate Your Jeans!)

Hello there denim enthusiasts, I’m Maddie, indiDenim’s Customer Service Manager, and one of indi’s newest full-time employees.

Today, as many of you ladies out there probably already know, is International Women’s Day. That’s right fellas- we love you guys- but today is our day. And before we head out to celebrate ourselves tonight (drinks with the girls, perhaps?) I’d like to take some time to recognize some killer ladies.

Let’s start with last night at the Oscars, when Kathryn Bigelow made history by being the first woman to receive the honor of Best Director. At indi, we love Kathryn not only because of her incredible directing skills, or because she grew up and studied film near our home in the bay area (although let’s be honest, that helps too!) but because she is- like all of us here- a lover of denim. She has been spotted rocking some sweet bootcut blue jeans (similar to our SoMa) both on and off the set. As a friend of denim, Kathryn is also a friend of ours! So we are happy to be some out of (surely) millions of people to offer our congratulations to her today.
Kathryn, you rock!

Another amazing woman I would like to recognize today helped make what I do here at indiDenim possible. No, I am not talking about my mom, although she helped a lot too, but about Elizabeth Smith Miller who is credited with being the first to introduce pants for women. Miller’s bloomers are something that I would never suggest anyone attempt to sport outside of a movie set for a period piece because thankfully, we’ve come a long way from puffy clown pants.

At indiDenim, we consider both Kathryn and Elizabeth to be inspirations to us as we continue our work of revolutionizing clothing for women. We know and celebrate that women come in all shapes and sizes, and they all want jeans that fit!  We love our customers, and today we encourage you to celebrate your own beautiful self! What better way to celebrate today, than to treat your body to a perfectly fitting pair of custom jeans?

I’m no Oscar winner, but for me, putting on a pair of perfectly fitting jeans makes me feel about good enough to stand up, and (at least) pretend to thank the academy.

Stretch Denim Jeans and Why I Wear Dresses Over Them

Hello! I’m Margaux, the newest indiDenim intern. This is my first blog post and I’m going to get real on why I love stretch denim.

Okay let me first say that although I’m not exactly plus size, my weight does fluctuate 5-10 pounds in either direction depending on the weather/emotions/time of year/stress/and whatever else happens to come up. The first line of defense is my stretch fabric jeans. Plus Size Jeans through indiDenim use stretch denim, but you can also make any other style with stretch denim too. I made a custom fit jean on indiDenim based on my good day measurements and then the stretch denim allows me to still wear them on my bad days.

My second line of smoke and mirrors is wearing a dress over my jeans. I know, I know, this look has a bad reputation but my dress is never below my knees. The point is to look the opposite of dumpy here.  I find that it fancies the jeans up a bit (as well as hiding my real or imaginary unsightly areas). From my experience form-fitting or short A-line dresses work best. Any dress resembling a moo moo will make you look like just that. The great thing about stretch jeans is that the stretch denim hugs your body and gives the appearance of slim legs under your dress.

What do you think? Vote in the poll below to let us know what you think about dresses over jeans. Also make your own stretch denim jeans below!

Courtesy of Motel Rocks

Transitioning to Spring: From Recylced Winter Neutrals to Bright Spring Colors

Today is the beginning of March and in just a matter of weeks (perhaps months for the east coast, but soon!), spring will happily arrive. We will watch the majority of the world slowly dissolve from black and white to Technicolor.

We know that a little burst of color outside changes our mood completely, causing us to infuse our wardrobe with spring pieces. Yes, it’s about time to put those heavy winter wears away in exchange for some lighter pieces and begin working some lovely pastels into warm-weather ensembles.

You may be inclined to update your wardrobe essentials, but you should know that no matter what the season is, there is one clothing piece that you don’t EVER have to say goodbye to. Of course here at indi, the answer to everything is jeans! To help in this seasonal transition, we came up with some simple suggestions to help you perfectly match your jeans with spring pieces with some Do’s and Don’ts:

1. Don’t Fall Back: After months of submitting yourselves to jackets and coats, we understand that escaping your winter wardrobe can be a bit daunting.

Instead…

Spring ahead: interpret your winter wardrobe with a fresh eye by pairing your jeans with a neutral top and/or a trench coat. The neutral top creates a fresh, fuss-free outfit and we all know that a light trench coat is spring’s timeless wardrobe staple.

2. Don’t go overboard: We know how much you love spring, we do too…but you don’t need to go bright on bright on bright. Sometimes, an outfit with a slight pop of color is all you need.

Instead…

Balance your Yin and Yang: Create a tone-balanced outfit by pairing your simple, dark-washed jeans with a bright, eye-catching top. Remember: less is more.

3. Don’t let him have all the fun: Winter allows lots us girls to strut masculine, heavy-weight jackets. Often in spring, however, many women turn to short skirts or airy blouses as the only way to express their style.

Instead…

(Wo)Man Up: Give your t-shirt and jean combo a classy vibe by throwing a blazer over it. Boyfriend jeans are also in, so perhaps invest in a versatile trouser jean that can get dressed up and down.

And if you want a new pair of jeans for the new season, stay tuned for our Springtime Selections coming soon! 

Spring in the air and ripped jeans on the mind

The official start of spring is less than a month away and I am giddy with joy just thinking about warm weather, picnics, flip flops, and driving around with my windows down. But what about spring makes me more excited than anything? Why jeans of course!

I know what you’re thinking - jeans are exciting all year round. While I obviously couldn’t agree with you more, there’s something about light weight denim that adds a spring to my step.

So what can we look forward to this spring in the world of denim? This year, the warmer weather welcomes denim styles like ripped jeans. It’s a rugged look that more women are adopting, and spices up any outfit with a hint of rebellion in every tear.

Don’t worry about doing the ripping yourself: at indiDenim, you can customize your own ripped jeans to look as stylin’ as you see fit.

From runways to sidewalks, ripped jeans are already popping up all over, and as the weather gets warmer and you want to give your legs a little bit of breathing room this trendy look for Spring 2010 is the perfect way to emerge from your winter hibernation looking fierce. 

(Picture courtesy of Dear Frank)

And the olympic gold goes to….Jeans!

There’s something magical about the Olympics. The coming together of nations, cultures, sports, and…fashion? The beloved U.S. snowboarding team has gotten quite the attention lately, and not just for their killer moves and medal winning performances. This past week, the team unveiled that competing athletes can have style too as they raced down the mountain in jeans.

“Snowboarding is the cool factor; that’s what the sport is all about, so why not embellish it to its limit,” said U.S. snowboarder Nick Baumgartner. “To wear jeans in the Olympics? I don’t think you can get any cooler than that.” Ironically, the jeans were given to the team for them to wear just during practice, but it turns out that America’s favorite pair of pants are also great for competition.

Crossing the finish line this past week in his stylish blue jeans, Seth Wescott got his second gold medal in snowboardcross proving to the world that you can be awesome and look awesome at the same time.

Thanks denim. You never cease to amaze us.

(picture courtesy of latimes.com)

Big Jacket and Baggy Jeans…like it or leave it?

New York Fashion week is officially underway, so what better than to check out the fashion pulled straight from the streets of the city. Elle News recently blogged about this look seen below and we want to know what you think too. Pictured here, this street chic fashionista pairs a heavier beige coat with a pair of wide trouser jeans. The dark denim and beige pull together nicely for a cool winter look, but at indiDenim, we’re curious if this is an outfit you would wear or not. Does a baggier, less form fitting jean work with this oversized coat? Would this look be better paired with a straight skinny jean?

Take our poll and tell us if this bohemian chic style should be rocked around the city or left all alone at home.

Pajama Jeans? come on people…

Brace yourself, people. Apparently, so called “PajamaJeans” are the new rage. They are jeans for every woman who is “looking to indulge her inner couch potato.” So, what do we think of this trend? 

First, don’t be fooled. These pants are not denim. They’re actually made completely of cotton and spandex, but designed to look like jeans and of course, feel like sweat pants. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but we thought we’d help set the record straight.  If you remember the phenomenon that was “Jeggings” the makers of the PajamaJean are hoping to push a similar trend of comfort and pretend denim.

All I have to say about these is that if you feel like you need a pair of PJ Jeans to be comfortable, then your real jeans don’t fit you as they should. If you equate denim with discomfort, then this is a problemo. But it’s not your fault, really. Every person is shaped so differently that there’s no possible way that retailers can make jeans that fit everyone perfectly.

The good news: indiDenim is committed to making jeans that fit everyone perfectly. So rest assured, uncomfy denim wearers, we can make you custom jeans that fit and are comfortable too. And the best part is, you’ll be wearing high-quality, real denim.

picture courtesy of NYDailyNews.com

Jeans and winter boots: brave the elements and look cute!

In the past 5 days, the North East has been hit with over 3 feet of snow. By what we’ve heard from our friends in New York City and DC, the storm has affectionately been named the “Snowpocolypse” or better yet - “Snowmagedeon.”

If you’re one of the 50 million people who’ve been inconvenienced by the less than pleasant weather over the past week,  summoning the courage to brave the elements can be a challenge. And when forced to actually go outside, we know that you will always be faced with a single burning question: “What should I wear?”

We admit - sometimes it can be difficult to mix snow storms and fashion, but at indiDenim we have faith that you can still find a way to look cute while trudging through the snow. So let’s start with the winter basics: Snow boots. Although snow boots may not always be synonymous with style or elegance, when it comes to the winter, they are a must.

Conveniently though, what piece of clothing can help make your highly practical and not so sexy winter boots look more presentable and chic? You guessed it. Jeans of course.

When mixing snow boots and denim, there are really only a few things we recommend. First, pick a skinny jean. These are typically easier to stuff into your snow boots. Try and avoid jeans with a flare because they will bunch up above your boot and be uncomfortable. Second, to survive the cold on your trip outside to buy milk and eggs, wear a tight pair of leggings underneath your jeans. With both tucked securely into your boots, you’ll be armed and ready for the weather.

Good luck to all surviving the snow! With jeans by your side and stuffed into your boots, we know you can get through this one.

P.S. How many days until spring break?

(Picture courtesy of Worldproutassembly.com)

Jeans for Valentine’s Day? What a LOVE-ly idea

Alright guys, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and we know you may be scrambling for last minute gifts for your lucky lady. Trust us, we know that sometimes it can be hard to get creative, especially if you and your significant other have been together for many February 14ths.

So this year, indiDenim wants to help you out. The first thing you need to know: Women love jeans. If a woman slips into a great pair of jeans that fit, she’ll look good and more importantly, feel good too. So my challenge to you gentleman: For this Valentine’s Day, we want you to customize your girl a pair of jeans she’ll love. To do this right, you may have to actually measure her. This will clearly evoke some questions on her part such as, “What the heck are you doing?” But just tell her you have something special planned - she’ll love the idea that you’re thinking outside the box.

When you go through the customizing process on her behalf, be sure to use her closet for some style inspiration. Is she a dark denim boot cut type of girl? Does she like the skinny jean or a flare? Just peek through her current jean selection and you’ll get a good idea of what she likes.

After you’ve ordered, print out a picture of the great jeans you just customized and stick it in a card. Let your lady know that a pair of customized jeans just for her body are on their way (make that beautiful body, for extra points). Accessorize your card and this note with a bouquet of roses and you, sir, are set for a fabulous Valentine’s Day.

