Buying a pair of jeans is actually – and should be – dependent on personal taste. Yes, people think you look horrible in those overalls, but at least they don’t fall off when you’re piling carabao feed in your lola’s farm. Let them do the piling in their Guess? skinny legs, and see how comfy it will be for them doing that! But having said that, no, the taste need not be bad!
I came out of the dressing room looking – for me – harried, about to ask some store assistant for a bigger pair of jeans (Oh my, I’m no longer a size 28!), when, there he was, this guy I used to fancy (A lot!), also coming out (Topless – my, my!) of the other dressing room, also looking for someone to pick an outfit of a different size (A smaller shirt, in his case – some people have all the luck, I tell you).
“Hey,” I said, his naked torso making me oh-so conscious I just asked for a bigger pair of pants.
He smiled, his hands on his waist as he looked me over. “Those look great on you,” he said, nodding towards my jeans, just as the store clerk came back with what we asked for.
“Thank you,” I said, wanting to tell him, too, that he looked good without his shirt on; instead just heading back inside the dressing room. It was good enough for me he noticed the fit of the jeans I was trying on (Hello, he actually noticed me!), I knew what I had on was something special.
Fast forward 14 minutes later, I was P3,750 short, with a pair of pants in my bag, couldn’t wait to show off how great I can look in it (His words, not mine).
Fast forward three six months later, and I’m still P3,750 short, now with a pair of pants I am unable to use, since they don’t fit me anymore – well, they do, actually, but they make me look like a suman, all the bulges trying to force their way out where they shouldn’t. So they now stay in the closet, waiting for that day when I can be great in them again. Just don’t ask me when.
If it’s any consolation, I learned a valuable (It was worth P3,750, to be exact) lesson from the buying of that pair of jeans. It’s the need to focus on the fit, among others, not on how people perceive you (No matter how much you fancy them) in them.
Of course, this is just one lesson.
Now for the others.
Buying a pair of jeans is actually – and should be – dependent on personal taste. Yes, people think you look horrible in those overalls, but at least they don’t fall off when you’re piling carabao feed in your lola’s farm. Let them do the piling in their Guess? skinny legs, and see how comfy it will be for them doing that! But having said that, no, the taste need not be bad, mainly by following some simple fashion tips.
Know your body type.
Generally, there are four body types, i.e. slim (Think Ewan McGregor – and, nah, I’m not one of them anymore); the curvy (Think Eva Mendez before CK Obsession; or of Marilyn Monroe); athletic (Marc Nelson? No, he’s not an athlete, at least not that I know of, but his body is athletic, no sense denying that); and full-figured body types (Jennifer Hudson or Sharon Cuneta or Aiko Melendez or Nadia Montenegro).
For the slim, opt for those that are straight from the hips to the knee, but with a slight flare from there to below (e.g. boot cut). The body type is also great for low-rise jeans, allowing for the showing off of the Apollo’s belt (If you have it).
The curvy may opt for the same fit – except with larger flare (takes away the emphasis on the thighs), e.g. wider boot cut. Avoid those too tight in the crotch area (And that’s even if you have the most tempting basket).
Those who have athletic body can go for low-rise jeans (Show those abs!), preferably with contoured waistband (Emphasize the emphasize-able). To create the impression of having wider hips, choose skinny jeans.
The full figured body should avoid the skinnies at all costs – balance the big waist/hips with boot cut, instead. And, yeah, opt for darker shades for that slimming effect.
Consider the styles available.
There’s the boot cut (Loose through the leg, then wide at the leg opening – any wider, it becomes flare leg jeans); low-rise (Sits low on the waist – variant: ultra-low); skinnies (Tights-like, in jeans); distressed (All those tatters); et cetera. Others are, basically, combinations of the available styles.
Pick a color.
Dark jeans are now acceptable even for work, making them the versatile pairs to have (Ideal for night outs, too). While paler shades are nice, too, the use tend to be limited (Usually day events, so…). In any case, avoid strong colors, e.g. red, violet, green, et cetera – unless you know you can pull wearing them off (Meaning, you should have modelled or something; else, you’ll just look like a remnant of the 1980s, e.g. Boy Abunda).
Now you have the right pair, what next aside from wearing?
Care for your jeans, e.g. wash them separately, especially during first wash; wash them inside out to retain color; don’t put in the drier; et cetera.
Now, if only I can do something about those jeans I supposedly look great in but can’t fit into right now, I’d be a happier jeans guy, indeed!
