2022 Fall Jeans Guide
I have searched far and wide to find you the right pair of jeans this Fall. I remember when flares were fading away and skinny jeans were all the rage. I tried to consign several pair of designer flares and they literally told me that they couldn’t sell that style of jeans anymore. Can you imagine my sadness when flares came back into style and I had donated all of mine to The Salvation Army?
The good news is, gone are the days of only one style of jeans being fashionable. Love a straight leg? Totally trending. Love a super wide bell bottom. Yup, those are trending too. Love your tried and true skinnies? Keep wearing them. I actually predict they’ll stick around for a long time. What’s really important, instead of what’s trending is, what fits and flatters your body.
Come on an adventure with me and figure out what style of jeans you SHOULD be wearing, depending on your body type and where to find them.
Rise
The rise of your jeans is the length from your crotch to the top of the jean. In general, a low-rise will hit just below your hip bones. Keep in mind, if you have any sort of belly, love handles, etc. the low-rise will absolutely emphasize that. A mid-rise (as an apple body type, my personal favorite) will hit below the belly button, but above the hip bones. A mid-rise will help conceal any tummy bulge, but still allow you comfort at the waist. A high-rise is definitely the most popular right now and goes all the way from, just below the belly button to hitting your rib cage. This style is most flattering on an hourglass or pear body type.
Inseam
The inseam of your jeans is from your crotch, along the inside of your leg, to anywhere from your ankle, to the floor, depending on the style of jeans and the length of the heel you’ll be wearing your jeans with. When buying jeans, knowing your inseam is important, so get that measuring tape out and make sure to get those dimensions. In general, the average jean has a 32” inseam. Of course skinny or cropped jeans are designed to hit your ankle, so that length will be closer to a 28”. If your inseam is less than 32” you probably should be buying jeans in either a short or petite length. Short inseams have become much more available than they were 10 years ago, which is great for my shorties. IF your inseam is longer than 32” you’re going to need a tall, and unfortunately, those are a little harder to come by. Luckily, I’m a 35” inseam and am here to help my tall girls find those long jeans.
Wash & Style
We all know dark jeans are the most slendering. It goes along with wearing black, which is most slimming. So, if you’re a newbie and unsure of the best wash for you, I would definitely recommend either a black or a dark wash denim. A medium wash is perfectly neutral and very much in style at the moment. If you want to be trendy, definitely consider a medium. And for my bold sisters, a light or white wash denim is going to show the most of you, so make sure the style of jeans are very flattering on your body.
Style is all about what looks good on your body type. I highly recommend trying jeans on. No matter how much I want to wear the straight leg, high-rise jeans, they just look awful on me, so I steer clear. Although, if you’re a pear (smaller on top and bigger on bottom), a straight leg will balance you out perfectly. In contrast, I almost always recommend a pear avoid the skinny jean. No need to emphasize and embalance that bottom half.
Okay, now that you have the basics on jeans, let’s find you the perfect pair. Again, trying jeans on is everything. I always recommend to my clients to grab several different styles, sizes and washes. Once you find the right pair, get them in like, 3 different washes. Because a great pair of jeans is hard to come by and they’re likely to be discontinued as soon as you fall in love with them. Here’s where my clients and I are successfully buying jeans:
NOTE: I’m providing you with links to the stores I recommend, but please do keep in mind that trying jeans on in the store is the best way to find the right fit for you.
EXPRESS: The Skyscraper Jeans pictured above have stretch, a great mid-rise, are true to size and come in three different inseams.
ZARA*: I hate that we don’t have a ZARA anywhere in Maine, but luckily we visit Miami enough that I always make sure to buy at least one pair of jeans there a year. They offer a wide range of styles at prices that won’t break the bank.
H&M: A must-try-on store, no doubt, but my favorite place to stock up on basic denim for cheap.
American Eagle: I know, I know. Their demographic is really teens and 20’s, BUT they offer a huge variety of styles, sizes, inseams, rises and washes. AE is usually my first stop when clients are requesting updated denim.
*My jeans in the picture up top are the Slim Flare from ZARA and fit like a glove. Although ZARA doesn’t offer longer length, I tend to have a lot of luck with certain styles of their jeans. My two absolute favorite pair of jeans right now are from ZARA.