Please note: These may be appropriately festive but try not to go this nuts for the big day…

indiDenim Customer of the Week: Meet Niki

Denim lovers, meet Niki. Niki’s from Davis, California and recently became indiDenim’s newest customer. Being a stylish jeans and t-shirt type of girl, Niki appreciates a good pair of jeans that fit. In fact, her favorite is a pair of dark, low rise, bootcut jeans that after all these years are finally looking a bit worn.

To replace her beloved jeans, Niki came to indiDenim to customize a new pair she could call her favorite.

Being a first time online denim customizer, Niki was a bit hesitant to buy a pair of jeans that she hadn’t tried on. With bad experiences shopping for jeans online in the past, Niki found that when they came in the mail, the jeans never fit her body correctly.

With these denim hardships haunting her past, Niki discovered how indiDenim stood out from other online shopping sites:

“The idea of providing my size measurements and letting me design a pair of jeans was appealing - much better than selecting a general size category (0, 2, 4, etc.) and hoping I fit someone else’s idea of that size.”

Niki couldn’t be happier with her new pair of indiDenim custom jeans. After going through our online process, she designed a great pair of dark, slim fit bootcut jeans with a super low rise - and she looks terrific in them. Check out the before and after!

     
                                  Before                                                                              After

When asked if she has any advice for other first time denim designers, Niki says, “Go for it!” After all, thanks to our perfect fit promise, there’s really nothing to lose. No matter what, you will end up getting jeans that fit your body and your style exactly the way you want.

And the best part is that once you find your perfect pair of jeans from indiDenim, we automatically save all of your measurements in our system. What does that mean? It means you can keep designing jeans anyway you like with confidence, knowing that the jeans we send you will fit you every time.

I hope that Niki’s story inspires newcomers to indiDenim to give us a try. And to our loyal customers, I know all this is old news but hopefully it reinforces your confidence in indiDenim and puts a smile on your face.

End the week at the symphony…in jeans of course

Don’t get us wrong. At indiDenim, we love our top pop 40.  Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, the Black Eyed Peas…you name it and we’ve got it streaming on our iTunes playlist.

Our love for music seems to fit harmoniously with our love for denim. Whether you may realize it or not, good music and a good fitting pair of jeans have a lot in common—both lift your spirits and are always there for you in times of need…always.

Although our love for pop will always be strong, we’ve recently expanded our horizons to other musical genres, including classical. That’s right, classical.

Not only can the soft songs of a string quartet sooth your soul almost as much as Taylor Swift when she strums her guitar, but now it’s officially cool to enjoy the classical arts in your jeans.

Just recently, the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra in Florida performed an ode to Ludwig himself by switchin’ up the dress code by wearing blue jeans and t-shirts on stage.  Why do this? Jeans just make you feel comfortable for course—whether you’re wearing them or someone else is…

In this case, just by putting on our favorite denim, the Pensacola Symphony created a relaxed and comfortable environment that made everyone in the audience feel right at home. Why that sounds just wonderful now, doesn’t it?

So as the week comes to a close, take some time to sit back and relax. Make yourself a big pot of herbal green tea, slip into your pair of custom-made denim, and put on your favorite classical jam. Beyonce can wait till tomorrow, we promise.

Men’s jeans and shoes…what works?

Ok guys let’s chat. I’m talkin’ jeans, i’m talkin’ shoes…and I’m talkin’ to you.

When pairing your footwear with your denim, there’s often a misconception that anything goes. While jeans are versatile and do work well with most shoes, throwing any old pair of kicks on can potentially result in a fashion disaster. And of course you don’t want that.

So what are the rules to follow to help you match your jeans with your shoes? Let’s go through it one *step* at a time (sorry, I had to).

1. Color works. Because jeans often have a casual aura about them, wearing color on your feet (ie: sneakers) is a great way to spruce up a look and give your outfit some flava without looking like you tried too hard.

2.  Always consider the color of your denim. The darker the jeans are, the dressier the shoe should be. If your jeans have more of a casual vibe, try to avoid shiny shoes because they may contrast awkwardly with the laid back look of your jeans. (And let’s leave our awkward stage in middle school, shall we?).

3. Along the same lines, pay attention to the weight of your jeans. The “heaviness” of the denim should correspond with your shoes. To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, a dark, heavy pair of jeans will look weird with a pair of sandals. Trust me.

4. Think about your whole outfit. We understand that sometimes you may not consider the entire picture while getting dressed, but its important to do so so you don’t look totally goofy. For example, sporting a loafer down below? Pair with a polo shirt up top. Rockin’ a t-shirt for the afternoon? Pair with sneaks. You get the picture…

As always, jeans are not meant to restrict your choice of shoe, they’re meant to guide you. It’s just important to remember that there are some combinations that just don’t work… and if you’ve ever been guilty of that, I’m sure you were made well aware by your girlfriend and your mom.

We have faith in you guys! Now go get dressed and make us proud.

Denim on denim: thumbs up or thumbs down?

We all remember when Britney and Justin wore matching denim on denim ensembles back in the 90s, but this trend is still making its way through department stores and is no where near heading out the door. Even this February, Jessica Biel makes an appearance on the cover of Vogue wearing a denim jacket over a denim vest. The Wall Street Journal thinks that the return of denim on denim could be a product of our not so hot economy: “Part of the renewed interest in denim may have to do with the economy: hard-times chic in hard times.”

Whether it’s “hard-times chic” or a “canadian tuxedo”, whatever you call it, we want to know once and for all: Does denim on denim work? Take our poll below and let us know what you think!

Jeans go green

There’s arguably nothing more fashionable right now than going green. Hollywood is doing it, Washington D.C. is doing it, even that guy down the street is doing it.  It’s really the cool thing to do and good for the environment (love when that happens).

Not surprisingly, denim is jumping on the “Go Green” bandwagon. With the Sony Recycle Project Jeans initiative, Sony is taking a colorful spin on going green. Taking recently discarded cloth banners that were hanging off the sides of corporate offices, Sony is turning these banners into jeans like you’ve never seen before. Almost like a prank after this transformation, Sony prominently displays the apparel in their original location along the sides of the building where the banners were found.

And no, these jeans are not just art for art’s sake. Look through a pair of binoculars and if you like what you see, terrific. A friendly sales associate will swing down the side of the building to retrieve that special pair for you.

Just another day…

Get Personal: Customize Your Valentine’s Day

With Valentine’s Day approaching, we at indiCustom have been thinking of you (and the lucky man that gets to have you).

Valentine’s Day is all about looking and feeling good with someone you love (not to mention gifts and endless flattery). Because we value our customers and know that you value us as a customized apparel brand, we’re here to give you a V-Day gift solution: indiTailored shirts and gift cards!

indiTailored, our custom shirt brand, offers a wide variety of patterns, styles, and fits that will complement your man (and your outfit) perfectly. Right now, we’re offering 10% all indiTailored custom shirts and gift cards until February 14th. Just use this code at checkout: indiLove.

Here are a few styles that we created in our Shirt Builder for essential V-Day style. Simply click on one of the names and check it out for yourself:

                                               
              Let’s Hear It For the Boy 
                                                                                                         
   
              Oh My Man I Love Him So
                                                       
   
                      My Lovely Valentine 

And if you want to give an even more personal gift, design him a shirt yourself! All you need is a few measurements and you’ll be on your way to a personalized gift that you’ll both love.

After all, you can’t just look good on V-day. He’s gotta look good too. Give yourself the sexiest V-Day gift yet: Your well-styled man.

Why guys struggle in the jeans department

It’s true. Jeans have made the paper again. Are we surprised? Of course not.  After all, we can’t blame journalists for wanting to write about America’s favorite piece of clothing.

This time, denim’s appearance in the news is a result of the difficulty men have finding jeans that fit and look good. Last week, The New York Times asked, “Why are blue jeans, that most blameless and universal item of apparel, the one thing men always get wrong?” Although I may offend some by saying this, let’s face it. It’s a good question.

Although jeans should be the easiest piece of clothing for men to wear correctly, they tend to make many mistakes in picking a cut and wash that is ooohh so wrong for their figure (and yes, men have figures too…). Sometimes forgetting that even the most simple clothing item can take a turn for the worst, the NYT’s article offers some simple sound advice to help men out of this denim crisis they didn’t even know they were in.

Bluntly put: “They have to fit your rear.” Hmm. If I didn’t know any better, it sounds like taking this advice and looking good in denim could be the easy as the click of a mouse on your favorite custom denim website…

For a little extra inspiration to help men find jeans that fit, we present…Harrison Ford (and that other guy). Everyone need’s a denim role model, right guys?

Jeans Uplugged

There’s nothing more annoying than when you’re on a long trip or running on the treadmill at the gym and your iPod runs out of batteries. It’s bound to happen. After all, you can’t remember to charge and recharge your electronics all the time. But as always, denim understands your pain and frustration when the battery bar goes from green to red to…sorrrry.

So get this. Recently, scientists have responded to public demand and actually developed a way to recharge electronics by yes, “plugging” them into your jeans.

The nerds at Stanford (I say nerds lovingly of course) have found a way to alter your cotton and polyester into something called “conductive energy textiles.” Say whaaat? Confusing or not, it’s these textiles that can recharge your dead battery and help you out when you’re in the red zone.

In an article published by TG Daily, Yi Cui of the Department of Engineering said, “Wearable electronics represent a developing new class of materials with an array of novel functionalities, such as flexibility, stretchability, and lightweight, which allow for many applications and designs previously impossible with traditional electronics technology.” Jeans are making the impossible possible? I’m not surprised.

The greatest part about these energetic jeans is that scientists even made sure that these flexible textiles are compatible with your washer and dryer. Now really, what’s better than chargeable jeans you can throw in the wash? Maybe custom chargeable jeans, but even we aren’t quite there yet.

Let’s be honest. Moving forward, all we need to do now is wait for scientists to make a pair of jeans that reads our minds when we’re hungry and then magically makes our food appear in front of us. Is that too much to ask?

Jeans for Haiti

The earthquake that struck Haiti almost 2 weeks ago has devastated the world. Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas of the country have been demolished and the government believes that the death toll could rise to 300,000 people.

Here at indiDenim, we’ve taken the time to think about this humanitarian crisis and how jeans can help.  That’s why we’re proud to support the organization Fashion Delivers, which aims to bring together fashion industries to donate apparel to victims in need across the world. They were founded in 2006 and inspired to act after Hurricane Katrina struck.

Right now, Fashion Delivers is organizing efforts to send apparel and products to Haitians who have been affected by the earthquake and have lost everything. To help, they are calling for a broad assortment of clothing items—jeans included.

If you too would like to support Fashion Delivers and the people of Haiti, please visit their website and fill out the donation form listed at the bottom or the page. Haiti needs our help today and many days to come.

Did you hear? IndiDenim’s in the Wall Street Journal!

That’s right folks, we’ve made it big. This week, indiDenim (and indiTailored) was featured in the Wall Street Journal. We really couldn’t be more excited if we tried.

The article, “What’s Out: the Fashion Trend” is front and center in the Life & Style section and discusses the idea that, for once, fashion trends may be a thing of the past. No trends? Shocking, we know.

