My interpretation:
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| Jacket: Sofia Vergara for KMart; Scarf: gift; Jeans: Kut; Boots: Target; Arm Warmers: Fred Boutique |
Ever since I bought these jeans at Hot Mama, I decided I would go back at some point to get a blue skinny version and maybe a bootcut version, too, since I was happy with the fit. With the post-holiday sale, I figured now would be a good time. The lady at the store had me size down two sizes for these, and I've never really been sure if that was a good idea, so I only sized down once when I ordered two more on-sale jeans from the website the other day. They're supposed to be delivered today, so we'll see! Hopefully the "bigger" size will fit even better.
I found their premium denim care tips kind of interesting:
Fit
1. Go Tight or Go Home - Denim stretches, so find the pair you like and go a size down. Your jeans will end up looking perfect.
2. Pay Up - If you wear denim every day, it's a small price to pay for a great fit.
3. Look in your Rearview Mirror - Make sure you check out how your butt looks in a 3-way mirror. If you're in one of our stores, ask a stylist to help. If you purchased online and are trying them on at home, ask a friend or have someone take a photo of you in your jeans and send it to us at karol@hotmamaonline.com. We're here to help either long distance or in a Hot Mama boutique!
4. Take a Hike - Walk around the store and make sure the jeans don't constrict your everyday movement. If you can't move your hips, move on to a new pair.
5. Nip Tuck - It's normal to get alterations on your denim. Take in the waist, chop off the length, it's worth it to make your jeans feel perfect.
Care
1. Wash your jeans inside out and in cold water to help protect the color.
2. Line dry! (If you must, tumble dry on low for no more than 10 minutes.)
3. To help preserve the color of dark washes and to minimize bleeding, sealing the wash is recommended. Soak overnight in one cup vinegar to one gallon water. Wash on cold, right side out. Or, wash the jeans alone in cold and toss in ½ cup of salt instead of detergent.
Buying jeans so small kind of weirded me out at first. I haven't actually been the size I bought since about 2004. I thought it was funny how they encourage you to send them a shot of your jeans from behind to get their advice. In the store, the lady was nothing but complimentary (probably trying to get me to drop $90 on jeans), so I can't imagine they'd be any other way via email. And finally, Step 3 in the Care section? Yeah no. I'm the laziest laundry-doer - I don't even separate my clothes for the most part - I'm not going to give my jeans that much extra love. But anyway, I'm excited to add a couple more nice jeans to my wardrobe. Hopefully I can keep them nice without bathing them in salt or vinegar.
Do you put more effort into keeping your denim good as new? I'm actually curious whether it's worth doing.
If anything has a bit of stretch, I always size down one for sure. Otherwise, by the end of the day, I'm pulling up my pants bc the waist, butt, and knees are droopy. Not a good look! I've learned the hard way. Also, with premium denim, I always wash inside out, in cold. Sometimes I throw them in the dryer for a couple minutes while I put another load in the washer, but then take them out to line dry. I think I take most care w/ bras, workout wear, and denim bc they cost so much!!
ReplyDeleteI must say, I've come to the realization though that $ doesn't always equal the best thing (duh!!). My favorite skinny jeans are from American Eagle. I tried on a few pairs of Paige jeans at Macy's and liked them, but thought that before I threw down $130 (on sale!), I check AE. So glad I did bc I found a pair I liked just as much, if not better bc in "shorts" the length is perfect(still a bit long even) and the. The style and fit rivaled Paige's.
My lesson learned is that when you find a brand that works for your body and makes you feel great, try on several varieties/styles and invest. In the end, the cost per wear will pay off.
That makes sense to size down for stretchy stuff. I think I'm mostly nervous about getting a muffin top, but I guess that has a lot to do with the rise, too. As far as washing, I basically do the same thing you do with my jeans. I'm glad to hear it doesn't take more effort than that.
DeleteYa know, I've heard good things about American Eagle denim! I always feel old walking in that store, but maybe it would be worth doing anyway to give them a try. I just checked their website, and there's a big banner at the top that says, "All jeans on sale." Ding ding!
i don't make any efforts...i am so lazy when it comes to clothing care! i hate buying a size down because i'm scared they will always be tight, but it really is good advice! i love this look on you. that scarf is great!
ReplyDeleteYou rocked this inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI'm sort of between sizes in a lot of jeans so I never know how much they're really going to stretch. My most recent pair I probably could have gone a size down but the size I chose didn't stretch all that much and seems to be holding up!
I do line dry mine but I always forget to wash them inside out and I've never done that third step. And, really, the fabric wears out before the color fades for me anyway!
Eek! Those care instructions make me look like a horrible jean owner. I have never thought to do anything but wash and dry my jeans. Isn't denim supposed to be durable? Boy, am I out of the denim loop!
ReplyDeleteI really don't wash my jeans that much, they say it is better for them
ReplyDeleteYou did a nice job with the interpretation
Brett
Are those jeans black? If so, it would be pretty easy to throw them in the washer with some dye t refresh them if they start to fade a bit eventually.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever tried on Old Navy's Flirt jeans? We seem to have similar body shapes, and I really like their Flirt style. Flirt and Sweetheart are both supposed to be for girls without straight hips; I'm not sure if I've tried on Sweetheart though. You'll want to try the jeans on in store though, because Old Navy jeans run a size or two bigger than most brands (I'm a 17-18 in most brands, but a 14 in Old Navy). The nice thing is you can get most of their jeans in five different lengths (Short, regular, long, tall, or petite) on their web-site; I tend to have problems with regular length bootcut jeans being a little short on me (I'm 5'8").
One problem I've noticed though with Old Navy jeans, if you buy two pairs of jeans in the extra same size and style, sometimes one fits a little smaller; so, if you buy multiple pairs, try them all on before washing.
Here are the ones I really like:
http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=85736&vid=1&pid=562760132
*exact same size
DeleteYeah, all my Old Navy jeans are what made me turn to more expensive denim in the first place. I love that they have more sizes (and LONGS, hooray), and they fit great for the first 10 minutes; but I find that they sag and get all loose in no time, thus requiring me to wear a belt or yank them up anytime I move. However, I will absolutely keep going to Old Navy for colored jeans or printed ones if I ever feel the need to go that route - jeans that don't require as much of a commitment price-wise. I'm still a big fan of the cords I just bought from there! I actually do have a couple Old Navy jeans that I've held onto, so I haven't written them off entirely by any means.
DeleteAlso, good suggestion about the black dye. I'll keep that in mind if they last long enough to fade, which hopefully they will.
Oh wow! I love Blake/Gossip Girl and I love how you recreated this look! Your jacket has a lot of cool details.
ReplyDeleteThat first tip is SO TRUE. I have purchased some jeans where I did not follow that because the next size down just seemed so stinkin tight - and those jeans ended up with saggy butts and too-stretched waistbands after one or two wears. I always go down a size - if you grab your waistband at your back, you shouldn't be able to grab a chunk of the waistband in your fist - it should be that tight. I'm kind of anal about my jeans and always hang them dry - but that's because I have super long legs and can't take a chance that the dryer will shrink the length.
ReplyDeleteI also agree about spending $$ on them - my most expensive jeans have lasted the longest and worn the best. I have a pair of Juicy couture jeans I spent $150 on - TEN YEARS ago! Since they're in a classic cut, I have gotten so much wear out of them.
Can't wait to see how the 2 pairs your ordered look!! :)
The Blue Hour