Jeans

Jeans to Suit Your Genes

A recent article in the Australian Age started my research into the jeans question.  As this particular piece of clothing has become a staple in every woman's wardrobe that I know and the favourite in mine, I wondered just how many of us HAVE actually found the perfect jeans.

The article asked, 'could it be shape, not size nor style, that really counts in flattering jeans?'  Yes!! say I unequivocally.  (read the full article which is written about a new range called Levi Curve ID).

In the article, the company president, Robert Hanson said "One of the most frustrating things for women is that they are not finding the right jeans for their body," he says, putting jeans in the same shape-sensitive category as bras and swimsuits.

To make his point, Hanson and senior vice president of women's design, You Nguyen, met last week at the Levi's Manhattan office with three models, all fit, trim and a Levi's size 27 waist. Not much else about their figures were similar, though. One woman had a very narrow bottom with only a small difference in width. She typically struggles with pants that, if they fit her in the hips and thigh, are tight around her waist.

Another woman had a more proportional shape, but jeans that fit her in the waist weren't flattering to her hips and thighs. The third had the problem of pants that fit her wider hips and thighs but gaped at the back of the waistband.

So where does that leave us?  Certainly not all waist 27, in fact most of us haven't seen that measurement since our teens. And looking at Geraldine and I, you could not find more diverse figures.  I have no hips and Geraldine is the opposite with at least 8 more centermetres to her height.  Could we wear the same Jeans?  I don't think so.

	Raewyn -Petite - No Hips My problem is always the gap at the back of the waistband as everything else always fits.  My favourites are Ksubi and Nudie jeans both from the Superette chain here and in Australia (Nudie Jeans even have a fan site people are so addicted to them), Habituals come a close second.  They are an american jean stocked most places around the world.
Bettina Liano Curvy fit	Geraldine - Tall with hips Now Geraldine being totally different, and not being able to find the right skinny jean, had an amazing find lastweekend in Sydney.  She was recommended to buy Bettina Liano jeans for a more curvy figure.  Voila!!
	Joan - Petite - small waist Another friend Joan is a jeans affecionado.  Knows them all and is an expert at where to buy.  Joan is about my size 163cm and more curvy, so again the same jeans do not work for both of us.  Joan's favourites are Genetic jeans (skinnys) to tuck into boots for the daytime,  J Brand for evening as they have lovely dark denims (they also suit her tall, slim daughter) and yes also Nudie jeans work for her too as they are more of a high rise.
	Annie - Petite - size 12 - 14 Another midlife woman, Annie, says of Not Your Daughter's Jean', "this is the first time in my life I have been able to wear jeans since buying a pair of NYDJ - at last I have found jeans I can wear".  Annie says they suit size 14 and even 12+ better than any others she has ever tried on and she has tried on dozens before buying happily this year.

A great tip for petite women to appear taller is to wear a nude shoe especially under jeans for summer.  I found this out by accident last summer and it works.  Then I read in a recent article that Victoria Beckham has been employing this idea for ages.  Great minds think alike.  Ha.