With the New York City’s Fashion Week on the horizon, we only expect showcases of this year’s “must-have” items and styles. We’ve conditioned our fashion selves to always look for what’s trendy—the trench coat, the one-sided shoulder dress per say. But David Wolfe, creative director of Doneger Consulting Group, argues that we’ve come to a point where there are no more trends to look for because “everything is in style.”  Ultimately, with the workplace diversifying and young celebrities more inclined to think outside the fashion box, men and women alike feel freer to leave the in-crowd behind. People care less about being in style and more about wearing clothes that fit their own body and their own lifestyle. It’s really that simple.

The article also gave a shout out to one of our very own who spoke about how fashion is changing today: “Fashion has traditionally been this top-down industry, but we saw that technology could allow consumers to choose their own details,” saids Abby Holtz, our Director of Marketing here at indiCustom. As Abby mentioned, at indiDenim we understand that people want to accommodate their own personal style and that’s why we let you customize your denim down to the very last detail.

Bottom line: If your clothes fit, you look good—trend or no trend. And this is definitely one fashion statement we hope never goes out of style…

Ryan Seacrest, the ultimate jeans enthusiast

Well thank goodness American Idol is back in our lives. It’s hard to believe that we’re already in season 9. Really makes you wonder how you spent your Wednesday nights 10 years ago…

So, in case you hadn’t noticed, this season, some of our favorites are back in the judges’ seats, including Simon Cowell and “what-up dawg” Randy Jackson. Ellen DeGeneres will also make her A.I. debut and replace crazy Paula (looove Ellen).

But who are we most excited to return to host a fun filled season of high pitched voices, scratchy harmonies, and strange hairdos? Why Ryan Seacrest of course. 

Lately, we’ve been particularly fascinated with Mr. Seacrest, mostly because even without American Idol on TV, he still manages to be everywhere—radio gigs, producer credits, entertainment TV shows…absolutely everywhere.

But let’s be honest. The real reason why we love Ryan so much and aren’t annoyed by how annoying he is because Ryan is truly a jeans addict—a jeans enthusiast, if you will. Almost always caught wearing a pair of casual jeans, Ryan is a big fan of his medium blue wash denim and faded jeans.

The best part about our love for Ryan is that his denim style is so easy to pull off.

With the faded look as inspiration, you can customize your very own pair of Ryan jeans with brushed faded marks at the thigh and knees. Pair with a fitted graphic tee and you are set for television, radio, paparazzi, and everything else Ryan manages to get himself into these days.

Jeans: Your new life saver…literally

The impossible has happened, people. Our love for denim has just doubled. I know what you’re thinking. How could one possibly love jeans any more? Easily, apparently.

We recently came across an article from Discover Magazine about how jeans can actually protect you from a rattlesnake bites. Yes, you read that right.

This:

Can save you from this:

Doctors Shelton S. Herbert and William K. Hayes reveal that if you get bitten by one of those things and you’re wearing denim, you’ll absorb about two-thirds less venom than if you’re wearing some other inferior material. In their research, which is published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, they report that in their experiment, venom “spilled harmlessly” onto the denim, as opposed to seeping into your skin…

Conclusion? Jeans are not only a fashion must-have, but when you’re trudging through the dessert under the blazing, hot sun trying to find the next strip mall, they will also save you if confronted with one of America’s most terrifying creatures.

Now just imagine if your newest lifesaver was customized. A weapon of defense and fit perfectly just for your body? Sign. Me. Up. 

Denim trends in twenty-ten

With the start of the year now underway, it’s officially time to put 2009 behind us and think about all the glorious things to come in 2010. And what glorious things are there to think about, you ask? Why new denim trends, of course.

As we mentioned last week, this past year we saw some great styles in denim including skinny jeans and boyfriend jeans—all of which our favorite celebrities rocked all over town. So the question is, for 2010, which denim trends stay and which are voted off the island?

Jane Buckingham, the founder of the trend forecasting company Trendera, was recently on Good Morning America to help us answer this very question.  In 2010, we’re officially saying sianara to baggy boyfriend jeans and opening our arms to rugged motorcycle jeans. Buckingham mentioned that this year, motorcycle jeans will be particularly popular because they give a grungy, edgy look that spices your swagger with a hint of rebellion. 

“This year people are only going to buy if it looks different and it looks special,” Buckingham said. Different and special? Hmm. Not to boast, but what could be more “special” than customized jeans? Just saying…

Buckingham also gave a shout out to the men who, even though they may not want to admit it, definitely love jeans almost as much as we do. And yes, in 2010 denim trends are changing for guys too. When 2009 was all about the skinny jeans, 2010 is all about mens’ rolled-up jeans.

“Men are having fun with their looks…this is stylish, but not hard to achieve,” Buckingham said, adding that men can use regular jeans and roll them up.

At indiDenim, we love keeping track of the trends and are excited about all the denim there is to look forward in 2010. We can’t wait to see you strut your stuff in the new decade!

Nicky Hilton in motorcycle jeans (image courtesy of denimblog.com)

Men can rock the rolled-up jeans

indiDenim on pairing jeans with a blouse

We’ve said it time and time again—inside every closet must be a great pair of jeans that fit. At indiDenim, we know that although jeans are absolutely vital to ensure your fashion survival, they do only account for half your wardrobe equation…

So when it comes to helping you get dressed in the morning, although we love denim more than chocolate cake with strawberries, we remind ourselves to always think about the whole picture—bottom and top.

A few weeks ago, we wrote a blog about how to wear one timeless item—the blazer—with a pair of bootcut jeans to create a great, classic look that will never go out of style. This week, it’s time to talk about how to pair another basic we love—the white blouse—with your beloved custom jeans.

Wearing a white blouse with denim is a versitile look and can easily be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion. Don’t be afraid to showcase this style on Fridays at work, a day trip on the weekend, or even when hitting the town for a nice dinner. 

Whether you wear it casually or for a dressier event, it’s important to remember that your blouse should always be fitted in the arms and chest (at least until the “boyfriend shirt” makes its fashion debut). 

To put a trendy spin on this class look, we recommend tucking your blouse into a pair of wide-leg trouser jeans. Accessorize with a bold necklace a red heel, and you’ll show off how sometimes being in-style requires just knowing what items never go out.

Denim over 50? Miss Streep shows us how! Snaps to Meryl!

The holidays are finally over, but we all know that the hardest part of a vacation is returning to the office after a fun-filled (and hopefully relaxing) break.

So to help cure your post-holiday despair, we’ve decided to bring you some happy, uplifting (and, of course, denim-inspired) words to think about as you sip your coffee and weed through the stack of papers that mysteriously got placed on your desk while you were away last week.

So take a deep breath in and just meditate for a second on…Meryl Streep.

Yes, to kick of the new year with a bang, we’re giving snaps to Ms. Meryl herself—the timeless actress and fashion icon, who has proved in her latest film, “It’s Complicated” that even at 60, she can still take on a leading romantic role, and look fabulous while doing so.

At indi, we love Meryl not just because she is arguably one of the greatest living film actresses, but because even at 60, this girl still rocks the denim like it ain’t no thang.

That’s why we applaud Meryl because, as to be expected, even when it comes to fashion, she pushes the envelope and defies any stereotype out there, including the one that says jeans are only for the 50 and under club.

As the Queen of Hollywood who shows us all that age is a feeling, not a number, we say to Meryl, “You go girl. Who says 60 can’t do denim?”

Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010!

As we at indiDenim look back on 2009, we find ourselves getting a bit nostalgic just thinking about all the denim styles we saw this year: boyfriend jeans, skinny jeans, jeggings, distressed denim and oh my, the list goes on.

To show off these styles, we gave snaps to some of our favorite celebrities. Kim and JLO showed us big booty ladies how to look great in the right pair of jeans, Penelope reminded us how to rock a classic bootcut and even Brad let us know that yes, denim on denim can work.

With the help of our style experts, we learned how to dress jeans up for the evening, how to wear sweaters and blazers with the right pair of jeans, how to properly tuck our jeans into our beloved boots, and even went back to school to learn about the history of low rise jeans and ask the timeless question, “How low can you really go?”

We caught up with some of favorite fashion bloggers to get their rave reviews on their indiDenim jeans, we talked about the best way to hide that tummy during the holiday season and even took a trip down memory lane to see how U.S. presidents have showed off the classic denim look.

Ah, what precious memories…

Now that it’s 2010 and time to make your new year’s resolution, why not include a denim resolution in the line up? We at indiDenim can offer a commitment that shouldn’t be too difficult to follow through with—wearing jeans that fit and flatter your body and curves. You’ll look and feel great. We promise!

Well, regardless of what resolutions you decide on, we at indiDenim would like to wish you a Happy New Year from our jeans to yours!

Jeans and a blazer: A fresh look for the winter

As the weather outside gets frightful, it’s only natural that we ladies start to fear the skirt and embrace the pant. Even with the practical invention of tights, if there are icicles hanging off the windows, we are definitely less inclined to show some leg.

So, of course, to whom do turn in times of need?

Hello, denim!

Now opting for denim at times when you would typically employ dresses or skirts (for evenings out on the weekend or casual work events), means that you need to know how to pair a perfect-fitting sophisticated jean with a perfect-fitting sophisticated top: the blazer.

Like a great pair of jeans, the blazer is an item that is absolutely essential for every woman to have in her closet.  With a jacket that’s fitted and cropped and a dark wash pair of jeans, you’ll look stylish, sophisticated and ready to go for any cold weather event.

And this great look is not just for the ladies—men can rock it too. For the guys, pair a classic wash jean with a tailored blazer over a tucked or untucked collared shirt. If untucked, just be careful that the tails don’t hang too low or you’ll look disproportional. 

So remember—whether you’re a lady or a gent, when putting together jeans and a blazer, it’s crucial that both pieces fit. An oversized blazer or pair of jeans that don’t fit your measurements will leave you looking sloppy.

And looking like that, you might as well be left out in the cold.

Sweaters & Jeans: The peanut butter to denim’s jelly

“I said BRR, it’s cold in here. I said there must be some Toros in the atmosphere! I said BRR…”

What better way to welcome Old Man Winter than with a quote from the classic movie, Bring It On? (Not to be confused with the sequel, Bring It On Again). 

Although the cold, bitter months are approaching, here at indiDenim, we refuse to condone un-cute outfits. I know, I know, the colder it gets, the more prone you are to wear sweatshirts and body jackets, but the times for a shabby winter wardrobe are over. Together, we must commit to staying fashionable—even when the temperature is 10 degrees below frickin’ freezing.

That is why we dedicate this blog to one of our favorite winter garments: the sweater.

Ah, Sweaters, the essential winter item that can go terribly wrong if worn the wrong way. It may be freezing, but again, there’s no excuse to look like your grandma, or worse yet, a curtain.

But pairing an essential winter top (a sweater), with an essential winter bottom (jeans, duh), must be mastered.

The key to success? Balance.

Realistically, the colder it gets, the more “sweater” you will want to wear, which may practically draw you to styles that are a bit chunkier (think wool knits, turtlenecks, ponchos, etc).

In order to best balance bulkier sweaters, we recommend a slim fitting jean. If you’re wearing a bulky top with a pair of loose jeans, you may end up looking a little more like your elementary school teacher than a festive fashion diva. And nobody wants that!

