2009-05-26
You
don't
have to
be an
American
idol to
get the
perfect
fit when
it comes
to jeans
this
summer.
We all
know
that
whether
it's a
great
pair of
short
"Daisy
Dukes"
cutoffs
layered
over
swimsuits
or
worn-out
boot-legs
with
flip-flops,
our
jeans
rock 'n'
roll no
matter
what
time of
year.
But we
all have
fit
issues,
right?
You can
buy all
the
latest
"it"
jeans —
but if
they
don't
really
do the
rear
view
(and the
front
view,
too!)
justice,
then why
should
it
matter?
After
all,
many of
us live
in
denim.
"For so
many of
us,
pants
are a
daily
staple,"
says
Paula
Reed, a
London
style
guru who
wrote
the book
on all
things:
"Style
Clinic —
How to
Look
Fabulous
All the
time, at
Any Age,
for Any
Occasion."
(Collins,
2009,
$27.95)
"We
work,
party,
chill,
dance,
meet and
travel
in
them,"
Reed
says.
"Get the
fit that
works
and they
can be
your
best
friend
in your
wardrobe
— the
kind
that
supports
you no
matter
what you
want to
be."
Even if
it's an
"American
Idol."
Here are
some
tips
from
Reed on
how to
buy
jeans
that
provide
the
perfect
fit for
your
figure:
— Choose
classic
or
relaxed
fits if
you have
voluptuous
curves.
They'll
give you
ease and
flattery
in the
bottom
area
without
being
big all
over.
— Get a
pair
that
sits on
your
hips
rather
than
your
waist.
—
Concentrate
on
getting
the
waist
and leg
proportion
just
right.
Get it
wrong
and you
make
your
bottom
look
bigger.
The
waistband
should
sit just
below
your
waist's
natural
curve
and the
leg
needs to
skim
your
natural
shape. A
waist-cinching
shape
with a
lot of
fabric
in the
leg is
about
the
worst
thing
you can
do for
your
figure.
— No
matter
what
kind of
jeans
you buy,
avoid
too-tight
legs and
small or
widely-spaced
back
pockets.
These
elements
all add
width.
— Pick
stretch
jeans if
you are
curvy
with a
small
waist.
Straight,
tight
cuts
were
made for
you.
Low-riders
are the
most
flattering.
A gentle
flare
will
balance
your hip
curve.
Be
warned:
High-waisted
jeans
will
make
your
behind
look
disproportionately
large.
— Find
stretch
jeans
but not
second-skin
tight
jeans,
if slim
on the
bottom.
Go for a
slim
leg.
They
hug,
defining
any
curves
you
have.
Back
pockets,
for you
alone,
can be
as
decorative
as you
want.
Flaps?
Even
better.
— Choose
jeans
that are
cut to
elongate
your
torso if
you have
a short
waist.
Your
goal is
to
create a
better
proportion
between
the top
and the
bottom
half.
Hipsters
are
perfect.
A big
hip-slung
belt and
high-heeled
shoes
will
further
lengthen
and
reshape.
— Have
heavy
thighs
and
still
love
jeans?
An easy
fit on
the hips
is key.
Avoid
tapered
legs and
anything
oversized.
Boot-leg
jeans
help
balance
the
heaviness
further
up.
Don't
tuck
tops in,
but keep
the
silhouette
neat to
avoid
the
baggy
look.
Warning:
High,
tight
waists
will
exaggerate
thigh
width.
Avoid at
all
costs.
—
Lengthen
your
legs and
add
curve to
your
figure
when
petite
with
short
legs. A
waist
that
sits on
or just
above
the hip,
cut with
straight
legs,
adds
length.
Wear
heels
and make
sure
your hem
is long
enough
to break
but not
fold
over on
the top
of your
foot.
— Got a
long
waist?
You need
to
shorten
your
torso
and
lengthen
your
legs.
Wear
jeans
that hit
your
natural
waist
and have
snug-fitting
legs.
The
narrow
cut will
lengthen
further.
Add more
height
by going
for a
long leg
and
wearing
heels.
— Add
curves
and
definition
to your
boyish
figures
with
slim
hips and
straight
waists.
Experiment
between
a high-waisted
pair and
a
low-rise,
straight-leg
jean.
The
boy-cut
style is
great
for you.
Try a
sexy
shirt
and high
heels to
be more
sophisticated.
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Sharon
Mosley
is a
former
fashion
editor
of the
Arkansas
Gazette
in
Little
Rock and
executive
director
of the
Fashion
Editors
and
Reporters
Association.
To find
out more
about
Sharon
Mosley
and read
features
by other
Creators
Syndicate
writers
and
cartoonists,
visit
the
Creators
Syndicate
website
at
www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT
2009
CREATORS
SYNDICATE
INC.
.
