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:
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!
posted by: Bonnie on August 26, 2010 at 8:19 am
filed under:Trend AlertDenim 101
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denim on denim
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.
posted by: eunice on August 24, 2010 at 12:09 pm
filed under:Denim 101
TAGS:
school jeans
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.
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.
posted by: eunice on April 19, 2010 at 1:16 pm
filed under:Denim 101
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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!
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.
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.
posted by: Adrian on December 21, 2009 at 5:49 pm
filed under:Denim 101
TAGS:
jeans,
dark jeans
“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…
posted by: deborah on December 16, 2009 at 11:24 am
filed under:Denim 101
TAGS:
jeans,
slim fit jeans