If you’re going to go for a sweater that is longer in length, this is a perfect opportunity to pair this style with a tight fitting skinny or boot-cut jean. Again, this will maintain that important balance we’ve been talking about.

Whatever sweater you choose, just remember: keeping warm is important, but looking comfortably cute is just as crucial. So bundle up! And never style down…

Can you wear jeans to a holiday party?

In short, the answer is yes—absolutely yes.

With all the feasting and fun to be had in the next few weeks, it can be stressful to pick out party clothes and make sure you don’t wear any outfit twice. And considering the economy, this is definitely not the time to buy multiple dresses that you may only wear once. 

So what’s the solution to looking great during the holiday season and getting around the unspoken “don’t repeat” rule?

Answer: A great pair of jeans that fit. And besides, it’s no secret that you can wear the same jeans every day and no one will ask questions…

But I know what you’re thinking. Jeans? At a holiday party? This brings me to confront a very popular myth about these annual shindigs: Truth be told, most are actually not black tie affairs. But although this is the case, I will say that many of these festive occasions do require a bit of effort on your part to “tis the season.”

A few months ago, we posted a blog about jeans for going out and we recommended that if it is a fancy affair, it’s always best to go with a pair of dark denim. Dark wash skinny jeans or bootcut jeans are great options for an evening of jolly cheer. To show your love for holidays, dress up these jeans with shiny accessories, dainty clutches, dressy shoes, or an embellished satin top with sequins—however you accessorize, they are guaranteed to go fabulously with dark jeans.

This holiday season, indiDenim is dedicated to helping you put jeans back into the “dressy” section of your closet. So put your holiday party stereotypes aside and remember that jeans are on the guest list for every party this year.

Vanity Sizing Jeans? No Thank You.

Have you ever wondered why every time you shop for jeans in the mall, you fit into a different size?

Think about it. Isn’t it a bit curious that although your waistline stays the same, your closet is full of 8s, 6s, or even 4s? With such discrepancy between labels and sizes, shopping becomes a guessing game in which you should rightfully reward yourself with a latte when you correctly answer the question, “What size am I going to be today?”

So if you’re not gaining or losing weight, what’s the deal with the difference in sizes? Cosmopolitan just published this great article tackling this very question on vanity sizing. Let me help break it down:

Basically, women are so consumed with being thin and measure up to a size 0 ideal, that designers manipulate their sizes to make women feel like they are smaller than they may actually be. This is called vanity sizing. As the article describes, this is when “designers add extra inches of fabric to clothing without changing the number on the tag.” Great. It’s not like shopping for jeans isn’t hard enough already.

As a result, our anxiety to fit into smaller sizes and the variation of sizes themselves causes us even more of a headache. This means that without ever being able to identify with just one number, we are forced to pull at least two or three jean sizes into the dressing room with us. This means more time, more effort, and ultimately more frustration.

We at indiDenim understand your stress and know how difficult it can be to deal with the never ending size confusion. With custom jeans, you don’t have to worry about vanity sizing—every jean is custom made to your measurements.

Ah…the power of customization. 

Jeans that fit—According to Mr. Hilfiger

According to Tommy Hilfiger, ladies only need one pair of jeans in order to get through life—just as long as they are jeans that fit.

A man who is all over denim like PB on J, he believes that it is absolutely essential for every woman to own a pair of high-quality jeans, even if that means spending some extra cash to get them (clearly he didn’t look at how affordable our custom jeans are before saying this, tsk tsk).  Mr. H thinks that when you find “the one,” they can be dressed up or down for night or daytime, which is why a lady doesn’t need more than a single pair.

Duh Tommy—jeans are versatile, we know this.

Although, here at indiDenim, we may not agree that one pair of jeans is enough—remember, we’re obsessed with jeans and arguably slightly biased—we do understand the reasoning behind Tommy’s point of view. There’s no denying that whatever jeans you own, in order to look your best, the jeans must fit properly.

Tommy went on to say that you should always dress to flatter your shape and personality. We couldn’t agree with him more on that one. That’s why we don’t force feed you style or fashion trends—we just let you design your own.

And we love ya, Tommy, but just one pair? Come on, that’s no fun…

Don’t pull a Zac: Get your distressed denim today

Mr. Efron told US Weekly recently that he wore the same pair of jeans for eight weeks in a row in order to get them just the way he wanted. The magazine wrote that, “In order to get that dirty, distressed denim look, the actor wore the same jeans—now his faves—for eight continuous weeks until they were stripped of stiffness and sported ‘yellow whiskers’ at the front.”

I mean, can you blame the heart throb? He does lead a hard life. Even millions of dollars, the ongoing success of High School Musical, and that great run-your-fingers-through hair can’t even buy this guy instant jean satisfaction. After all, you can only get that great rugged, worn-in look with time, effort, and fashion dedication. It’s the denim look any dude strives for months to achieve, the look that…oh wait, you can customize yourself right here at indiDenim.

Geez, Zac. Get with it. You just spent way too much time in those pants. These days, all the cool kids customize their own distressed denim. We could have delivered your dream jeans to your front door in just a few weeks.

Where do you live by the way?

image courtesy of usmagazine.com

Who knows best? SheKnows best!

Thanksgiving is officially over, and to kick off December with a bang, indiDenim has some very exciting news to share. So resist Facebook and G-chat for un momento, por favor, because ladies and gents, this is big.

Now through December 15th, indiDenim is teaming up with SheKnows.com to do a sweepstakes where you—yes you—can enter to win a $200 indiDenim gift card. You can’t make this stuff up, people!

Here at indiDenim, we couldn’t be more excited about partnering with SheKnows! By providing daily content and offering advice, information, or just a new spin on everyday life, they are truly committed to helping close to 11 million visitors lead healthy and happy lives.

We’re amazed at the depth of information they offer their audience, covering everything from entertainment, parenting, health and wellness, money and career, dating, beauty tips, and of course style. No question—SheKnows.com is a one-stop shop for women who are eager to learn more and improve their lives.

Truth be told, I’ve been on their site all morning (shh don’t tell). So go ahead and check out SheKnows.com and enter to win a gift certificate with indiDenim. All you have to do click and sign up, it’s really that easy!

Win a $200 indiDenim gift card at SheKnows.com

How to hide that tummy

With the kick-off to the holidays just a few hours away and bikini season no where in sight, let’s face it—this is the time of the year when part of our bodies may get, well, a bit bigger.

But never fear, jeans are here to the rescue!

Even when times get tough and it becomes impossible to resist that extra helping of stuffing covered in oh so delicious gravy, jeans will stay by your side to hide that tummy—so no one has any idea your waistline may be expanding, ever so slightly.

So for all you ladies who are trying to hide your tummy during the holidays, here’s our best advice for finding a pair of jeans that will flatter your figure:

* Read my lips: no low rise jeans! This is a big no no if you want to hide your tummy. Low-rise jeans will draw attention the exact area you want to hide.
* Instead, pick a pair of mid to high-waisted jeans that will flatten your stomach, hide any evidence of muffin top, and flatter your curves.
* Embrace the bootcut. These jeans will give your legs shape—unlike skinny jeans, which taper to your ankles and, as a result, can make your tummy look larger.
* The darker, the better. Dark jeans promise to make your body and stomach appear slimmer than lighter jeans. So, say hello to indigo.

Bottom line: Eat on sister. With the right pair of jeans, you’ll look like you’ve got nothing to hide…

image courtesy of clevelandleader.com

Tweet, tweet! Come follow indiDenim on Twitter!

We are excited to announce that indiDenim is now tweeting!

Following us on Twitter is a great way to keep up to date with indiDenim news, events and promotions, the latest fashion trends and advice, and much more.

It’s easy—just visit us at http://www.twitter.com/indiDenim and click follow!

Best of all…
All our followers will get a special discount on their next pair of jeans! Start following us today to get the down-low on the exclusive deal!

Fergie rocks bleached denim and isn’t afraid to show it

Josh Duhamel, why are you cheating on Fergie with a stripper?

I’ll leave judgments to Perez and, instead, dedicate this blog to your beauteous wife who, might I add, has been looking particularly Fergalicious, as of late.

Here are indiDenim, we like a lady who’s not afraid to show some style and be daring with her fashion choices. Seen below, the Ferg-mister has taken jeans to a whole new world—a world full of tie-dye and bleach and general fun times. With a black shell and blue pumps, this chica brings together creativity, color, and confidence. Say hello to bleached denim. It’s coming back, with a modern twist. Stay tuned, and maybe they’ll be some bleached denim at indiDenim in the not too distant future…

So, snaps to you Ferg. With those jeans on, you’ve got that boom boom pow!

image courtesy of usmagazine.com

Low Rise Jeans: How low can you go?

Unless you were hiding in you basement in the late 1990s and early 2000s, we don’t have to tell you twice that when it came to denim, low rise jeans were all the rage.

Per usual, our favorite celebrities embraced the latest and greatest trends, including Christina Aguilera, who, in her Dirty video, flaunted her—and we quote—“tight hip huggers, low fo sho.” 

With such inspiration, low rise jeans got so low, and hence so fashionable, that choosing the right pair of undies was also a crucial decision. After all, if you were sitting, your panties were showing, and if your panties were showing, they had to be cute.

So how low did the low rise go? Just to give you an idea, the rise of a “normal” pair of jeans (of course this varies from brand and fit) falls at about 10 inches from your crotch. But eager to rebel from these measurements, designers satisfied our thirst for new trends and sculpted low rise jeans with lower rises—some at 7 inches (gasp). Pushing the low rise envelope even further in years following, many jeans even dipped as low as 3 inches (double gasp).

These hip huggers famously flaunted any woman’s love handles, and in 2001, doctors even came out to say that low-rise jeans could cause meralgia paresthetica, a condition that is characterized by numbness in the thighs…whaaaaattttt?

So how did this all happen? Was our low rise obsession and abundant purchases of pretty underwear worth potential medical risks and guest appearances from our fleshy bottoms?

Of course it was.

Because when it comes to jeans, we are a slave for denim fashions, and we always will be.

So let’s take a step back and reminisce about our low rise jeans with warmth and admiration because if fashion trends serve us correctly, we’ll be seeing those panties again soon…

Isn’t that right, Christina?

The Perfect Pear of Jeans

Last month, we held the indiDenim October Jean Giveaway, where we asked all of you to design your perfect jeans and add them to our Design Vault. As promised, we’ve randomly selected one winner as well as a winner for the “judges’ choice award.”

But before we reveal the results, we must say that we were very much impressed by all the creativity. And although we had a lot of fun looking at all of your “perfect jeans,” there was one candidate, in particular, that showed us a memorable creation, along with a playful title and description to match.

So props to Snow Doubt and your design of pure pear-fection. We really loved how you tied both style and fit into your creative title and description of your jeans!

For most pretty pear body types, finding flattering jeans is no easy task. You need jeans that sit just so on your curvy waist, yet also leave you with just enough room through the hip and thigh area.

Our indiDenim October Jean Giveaway judges’ choice winner designed the perfect pear jeans that celebrate the needs of pear-shaped ladies all-around. With jeans that are tailored straight from the thigh to the hem, this instantly provides a slimming effect, making your legs look, just like our winner says, “LUSTFUL.” The clean finish gives no distractions, only focusing on what obviously matters most—showing off that pretty pear shape figure of yours.

