By Fashion Apothecary Design Co.

No item of clothing is more all-American than the blue jean. Tracing its origins in America back to the late eighteenth century, denim has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a rugged cotton twill textile or the warp-striped hickory cloth worn by railroadmen, goldminers or “hicks”. Today, denim’s versatility and wearability has spurred a jean rush – with everything from bras to sneakers and dresses being made in the fabric. Whether they bear the original two horses tearing at a pair label (Levi’s) or the plethora of new designer brands, we love our jeans! From rodeos to Rodeo Drive, the jean has seen country western to red carpet glam, and everything in between. Even the Project Runway designers had a denim challenge!

The perfect fit for a jean is often hard to find – I tend to have one or two favorite brands with trusted size and fit. Finding the perfect pair of jeans is a very personal and often grueling task. The fact that almost anything goes these days from the super-skinny to the wide-leg to the boot-cut doesn’t make shopping for jeans any easier. First and foremost, find a cut that flatters your body type. Generally, the darker the wash the thinner you look. When looking for the perfect pair, you should make sure it fits at your waist (using pliers to zip up does not constitute a good fit), thighs, inseam and perhaps most importantly – The Booty! Few pants can do as much with the butt as the right pair of jeans. If you are trying to flatter an ample bottom, avoid skinny styles and a lot of embellishments – low-rise, boot cut or a slight flare will help draw attention away balancing your figure. If on the other hand, you need to enhance the derriere, look for well-placed pockets on the b-hind. Whatever your body type, stretch denim can often be more comfortable and flattering with five or diagonal slash pockets. Avoid pleats at all cost. Skinny jeans are all the rage, and brands from Europe are coming in with styles that appear to be painted on – for both men and women. But we can’t stress enough, if a style doesn’t suit your body type, don’t turn yourself from fashionable to fashion faux-pas! When deciding to buy your next pair, take a friend along who’ll tell it like it is, and make sure you love them too. If you love it, most likely we will as well.

A couple of Denim Don’ts…

Make sure you have a couple of washes and styles of denim in your closet - coworkers don’t need to see your club worthy booty! And at all costs, please avoid head-to-toe denim. As much as you may be tempted by the wearability of your favorite denim jacket and jean, some things are meant to be worn alone.

More Articles

• ACCESSORY SECRETS
• STROKE of GENIUS
• Too Cool for School
• New Dogs, Old Trick?
• MI CULTURA
• Color coat my days