There's been this concept going around for the past few months that jeans are dead. Even pants have made it to this list!! My ex jeans-hating self loved this idea--I finally won't be the only one who dreads putting leg-restraining articles of denim on in the morning.
But then this strange phenomena occurred and I actually started to like jeans! This started with my white cropped jeans from Mango I bought almost a year ago. I never put them in the "jeans" category because a) they're white and b) I never felt like I was wearing jeans--I felt more like I was on vacation in the Bahamas.
So cue my next pair! I bought these wide-leg jeans from Madewell last summer, which came a step closer to real jeans because they were made of blue denim, but also were a step further from real jeans because 2/3 of my legs felt like they weren't wearing pants. Wide-leg pants are so liberating!
And then I finally bought my first real pair of jeans that I actually adored (and still do!). Levi's, of course, specifically the wedgie-cut style, which sounds unappealing but actually is the complete opposite--they're extremely flattering on the top and also let my calves ~breathe~ without being flares or boot-cut or wide-leg. Amazing, right? I'm going to end my Levi's spokesperson rant and note that these jeans saved my life and also transferred me to a beautiful jeans wonderland that allowed me to actually enjoy having my legs clad in a rigid fabric that is seemingly uncomfortable (but is really not!!).
So now, I go against the norm that is anti-jeans. Isn't that what I normally do in fashion, though? While many of you agree with me and cherish your jeans with all your heart, most are all aboard the jean hating train. Which part of me understands--is it some sort of movement that's all about freeing the legs, sporting short skirts and flowing dresses to act as some sort of feminist movement (like the opposite of girls beginning to wear pants in the '20s and 30's)? Or even just a movement against denim pants; denim feels so overrated and maybe we should all begin wearing pants of different fabrics and styles, like velvet or of the side-slitted type. I completely agree with the latter argument, but then I think about all of the styling options that come with wearing jeans and I get overwhelmed in the best way possible. Pair them with dresses, with your favorite turtleneck layered under that going-out top, with a chunky sweater and neck scarf. And the shoes! Ankle boots, over-the-knee boots (if that's your forte), clogs, loafer mules.
THEN I started working for Madewell, which is obsessed with jeans almost as much as Lucky Brand, so my infatuation with jeans grew even more because I can scientifically prove that Madewell denim is made for the Gods (and I'm not just saying this because I work for the company). And here's photographic proof:
Sweater by Zara. Jeans and socks by Madewell. Clogs by Anthropologie (or try these other Anthro ones).
Madewell has now forced me to own not one, but two, pairs of their black denim, which I have decided is ten times better than traditional blue denim. They're not only more ~business professional~, but they also pair well with denim jackets without doing that Canadian tuxedo thing that I don't always wish to pull off. The ones I'm wearing in the above two photos are their demi-boot style, which are so similar to straight-leg jeans but are so much more flattering and seem to be only fit for a cool-girl aesthetic that I do wish to pull off. There's a preconceived notion about jeans that you have to approach the look with a more is more attitude to make sure that overly-simple aspect of denim is eliminated. But what about embracing that simplicity? All I did to complete this look was to pair a ruffle sweater that imitates a pirate shirt (I now own two!!) with the cropped jeans and combine socks plus clogs, a combo I've been sporting since 2014. And... I'm already done. My usual self would frantically tie a neck scarf around my neck or wrist, or fit a turtleneck under that ruffle sweater, or ditch the sweater completely and pair a maxi button-up dress, buttoned up halfway (from top to middle) with the jeans.
But instead I wanted to challenge myself from constantly adding items to a) make it easier on me and b) prove that I can make an outfit work with only four items (socks included!). Jean haters feel that they need to overdo their denim look to make it acceptable in this evolving fashion world, but I think its the opposite--let jeans be simple. That's why they were made. Maybe loving them will make your mornings that much easier.
Photos shot by Linnea.
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