So congratulations to both our winners: Snow Doubt, and our randomly selected winner, Kel, designer of “New Favorite Jeans.”

And now you can check out (and buy!) the the judges’ choice winner and our randomly selected winner in our Design Vault!

Skeptical about customizing jeans? So was she…

World, meet Kyla. She’s a small town fashionista on a mission for a fabulous wardrobe on a low budget. She’s fully equipped with a sense of style and a blog—and not afraid to use either. We met Kyla last month through our sponsorship of the Weardrobe Conference in NYC and quickly discovered that Kyla, like so many other women, was a “custom jean skeptic.”

Giving into her skepticism (as every fashion blogger should), Kyla went ahead and, through our website, put together a pair of high-waisted dark wash flare jeans—a style she admits has always been difficult to find on the rack. Kyla blogged about how easy it was to customize her jeans and satisfy her every denim want and need, and even shared a bit more about the experience with us, personally: 

“I absolutely LOVED the experience of designing my own jeans!  I have a really hard time finding jeans that fit and when I do find jeans that fit, the styles aren’t always very exciting.  I really wanted a pair of jeans with a specific style that would stand out as more than just a pair of casual denim blues.  I chose a high waist and flare leg, since that seems to be the most challenging style for me to find.”

She then went on to say:

“I was skeptical at first, wondering how in the world these jeans were going to fit based on nothing but answers to a few questions, but I was blown away when I received them.  I pulled them on and was shocked that they really did fit like a glove.  Next time, I don’t think I would do much differently.  I’m in love with the style and I think I will just get them in a different denim and wash.”

Kyla, we’re so happy you’re happy with your indiDenim jeans. You look terrific! We know you were pleasantly surprised that your new pair “fit like a glove,” but that’s just what we do.

One custom denim skeptic down, just a few more to go…

Belts + Jeans: What works and what doesn’t?

Ok ladies, let’s talk belts and jeans.

Yes, we all wear belts as a practical utility to keep our jeans in place, but wearing the wrong belt and jean for your shape can make you look like one big fashion DON’T (see: Jessica Simpson, below). And at indiDenim, we simply cannot allow that.

So based on your figure, here’s what you need to think about to best accessorize your waistline and literally pull your outfit together and keep your jeans up:

* For taller, lanky women, choose a thick, wider belt to help accentuate your curves.
* For women with a larger mid section, pick a dark colored belt, which will help draw attention away from your tummy.
* For petite and curvy ladies, try something skinny and colorful. You want to show off your skinniest part, without choosing a belt that is too large and in charge. 

When it comes to styles, remember that whether you’re going for a look that’s formal or casual, everything goes with jeans. So have fun pairing a great belt with jeans to express whatever style you’re feeling.

This is why we love denim so darn much—matching is easier than putting your socks on. So go crazy and get creative with the materials. Try ribbon, metal, leather, skinny, thick—whatever!

Just do us a favor and make sure it *flatters* your body (sorry, Jessica)...

Cheap-er designer jeans

Is it just us, or are jeans getting more attention these days than Lady Gaga’s outfits and Kanye’s interruptions?

Ok, ok, I know. Maybe not that much attention, but you can’t deny that denim has been spending quite a bit of time in the spotlight lately.

So in case you haven’t heard, The New York Times just gave a shout-out to designer jeans and their “preshrunk prices.” According to the NY Times gods, “The $300 pair of designer jeans is now, courtesy of the recession, the $200 pair of designer jeans.”

Not surprisingly, the economy has got people thinking more about their wallets and setting a limit on what they will pay for a designer pair of jeans, which, in turn, is putting pressure on designers to rethink their prices and offer quality jeans in more styles at lower prices.

Basically people want great style and fit for less—but are demanding the same high quality and exclusivity.

Which might make you think—what could better satisfy consumer demands than one-of-a-kind custom jeans designed by the customer, made to their measurements, and sold for a reasonable price?

Someone take indiDenim out for a drink tonight.

Being the solution to the world’s denim whoas sure makes us more than ready for the five o’clock happy hour!

Button Fly Jeans or Zipper Fly Jeans - You Decide!

Since the dawn of time, fashionistas everywhere have argued over one age-old question: When it comes to jeans, which is superior, the button-up or the zipper?

This detail is so crucial, that it may even stop you from buying an otherwise great pair of jeans. That’s why, once and for all, we want to know which you like more. (Thank Nelly at indiDenim, we can customize your jeans either way with the zipper or the button fly).

So scream it from the rooftops, and tell us your opinion. Or at least answer the survey below…

Feeling powerful? Try these power jeans on for size

Of all places, the Wall Street Journal just posted a great article on the rise of power jeans.  And what are power jeans, you ask? Today, CEOs, top executives, and world presidents have finally figured out that a great pair of fitted denim can be highly professional and comfortable of course. After all, a top dog in jeans says to onlookers, “Hey people, I got this. Chillax.” 

Nicolas Sarkozy, Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

So how do you get this look? To do power jeans right, you’ll need jeans that are perfectly tailored to your body (plug for custom jeans) and select the right items to be paired with those bad boys. At indi, we endorse a collared shirt, either or a tie or a blazer, and a nice pair or shoes (no sneakers!). The goal here is to look classy and cool at the same time, so just make sure you got that balance down pat!

Also, if you’re looking for a distraction, check out this WSJ slide show on the evolution of jeans from the late 1800s to today. There’s nothing like taking a trip down memory lane to cure your case of the Mondays…

Jeans and a button-up shirt: How does it work?

Whether you’re heading to work during the week or going shopping on the weekend, wearing jeans with a button-up shirt is a great look that’s comfortable and always classy.  But at times, comfort and classiness can be confusing. So when it comes to jeans and a button-up, the question is how exactly do you put these two fashion staples together?

indiDenim blog to the rescue!

Per usual when it comes to jeans, this look can be dressed up or down, depending on your mood ring.  At work (if you’re allowed), wearing a crisp button-up shirt tucked into a dark pair of bootcut jeans says, “Hey people, I’m fun, I’m fashionable, I’m professional.” (Disclaimer: If you are going to tuck, blouse your shirt after tucking, so not to look like you literally stuffed your shirt into your pants and left them there.)

For a more casual look, let loose or tuck away. Pair a flannel cotton button up (we looooove the plaid patterns), with skinny jeans and flats or with some distressed jeans and comfortable boots.  Seriously, dress up or dress down, jeans and a button-up shirt will always look good and are practically comparable in comfort to a sweat suit…

Practically…

Denim-Inspired Costumes for the Ladies!

Ok ladies, it’s your turn—let’s talk costumes. Halloween is just a few days away and we know there’s a good chance that just like the guys, you don’t have a costume figured out either. It’s ok, we don’t judge.

When it comes down to it, unless you’re like my downstairs neighbor who bought her “sexy ghost” costume in July, Halloween can be downright stressful. That’s why we’re putting our foot down once and for all. For the love of denim, no more stress!

I know what you’re thinking. No magic blog will make your costume appear, right? Or can it?  As a wise President once said, “Yes we can! Yes we can!”

With jeans as our inspiration, check out these great last minute costume ideas that are all denim-inspired (obviously) and best of all, are sitting right in your closet.

1. Kelly from Saved by the Bell.

Notice a theme from our last blog?  Go ahead and replace Kelly with Brenda from 90210, the mom from Married with Children, or Lisa from Family Matters. You get the drift. Everyone from every sitcom in the 90s only wore jeans. Seriously. (Sigh, what a great decade…)

P.S. Is it just me or is Ms. Kapowski a little risk-ay in this picture? Good thing it’s Halloween…

2. Britney (Justin accessory not included).

This Britney look is more like an art project, if you ask us. That’s right, it’s officially time to put to use all your high school jeans that don’t fit anymore and are taking up room in the back of your closet. Cut and paste to create this jean-tastic ensemble. It’s gotta be that simple right? Justin thinks so.

3. Meg from Family Guy.

Just because we’re grown adults doesn’t mean we can’t love cartoons. Meg’s loose-fitting jeans are the perfect choice if you want to be comfortable this Halloween. Just accessorize with a pink beanie and a self-conscious and self-deprecating attitude and you’re golden!

Denim saves the day again. Happy Halloween jean lovers!

Jeans for Halloween! Denim-Inspired Halloween Costume Ideas (for the Guys)

Halloween is officially on Saturday, and let us guess, you’re still struggling to come up with a costume…

Doesn’t this happen every year? You tell yourself, “This year will be different! I’ll figure out my costume weeks ahead of time. And then at 5pm on Halloween night, there you are, tearing up your room attempting to throw something together. Not surprisingly, your costume approval ratings have been abysmal.

So consider this your pre-emptive emergency blog. When and if you’re stuck in this situation, you can consult us at no charge. And because we live and breathe denim, all last minute closet costume ideas are jeans inspired. But of course.

Guys: you’re probably in more need than the ladies, so we dedicate the first segment of this rescue blog to you. Here are our top 3 favorite jeans friendly Halloween ensembles:

1. Zack or Slater from Saved By the Bell. 

If you’re going for Zack, not only will you need some moose, but you’ll need to pull out your old school light wash denim jeans for the full affect. Also, remember to prepare your best one-liners for the ladies.

DISCLAIMER: We take no responsibility for the success or failure of your efforts with females.

image courtesy of denimblog.com

2. Russell Brand.

That British guy with the crazy hair who’s always shouting and wearing skinny jeans. We recommend you practice the accent before making a party appearance. Right-o.

image courtesy of anglopole.files.wordpress.com

3. Napoleon Dynamite.

A character that inspires costumes for all ages! Whether you’re Napoleon or Pedro, pull your baggy jeans well above your belly button and you’re set. Time to get your awkward on…

...Not a dude? Stay tuned for tomorrow’s last minute jeans-inspired costume ideas for the gals! indiDenim’s got your back, duh.

Indigo Jeans + Brad Pitt = Snaps of the Week!

Brad Pitt, we will always love you. Even as an old man in Benjamin Button, we still thought you were pretty dreamy.

Now it’s hard for us not to give snaps to Brad every week (honestly, does he ever not look good?), but this time around, we couldn’t stop ourselves.

Absolutely stylin’ in a dark pair of indigo jeans this past Monday, Brad shows the gentlemen out there how to hit the town in an indigo jean outfit.

With his navy collared shirt and jean blazer, Brad’s clearly saying (obviously in his sexy voice), “Hey, look at me. I’m not afraid to wear an indigo denim jacket with indigo jeans, so you shouldn’t be either.”

You should, however, be afraid of black shoes with an indigo jacket and indigo jeans. We call that a faux pas, Mr. Pitt. And, now that we think of it, the hair is looking a little out of control, as well…

Okay, okay…we’ll overlook it this time, Brad. But only because you’ve always been there for me…

I mean us.

image courtesy of dailymail.co.uk

Slimming jeans for your new, slimmer body!

Just dropped a few pounds?

Well, slimming jeans are the perfect way to complement your new, slimmer body.

And after all the grilled chicken, salads with the dressing on the side, power walks, and crunches, you deserve a new pair of slimming jeans as much as, well, that chocolate mousse cake you weren’t allowed to eat last night.

And not just any slimming jeans, mind you. You owe yourself some slimming custom jeans. You’ve worked hard to lose that weight, so now it’s time to show off your curves with a pair of slimming jeans that’s actually made to mimic your glorious shape.

Don’t fall victim to one of the biggest fashion faux pas out there: baggy clothing that makes you look bigger than you actually are! Fitted clothing is key. Fitted custom clothing is ideal.

So that means it’s time to get rid of those baggy jeans you used to wear. That’s right. Trash. Them. Now. Those old jeans don’t fit your fabulous new body anymore, anyway… Which means, you NEED new slimming jeans. 

And you know how we love when shopping becomes a necessity, and not just a desire!

Shoes with jeans? What shoes to wear with what jeans? Help?! Eek!

Pairing shoes with jeans is a critical skill.

And now that you’ve got your perfect fitting pair of (indiDenim) jeans, don’t ruin your custom denim with the wrong pair of shoes. So, how do you decide what shoes to wear with what jeans, you ask?

Well remember, your feet and your legs have a close relationship (after all, they have to get along, they are right next to each other).  So when thinking about one, you must think about the other, as well. It’s only fair.

For the ideal shoe yin to your denim yang, you first must consider the color of your jeans. Darker jeans tend to be “fancier” and the best jeans for going out (shout out to our last blog! Loves it!), while lighter, distressed denim is generally considered more casual. But whatever jeans you choose, your shoes should be the same degree of dressiness. 

When planning out what shoe to wear with what jeans, you should also consider the cut of your pants. If you’re wearing flare jeans for example, the more “substantial” your shoes should be. A little ballet flat will get lost and it will look like your jeans ate your feet. Yum.

Bootcut jeans scream for cowboy boots or even knee-high boot. The wider your pant leg, the more comfort room you have for boots underneath your jeans.

Wondering about shoes with your skinny jeans? We go for a sexy high heel or flat. But because skinny jeans hug nicely to your ankles, you actually have wiggle room to show off a variety of footwear—even sneakers if you wanna be casual. 

So, when customizing your jeans with indiDenim, be sure to put on a pair of shoes before giving us your inseam measurements. With wider jeans in particular, it’s important that the bottom of your pants reach close to the ground. It looks awkward if they are floating somewhere above your feet. Trust us.

And don’t be afraid of color! Really, does any color NOT look good with jeans? Not only can you pair your shoes with your jeans, but go ahead and match your shoes with your top or even your accessories. Have fun with it. After all, if your feet look good, your jeans look good, and girl, you look good.

image courtesy of sheknows.com

Jeans for going out

Dear weekend, we love you.

Nothing feels better than when 5pm on Friday rolls around and you have two glorious days ahead to relax, run some errands, and catch some extra Zs.

But hands down, we all know that the best part of the weekend comes after hours when you head out for the night and hit downtown with your friends.  For the ladies out there, if you know what you’re wearing, getting dressed for the evening (especially selecting your jeans for going out) can be almost as fun as getting jiggy on the dance floor. But if you stare at your overflowing closet and convince yourself you have nothing to wear, it may put a damper on your whole night out.

To find the best pair of jeans for going out, we recommend you go for a tighter fitting dark wash. Skinny jeans or bootcut are both examples of styles that can compliment your figure, and show off your curves so you look great.

Whatever style you pick for the night, be sure to pair your jeans with the right shoe. If you’re wearing skinny jeans, flats or boots will compliment this style perfectly. If you go for heels, make sure the bottom of your jeans covers your shoe and almost reaches the ground.

But whatever style you end up choosing, indiDenim can help you measure and customize your jeans for going out so they’re the perfect length to compliment your going-outfit.

And guys—time to heed the same advice. No, we’re not asking you to wear heels, but when it comes to meeting up with your buds or having dinner with your lady friend, it’s your best bet to pick jeans for going out. Pair a darker, well-cut pair (read: NOT BAGGY) with a nice pair of shoes, a crisp shirt or blazer, and you, too, are set for jolly fun times. 

See, don’t they look like their having a grand ‘ole time? Actually, maybe they’d look a little happier if they had custom jeans for going out…

image courtesy of mycelebrityfashion.co.uk

image courtesy of socialitelife.celebuzz.com

Custom made jeans for every species! You look good, dawg!

Custom made jeans are the key to looking fly—short or tall, straight or curvy, human or otherwise.

Just take our canine friend below, who is decked out in a fabulous pair of custom made jeans. Our whole office laughed out loud when we saw this picture of Harley, the Boston terrier from L.A. and his rockin’ denim. There’s no doubt about it—Harley knows that in order to get that perfect fit, custom made jeans are the only way to go.

So…what do you think? indiDenim Mascot, anyone?

image courtesy of latimesblogs.latimes.com

Indigo Jeans—the secret behind what makes blue jeans blue

Ever wonder what makes blue jeans blue?

Well, today is your lucky day! Stick with us, and you’ll learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know (and more) about indigo dye—the chemical responsible for giving your blue jeans their intense indigo color.

Many people are unaware, but indigo dye is almost as old as civilization itself. Archeologists have even found it in cloth wrapped around Egyptian mummies and on Babylonian tablets. It’s hard to believe, but the intense blue color comes from a couple of unassuming green plants:

The indigo plant

The woad plant

But getting the deep blue out of these plants is no easy task! And our ancestors devised quite the recipe to extract the dye—one that started with 3.5 gallons of stale urine and 4.5 ounces of salt.

That’s right, your eyes are not deceiving you—traditional indigo dye recipes called for vast quantities of urine. In some parts of the world, dyers even paid their neighbors for bowls of urine in order to create the dye that was called “blue gold,” for more reasons than one.

If you’re wondering how this traditional recipe was stumbled upon in the first place, we are right there with you. Unfortunately, we don’t have any clue, but we’ll let y’all marinate on that one for a bit…

Anyhow, the good news, for all of you out there who find yourselves a little bewildered, is that if your indigo jeans are younger than one hundred years old, their blue tint is a product of indigo and other less offensive ingredients. Modern day scientists have devised chemical alternatives that our blue jean suppliers have adopted.

New dye formulas for our indigo jeans—yet another reason to love science. Thank you science, indeed.

The best kind of boyfriend (jeans)

Skinny jeans, it’s time to meet your match. Enter: the boyfriend jean. 

In case you just happened to miss one of the biggest fashion trends this fall, the boyfriend jean has stepped on the scene as a form of backlash against the skinny jean.

You see, where skinny jeans are tight and fitted from your butt to your ankles, boyfriend jeans take a different approach to molding to your beautiful body. 

Boyfriend jeans, as their name implies, are meant to look as though you had borrowed jeans from your man (and here at indiDenim, we fully support stealing clothes from your significant other). And although they don’t necessarily have to be hijacked from your bf, they must be loose and relaxed all around.

Now here’s the key. Boyfriend jeans combine the best of comfort and style, but since this jean is designed to look two sizes too big, you must be careful not to end up looking disheveled and frumpy. 

So pair your best pair of boyfriends with a cute T or sweater and your favorite heels or ballet flats. Add a scarf, and you and your boyfriend jeans (sans boyfriend) are set for a lovely fall afternoon at the farmer’s market or, of course, a therapeutic trip to the mall. 

Need some visual inspiration? Just check out Halle Berry in her boyfriend attire.

image courtesy of usmagazine.com

But before we go, we need your input. You see, we’ve been a bit torn about the boyfriend jean since it made its debut. indiDenim is all about *perfect* fitting jeans, and given that the boyfriend jean is pretty much the antithesis of your perfect fitting pair, what’s a custom jean company to do?

So we’re asking you! What do you think? Should we break down and add it to the line up? Or should we hold our ground and stand by the denim ideals we’ve grown up with? Leave your comments and help us decide!

FREE jeans - The indiDenim October Jean Giveaway

Free jeans got your attention?

Good. Now listen up.

indiDenim has gone through a lot of changes in the past month (we’re growing up, aww, we know). No our voice isn’t deepening, nor our body maturing. Our technology is what has grown with leaps and bounds. And as of this week, you can SEE your jean as you BUILD it and then SHARE it with all your friends through Facebook (or your other favorite social media site) and in our public gallery called the Design Vault!

Now here are the deets on how to score free jeans from indiDenim:

All you have to do is design your perfect jean and add it to our Design Vault during the month of October, and you’ll be entered in our jean giveaway to win a free pair of custom jeans!

So help us celebrate, will ya? Start designing your jean today!

So you think you can dance…in jeans?

Dancing in jeans: tried by many, mastered by few.

If you haven’t seen this guy below, he is awesome. In fact, he takes awesome to new heights.

He rocks our socks not only because he can bust a move (every move, actually), but he’s dancin’ in denim.  Yea, we’re definitely in love. Can we friend him on facebook?

No, seriously. Can we?

Bootcut Jeans: Snaps of the Week go to (drum roll please)...P-Cruz!

A girl has got to rock a classic pair of bootcut jeans.

And this week we’re giving snaps (aka the snapping of the fingers, aka a classy applause) to Ms. Penelope Cruz, who is looking fabulous in her bootcut jeans.

image courtesy of instyle.com

All throughout the year, we at indiDenim keep our eyes peeled for new denim trends and celebrity fashion. But when it comes to the latest in the jeans domain, the fun fashion fact that every lady should know (regarless of the season) is: a great pair of bootcut jeans NEVER go out of style.

That’s why we’re excited about P-Cruz this week.

With new fall fashions well underway, new trends can be difficult to remember. Boyfriend jeans? Jeggings? Motorcyle jeans?

We keep track of fashion like it’s our job (because, well, it is), but we know that sometimes it can be hard to keep up with what’s stylish this season and what’s, well, not (shoutout to overalls).

That’s why here at indiDenim we love the classic fashion of bootcut jeans—get them in a light wash, dark denim, or distressed, we love ‘em all. Pair your pants with a sleek black blazer and some rockin’ boots (they are BOOTcut jeans, after all), and you are set for the fall. And next fall. And the fall after that…

Short jeans for shawty!

Short jeans shopping shouldn’t have to be a nightmare.

But if long jeans are an illusive tiger—out there somewhere and fairly impossible to find—then short jeans are the adorable tiger cub; smaller, and therefore that much harder to locate (see them both in their rare photographed glory in the image below).

So since we gave a shout out to all the long-legged ladies out there last week, we’d like to represent for our short-stemmed friends today.  Although their distance from the ground may differ, women with long legs and short legs can grab a latte and commiserate over the same shopping problem: how hard it is to find jeans that actually fit.

And the reason why short jeans are virtually non-existent? Well it all goes back to what we said before about retailers refusing to carry inventory for the people who aren’t “average.”

Most in-store inseams are around 30 to 32 inches. Seem long for a short stature? You betcha! So what’s a short girl to do?

Buy indiDenim custom jeans, perhaps…

Well, not to shamelessly plug ourselves, but there is definitely a time and a place for a little props to indiDenim for helping our tall and petite ladies with long and short jeans alike.

Egos aside, now come the stats. We’ve made some short jeans. To date, we’ve gone as short as 24 inches, but we can go shorter.

So the real question is, how low can we go?

Got an inseam shorter than 24 inches? Send us your order, and we’ll step up to the challenge.

image courtesy of: http://missourigreen.burningbird.net/

Blue Jeans! Sacre Bleu! No Wonder Jeans are Blue

Blue jeans are a wardrobe staple, but denim jeans come in every color under the sun. Regardless, the classic blue jean remains the ultimate favorite around the world. Perhaps that’s because blue jeans are suitable for everyone from blue collar workers to blue blooded royalty.

The color blue has been used to represent fascism (in Ireland), liberalism (in the U.S.), revolution (in France), truth (in Hinduism), virginity (in Christianity), and power (as seen in police uniforms). It’s safe to say, that whatever your political or religious beliefs, there’s a shade of blue (and blue jeans!) to match.

If you were to guess that blue is the world’s favorite color, you might be right. One unusual piece of evidence—the 1995 M&M color vote. In 1995, Mars Inc allowed consumers to choose a new M&M color by dialing 1-800-FUN-COLOR. As you may have guessed, blue won handily.

Congrats, Blue. We knew you had it in the bag the whole time.

Cotton jeans—new cotton denims at indiDenim

Cotton jeans are about as necessary as, well, air.

And while we like air and all, here at indiDenim we’re pretty obsessed with denim. Stretch, 100 percent cotton, American, European, Japanese, distressed or clean—You name it, we got it.

This week, in addition to our brand-spanking new jean builder, we’ve launched a new denim in four washes: Chalan, Buttero, Vaquero, Gaucho.

If you sensed a theme, add a tally to your scorecard! Alternatively, if you’re sitting there, eyes glossed over and about to x out of the window, hold on there cowboy!

That’s right, we’re paying homage to our favorite international cowboys because where would cotton jeans be without our cowboy brethren? Rugged cotton denim fabric is so deeply intertwined with cowboy mythology that the two are often difficult to separate. Cowboy movies from the 1950s are even credited with popularizing jeans. Children who watched cowboys on TV during the 1950s were inspired to adopt jeans as their uniform during the 1960s.

Like the cotton jeans of our cowboy forefathers, our new 100 percent cotton denim is a heavier weight, sturdy fabric—one that we think would be suitable for guys and gals, alike.

So mosey on over to our jean builder, and start designing your custom made jeans. But before you go, check out the sneak peak of our cotton denim below!

Long Jeans?  Oh, indiDenim jeans can go long

Long jeans are kind of like an illusive tiger.

You know they are out there, but where and how to find long jeans in their natural habitat takes tremendous skill and patience.

So even though you may have been “blessed” with runway model legs and “enjoy” being able to see over the crowd and reach anything on the top shelf, when it comes to finding a great pair of long jeans, you are a second class citizen! 

Most retailers discriminate against you (single tear)—and with good reason! Carrying inventory for a small percent of the population that may or may not buy from your store can get expensive. 

So where does the discrimination begin, you ask? Well if you have an inseam greater than 31.5” for women or 33.5” for men, you’re in the top 10th percentile of the population. Awesome for towering over your fellow 7th graders. Not so awesome for finding jeans long enough to cover your ankles.

But then indiDenim waltzed onto the scene. And with us as your personal denim sherpa, the pursuit of the long jeans has become a lot easier.

And not to brag or anything, but we’ve gone pretty long. We’ve even made jeans for pro-basketball players.Yeah—we’re kind of a big deal.

So how long have we gone? A quick query from our trusty database yields the results.

The winners are (drum roll please):
43” for men
39” for women

If you or someone you know (or someone you don’t know, for that matter—people with 43” inseams are easy to spot!) can beat our record—let us know. We’ll even devote an entire blog post to them and their impressive inseam.

Let the tall human hunt begin!

And when you find this giant, make sure to send us a photo of him (or her!) looking especially tigerish.

Perhaps something in the same vein as this would be appropriate:

image courtesy of http://www.konicaminolta.com

Baby got back? We’ve got your big booty covered. With jeans, that is.

Big booties need big bootie jeans.

But before we go any further, let’s give the obligatory shout out to Beyonce, J-LO, and Kim for helping big booty ladies all over love their beautiful behinds. It’s about time that we all celebrated our greatest ass-ett (sorry, I just couldn’t resist the opportunity for that one).

And celebrate we would, if only finding the right pair of jeans to cover your trunk was not one of the most daunting tasks of our earthly lives.

So before embarking upon the search, let’s prepare mentally. This may sound a bit odd, but sometimes you need to think about jeans like you think about a bra—you need a sturdy, supportive pair that can lift and shape your big booty.

Now that we’re in the right mindset, how do we find that perfect big booty jean?

Well, here are some basic tips on how YOU can design your own pair of indiDenim custom jeans to make sure that the marriage between your big booty and your denim does not end in divorce:

* Stretch it out! Ideally, you want to choose stretch denim (jeans with a combination of cotton and spandex) that will stretch to fit your backside. You don’t want to look like you’re about to lead Suzanne Somer’s next workout video, but your jeans should have enough stretch in them to be able to shape—and cover—your voluptuous bottom.

* Dark denim all the way! To optimize your butt, stay away from light-washed jeans because they’ll just make your hips look wider. It’s important to embrace the big booty, but when finding a great pair of jeans, it does not need to be the main event. If you pick a darker wash jean, it will slim your body…and your behind.  Also, be sure to pick a dark pair of jeans with back pockets close to the center. Lower down pockets will just make your big booty look bigger. And please, don’t bedazzle your pockets. Your booty is decoration enough!

* Pick a classic boot cut. If you pick a “regular” pair of jeans—aka not skinny jeans or other denim that’s blatantly styled—it will draw less attention to your rear. Skinny jeans, in general, are a bad choice because they cling to your ankles, and therefore draw attention to your thighs.

* Confidence, sister! Remember, there’s a reason why Sir Mix-A-Lot wrote a whole song dedicated to your back side. Your big booty is to be celebrated, so untie that sweatshirt from around your waist and be proud of what you’ve got. Now, with the perfect fitting pair of big booty jeans, you and Ms. Kardashian over there have absolutely nothing to hide.

Matchmaker, matchmaker make me a mannequin match

Today Marybeth (our CEO) and I took a little outing to the mannequin store. Although mid-week trips to Mannequin Madness have long been a favorite past time of mine, today was different. Today we were on a mission. And that mission was to find our lonely lady mannequin a Mr. Right.

The thing is, our mannequin had been doing the stag thing for a while now, and we could tell she was becoming a bit depressed. All her other mannequin friends were starting to get married, settling down with their mannequin families, and the whole deal. By the look on her face recently, it was obvious that all the outfit changes and photoshoots were wearing on her, and she really just needed a special someone to share her life with. You know—someone who loved her and understood the daily struggles of the fast-paced mannequin lifestyle.

So not taking the matchmaking task lightly, I did what any self respecting matchmaker would do: Wikipedia Fiddler on the Roof. And after reminding myself of the important details, I channeled my inner Yenta and set off to the mannequin store with Marybeth.

Once there, it didn’t take long for us to make our decision (these things come naturally to a Yenta, you know). We passed on the super-ripped mannequins with the alarming bulges, and went with the more respectable, athletic mannequin with the strong, confident stance.

And what happened when we arrived back at the office with our stud of a mannequin in toe? Well, let’s just say sparks flew and they’ve been inseparable ever since.

It even appears that our lady mannequin is sporting a ring. Boy those youngins sure work fast!

Now that the match has been made, the only issue that remains pending is…

Names!

Can you believe we forgot to name our little love birds? HELP US! Send us your ideas and we might just pick your suggestion!

Just remember, make Yenta proud.

Boot tucking to make Britney proud

Last week, I pulled a muscle trying to tuck my jeans into my boots. Yes, I know, beauty is pain, but something tells me this pain could have been avoided.

So after recovering from my mild back injury, I started to think—there must be thousands upon thousands of people (just as uncoordinated as I am) who encounter this wretched problem every week.

Intent on putting an end to all tuck-induced leg cramps and back injuries nationwide, I have compiled a list of tips every jean-tucker should know.

So here are the deets:

First, whether you’re wearing hot black leather boots or rockin’ the ugg, the boot tuck will be easier with a narrower leg opening. By picking jeans with a slim cut and tapered leg, you’re dealing with less material, which will avoid bunch ups above the boot and make the boot/jean meeting place look seemingly seamless.

After you put on your jeans (stay tuned for our forthcoming blog for the art of putting on pants), check the length of your jeans. If they fall longer than your ankles, fold them over.

Now it’s time for the sock tuck. REPEAT: Before stuffing your jeans into your boots, you must first stuff your jeans into your socks.

I’m repeating this, not because you didn’t hear me the first time, but because I’m need to remind myself. I’m a serial offender of the sock tuck first rule. And let’s just say, nothing good ever comes of it. Just broken mirrors… Don’t ask.

So, back to the sock tuck.  For success, choose a longer pair of socks or even knee-highs that you can then lightly scrunch down. Avoid ankle socks. They aren’t ideal and your jeans will just end up popping out the second you bend over to put your boots on.

After your jeans are secured into your socks, you are ready for the boot!  If you’ve tucked properly, your boots should slip right on…and there you go. We like ‘em, Britney likes ‘em, that guy behind her likes ‘em…and you my friend, look fabulous.

Build your own jeans 2.0

Building your own jeans is about to get a little cooler.

At indi, we are all about bringing the most revolutionary technologies to the fashion industry. Accordingly, we’ve spent the past couple months developing *the* most awesome UI (objectively speaking, of course) out there. In just a few short days, not only will you be able to build your perfect jeans down to the smallest details at indiDenim, but you will be able to see it configure and morph—right in front of your eyes! Check out the screenshot of our new jean builder below:

And once you’ve perfected your jean designing skills, you can:

* Proudly spam all your contacts with all the jean masterpieces you’ve created
* Post your jean designs on your Facebook wall and start a jean designing war with your friends
* Save your jean to our design vault (gallery) and rate your design from various IP addresses to make sure your jeans come up as “highest rated”

... Really, the possibilities are endless.

Jeggings - the skinny on a new kind of skinny

Throughout their 136 year history, we’ve seen jeans of all types. From the baggy 90’s grunge look, to the 70’s elephant bells, we thought we’d seen it all.

But we were wrong. Very wrong.

Enter the new Fall ‘09 trend, the jegging. You’ve probably already heard all about the jegging, but if not, here’s the low down:

A jegging is a cross between a legging and a jean (kind of like a liger). But more specifically, it is a legging with belt loops, pockets, and a faux fly tacked on. The fabric even comes with a denim print!

So far, the jegging has received mixed reviews. And not to take sides or anything, but at indi, we’re partial to real jeans (jeggings aren’t actually denim). No offense or anything, jeggings. We’re still cool with you and all…

Well, whether you’re a fan or a foe, this trend is definitely worth a second look.

Whitney Port sporting jeggings

Beyonce rockin’ her jeggings

...Plus, it’s pretty hard not to do a double-take. They are quite a sight to be seen.

A trip down denimory lane - An indiDenim Customer Survey

Instead of sitting around our conference room table and trying to guess the answers to all these questions about you all, we came up with a novel alternative!

Yup, that’s right: SURVEY TIME!

So instead of flipping back over to your friend’s Facebook photo album, spend a few minutes here and tell us a little more about yourself. Think of it as a 25 questions of sorts. Except that this 25 questions actually MAKES you money. You’ll get a $25 indiDenim coupon just for filling it out (before October 1, 2009). We’re that nice.

And after you’re done, you can even post the survey to your favorite social media website, and your friends can get $25 off, too.

Now aren’t you a good friend?

Acid Washed Jeans—What Goes Around Comes Around

When acid washed jeans stormed through Europe during the mid 1980’s, rumors spread as quickly as the fad. According to some, acid washed denim could cause cancer or rashes.

Actually, wearing acid washed denim is harmless to your health (although we can’t say what it might do to your social life). And contrary to popular belief, it is not treated with acid. To create acid washed denim, raw denim is tumbled with bleach soaked pumice stones. The resulting fabric is speckled, dappled, or streaked with white. But don’t take my word for it—the images below speak for themselves.

After decades of ridicule, acid wash may be coming back out of the closet. Lately, we’ve spotted it on celebrities and runways. Whether our second love affair with acid wash will be a short fling or a long term relationship remains to be seen.

(courtesy http://www.Balmain.com)

Ripped Jeans

Whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, ripped jeans are back in style.

Ripped jeans  are as old as jeans themselves, but they didn’t become a trend until the mid 1970’s when icons such as the Ramones, below, began wearing them.

The Ramones are practicing what fashion nerds (such as myself) call “conspicuous outrage.” This term describes consumers who purposefully dress in a disheveled or shocking manner to offend the public. During an era when denim lovers reverently patched their jeans at the first sign of wear, the Ramones’ anti-patch attitude is definitely outrageous.

With frequent exposure to ripped jeans, the public gradually began to accept them and eventually admire them. Today, ripped jeans are so ubiquitous that we see them on everyone from celebrities to soccer moms, and from tots to teens.

Rhianna, the fashionista, shows off her ripped skinnies.

image courtesy of WhoWhatWear

Even toddlers can make a fashion statement with rips and tears!

image courtesy of Crewcuts

So don’t be shy, we know you want to…build and destroy  your jeans!

Your butt LIVE at at a fitting room near you (or in Austrailia)

And now another solution to a problem we barely knew existed.

image courtesy of cocoperez.com

Checking out our own butts. In dressing rooms.

Jeanswest, a denim retailer in Australia, just came out with butt cams for 3 of their stores. Yes. Butt cams. No more straining the neck for these lucky Aussie gals!

Checking out one’s junk in the trunk has never been easier, or more technologically advanced.

And since we know you are wondering…

1. No, the cameras aren’t recording (recorded, no; closely monitored for the entertainment of store personnel, probably).
2. No, there aren’t plans for butt cams in American locations—yet.
3. Yes, the CEO of Jeanswest is a man. Who else would come up with such a brilliant idea, like a butt cam? And for the record, we’re betting he is keeping a “close eye” on the success of these butt cams.
4. Yes, butt cams in dressing rooms are only the beginning. Just wait till you see what they come up with next.

The future will be an interesting place.

If you fear for the children of tomorrow, you are not alone.

Japanese Jeans: an international sensation

Ah, the Japanese.

They have given us so much to be thankful for (think Hondas, Tamagotchis, and the girlfriend lap pillow), and fashion is no exception. Their cutting edge, push-the-boundaries, anything goes, calculated yet cool sense of style is impossible to ignore.

So, it’s not surprising then that their denim fashions are equally noteworthy.

So what Japanese denim sensations have us doing a double-take these days? 

Denim jackets have been making waves beyond the US of A. They’ve been spotted in Japan, and even seen paired with jeans.

(Courtesy Japanesestreets.com)

So you know what that means? It’s official. The Japanese have spoken. Double denim can be done. BUT since not all of us are 100 pound Japanese fashionistas with Harojuku wardrobes, we recommend thinking carefully about your denim on denim decisions if you have any doubts about your ability to pull it off.

Some other Japanese denim trends, straight from the street, include some somewhat frightful 80s influences. Take this denim jacket, fully equipped with an elastic waistband.

Now that’s a girl whose ready for a Michael Jackson tribute!

(Courtesy Japanesestreets.com)

But we have to admit, there’s something about that layered look and the popped collar that makes us (almost) want to raid our dad’s closet and uncover this 80s gem. Too bad (or good) for us: we don’t live at home anymore…

So before we sign off, we’ll leave something for all of you who are looking to get in touch with your inner Japanese self with a less conventional denim accessory. We call it the jascarf, aka the denim jacket turned winter scarf. 

(Courtesy Japanesestreets.com)

We’re not exactly sure it will keep you warm, but we’re pretty confident it will get you noticed.

If that’s what you’re into…

Winkers: Not Coming Soon at indiDenim.com

Working for a custom jean company, friends and strangers alike enjoy sending us ideas for greater customization of jeans.

Most of the time we smile and file away the emails, but occasionally there are gems. Lucky for you all, today we received one of those gems.

Enter Winkers (patent pending, in case you were getting any bright business ideas). These bad boys will jazz up even the most boring, simple pair of jeans.

To truly appreciate the Winkers, we strongly suggest watching the video:

So if you are looking for a little added detail to get you some attention as you strut your stuff down the main drag, Winkers will probably do the trick.

We can’t say we endorse Winkers from a fashion standpoint, but we do have to admit they are pretty entertaining (and might even help you make a few new friends).

Although maybe not the “friends” you were hoping for…

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posted by: deborah on December 2, 2009 at 12:13 pm
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TAGS: custom jeans, jeans, jeans that fit

posted by: deborah on December 1, 2009 at 4:24 pm
filed under: Misc Musings | Add a comment
TAGS: custom jeans, jeans, distressed denim

posted by: abigail on November 30, 2009 at 11:56 am
filed under: Happenings at indiDenim | comments (1)
TAGS: jeans, sheknows, indidenim giveaway

posted by: deborah on November 25, 2009 at 4:01 pm
filed under: Fit Jeanious | Add a comment
TAGS: jeans, low rise jeans, bootcut jeans, dark jeans

posted by: abigail on November 24, 2009 at 2:29 pm
filed under: Happenings at indiDenim | Add a comment
TAGS: jeans, twitter

posted by: deborah on November 20, 2009 at 5:32 pm
filed under: Trend Alert | Add a comment
TAGS:

posted by: deborah on November 17, 2009 at 1:51 pm
filed under: Denim 101 | Add a comment
TAGS: jeans, low rise jeans

posted by: eunice on November 16, 2009 at 11:51 am
filed under: Happenings at indiDenim | comments (2)
TAGS: jeans, jean giveaway

posted by: deborah on November 11, 2009 at 9:30 am
filed under: Misc Musings | comments (1)
TAGS: custom jeans

posted by: deborah on November 9, 2009 at 6:20 pm
filed under: Denim 101 | Add a comment
TAGS: denim trends, jeans

posted by: deborah on November 6, 2009 at 1:34 pm
filed under: Denim 101 | Add a comment
TAGS: custom jeans, cheap jeans

posted by: deborah on November 3, 2009 at 3:57 pm
filed under: Denim 101 | comments (1)
TAGS: custom jeans

posted by: deborah on November 2, 2009 at 9:19 am
filed under: Misc Musings | Add a comment
TAGS: custom jeans, power jeans

posted by: deborah on October 30, 2009 at 6:20 pm
filed under: Trend Alert | comments (1)
TAGS: denim trends, jeans

posted by: deborah on October 28, 2009 at 6:01 pm
filed under: Misc Musings | comments (2)
TAGS: jeans

posted by: deborah on October 27, 2009 at 5:14 pm
filed under: Misc Musings | comments (1)
TAGS: skinny jeans, jeans, baggy jeans, light wash jeans

posted by: deborah on October 23, 2009 at 10:27 am
filed under: Trend Alert | Add a comment
TAGS: indigo jeans, snaps of the week

posted by: deborah on October 21, 2009 at 9:50 am
filed under: Fit Jeanious | comments (1)
TAGS: custom jeans, jeans that fit, slimming jeans

posted by: deborah on October 19, 2009 at 12:41 pm
filed under: Trend Alert | comments (2)
TAGS: denim trends, womens jeans, shoes

posted by: deborah on October 16, 2009 at 2:19 pm
filed under: Trend Alert | Add a comment
TAGS: jeans for going out

posted by: deborah on October 14, 2009 at 10:30 am
filed under: Misc Musings | Add a comment
TAGS: custom jeans, jeans that fit

posted by: danielle on October 13, 2009 at 5:27 pm
filed under: Denim 101 | comments (1)
TAGS: history of jeans, blue jeans, indigo jeans

posted by: deborah on October 12, 2009 at 7:34 pm
filed under: Trend Alert | comments (4)
TAGS: custom jeans, denim trends, womens jeans, baggy jeans, boyfriend jeans

posted by: abigail on October 9, 2009 at 8:48 am
filed under: Happenings at indiDenim | comments (1)
TAGS: design your own jeans, jeans that fit, free jeans

posted by: deborah on October 8, 2009 at 2:40 pm
filed under: Misc Musings | Add a comment
TAGS: mens jeans

posted by: deborah on October 7, 2009 at 1:23 pm
filed under: Trend Alert | Add a comment
TAGS: denim trends, bootcut jeans

posted by: deborah on October 6, 2009 at 1:02 pm
filed under: Misc Musings | Add a comment
TAGS: jeans that fit, short jeans

posted by: danielle on October 2, 2009 at 4:52 pm
filed under: Denim 101 | Add a comment
TAGS: blue jeans

posted by: abigail on September 30, 2009 at 3:21 pm
filed under: Happenings at indiDenim | Add a comment
TAGS: custom jeans, american denim, cotton jeans

posted by: abigail on September 29, 2009 at 5:38 pm
filed under: Misc Musings | Add a comment
TAGS: custom jeans, jeans that fit, long jeans

posted by: deborah on September 25, 2009 at 4:07 pm
filed under: Fit Jeanious | comments (1)
TAGS: big booty jeans, custom jeans, womens jeans, stretch jeans, best jeans for your body

posted by: abigail on September 23, 2009 at 5:23 pm
filed under: Happenings at indiDenim | comments (1)
TAGS: mannequin

posted by: rupa on September 22, 2009 at 2:38 pm
filed under: Denim 101 | Add a comment
TAGS: skinny jeans, denim trends, womens jeans, straight leg jeans, tucking jeans

posted by: abigail on September 21, 2009 at 6:54 pm
filed under: Happenings at indiDenim | comments (1)
TAGS: custom jeans, design your own jeans

posted by: danielle on September 14, 2009 at 4:07 pm
filed under: Trend Alert | Add a comment
TAGS: skinny jeans, denim trends, womens jeans, jeggings

posted by: abigail on September 4, 2009 at 4:32 pm
filed under: Happenings at indiDenim | Add a comment
TAGS: custom jeans

posted by: danielle on September 2, 2009 at 3:47 pm
filed under: Denim 101 | Add a comment
TAGS: history of jeans, denim trends, acid wash

posted by: danielle on August 28, 2009 at 4:15 pm
filed under: Denim 101 | Add a comment
TAGS: skinny jeans, history of jeans, ripped jeans

posted by: abigail on August 27, 2009 at 9:16 pm
filed under: Misc Musings | comments (1)
TAGS: womens jeans

posted by: abigail on August 26, 2009 at 9:35 pm
filed under: Trend Alert | Add a comment
TAGS: denim trends, japanese denim, denim jackets, double denim

posted by: abigail on August 20, 2009 at 3:28 pm
filed under: Misc Musings | comments (1)
TAGS: custom jeans

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