Jeans on Campus
A few weeks ago in my Brilliant Blogger article, I called out all of you everyday-jean-wearers by challenging you to mix things up by wearing skirts and dresses. And while a lot of you liked this idea, a few of you mentioned how you found them to be somewhat impractical for school, especially those of you who are expected to wear jeans everyday or work with things like dangerous chemicals.
Because of this, I thought I’d whip out this article on jeans to give you some fresh perspective and ideas on how to wear them without sacrificing style for function. After all, just because you have to wear them every day doesn’t mean you can’t still look chic!
The Skinny Jean:
Skinnies have been all the rage for almost five years now, and I don’t see them losing steam anytime soon. They show off your legs, are instantly slimming, and they can even make you look taller! I’ve chosen three types of skinnies to help aid you in your style quest.
Read on to find out how you can wear everyday denim skinnies, the classic black skinny jean, and the modern day colored skinny jean effortlessly on campus.
Basic Denim Skinnies:
(Cardigan- Old Navy, Ring- Forever 21, Jeans- Forever 21, Flannel- AE, Flats- Old Navy)
Denim skinnies come in many different washes and colors. But if you are going for an easygoing everyday look, medium washes are best- especially for school.
To keep this light, breezy look going, I chose a cute red flannel to wear on top and a nice, cozy knitted cardigan to keep you warm. Finally, for your toes I chose some cute ruffled ballet flats and topped off the outfit with a shiny gold ring with a sparkly blue center stone.
This outfit is a perfect “Oh, this old thing? I just grabbed some stuff on my way out the door” look: stylish while still looking school appropriate, colorful, and best of all comfy.
Black Skinny Jeans:
(Moccasins- MilkShop, Shirt- Buckle, Jeans- Forever 21, Bracelet- Nordstrom, Scarf- AE)
Black skinnies are the ultimate classy piece of denim. They go with everything, are super sleek, and make your stems look nice and long.
While one could go the conservative route when wearing these jeans (ie: Risky Business style shirt + Pants), you could also opt for a cool rocker look to give the black skinny a nice modern twist. To do this, I chose a nice grey graphic tee and paired it with a black circle scarf (which you can learn to make for free! check out my tutorial on circle scarves here!). Then, I chose a silver studded bracelet to give your arm a little sparkle and edge. Lastly, I chose the cutest little fringe moccasins you’ve ever seen for you to slip your feet into. That’s it! Whether you’re off to a concert or “slappin’ da bass” across campus, you’ll be sure to turn heads.
Colorful Skinnies:
(Jeans- Yesstyle, Watch- Debenhams, Shoes- Forever 21, Shirt- Topshop)
The colored skinny is a fairly new addition to the skinny jean family. And while they can come in many, many, different colors, I for one believe that when it comes to selecting a colored skinny, you should show a little bit of restraint. Yes, those highlighter yellow, neon orange, and eye-watering lime-green skinnies may be calling your name, but it is of my humble opinion that those are far too flashy to be worked into a real person’s wardrobe- leave those to Lady Gaga.
Don’t get me wrong, colored denim is great; you just have to be careful about your choices. For this example, I chose the daring, yet still tasteful, burgundy red skinny jean. Pair those jeans with a cute striped shirt, pop a cute little watch on your wrist, throw on your pointy toed lace-ups and you’ll be ready to roam the streets of Paris…or go to PoliSci.
The Boyfriend Jean:
(Scarf- Modcloth, Bracelet- Modcloth, Tank- La Garconne, Jeans- Pacsun, Cardigan- AE)
Ah, the boyfriend jean: easy, loose and free. Perfect for those lazy days when you just roll out of bed and are too tired to wear something tight and confining.
Don’t sweat this look, it’s easy! Just slip on a black racerback tank, a cute red cardigan, slip your arm through a cool bangled bracelet and wrap a cute floral scarf around your neck. Yep… that’s about it. Don’t you wish Calculus was this simple?
The Wide Leg:
(Shirt- Old Navy, Necklace- Overstock, Beanie- Meshhat, Jeans- Alloy, Ring- HSN, Shoes- Toms Shoes)
The wide leg jean is one of those styles that I’ve coveted for a while, but never gotten around to trying. That’s why I was so excited to make this outfit and live vicariously through you! While these jeans definitely make a statement, I think they are the most tricky to pull off, mostly because when you wear them you have to be aware of proportions.
Overall, it’s safest to make sure the top half of your outfit is fitted so the bottom can be loose. I paired mine with a plain white tee (fitted of course), and a slouchy blue beanie. As for your feet, I chose a pair of comfy, yet stylish Tom’s. (My latest purchase! They are SO comfortable!) Lastly, I picked some jewelry. I pulled a cute turquoise necklace and jade ring. These little details are important because since most of your outfit has no design, the jewelry gives your outfit some interest. And there you go: understated, stylish and so 1960’s fabulous. Let your hair flow freely and you’ll be the hottest bohemian chick on campus.
Thoughts?
What do you guys think of the looks I put together? Are they practical for your everyday jaunt around campus? What are your favorite types of jeans? Did I forget to include any type of jeans that you love? How do you wear your jeans? Let me know in the comments section, I love your feedback!
Posted on on November 8, 2009 / Filed Under: Fashion Tips / Tags: Boyfriend Jeans, colored skinnies, Jeans, skinnies, Skinny Jeans, Wide Leg Jeans
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Kelly
Everything here is all about skinny jeans, what about flared? Not everyone is a huge skinny jean fan. The boyfriend jeans aren’t that practical for the upcoming winter either. (For those of us in the snowy parts of the world.)
But I did like the wide legged part, that is a trend worth trying. I have a pair of these as trousers, which are also a good alternative to jeans. Personally, I think the trick to this is to wear them with a feminine top to balance the style and proportions.
Lynn
What about bootcut jeans? They are flattering to all body types as opposed to skinny jeans. I think your outfits looks very nice, however I would have paired a more form-fitting top with the wide-leg to balance the fullness of the jeans. You could have also included flared (like the poster above mentioned), high waist, and trouser jeans as well.
Julie
i don’t know why, but i can’t seem to get into wide leg jeans or the boyfriend jeans. I feel like they just don’t compliment my lower half.
love the piece of the skinnies and i would wear all of those skinny jean outfits, deff did some inspiring
Alex
Yes! Someone that understand that the boyfriend jean is not practical in colder weather. While the boyfriend jean is definitely my style, it’s now November in New England, and I would like to stay warm.
Lalalina
I agree with the other posters, you were WAY too limited in the types jeans you discussed. I like the idea of the article but I can’t relate to it because my body type does not agree with skinny jeans and wide leg ones make me look bigger than I am. I would love to see an extended version of this article.
Kath
These outfits are great. I don’t think I’ll be trying colored jeans (I’m out of school already), but I love the pieces you paired with them.
hannah
<3 this!
Kim - Cal State
@ Kelly, Lynn, and Lalalina- I can definitely see where you are coming from about the skinny jean overkill. My main goal was to show jeans in a new fresh style, so I featured some of the more trendy jeans and that’s why I left out some jean types.
Next time I will try and feature a more varied array of jeans (or maybe I will do a part 2), there are definitely a varied array of tastes here and I should have tried to appeal to everyone instead of just one style.
Samantha
Also agree with previous posters. I can’t do boyfriend jeans or wide legs, and I love my skinnies, but this post was really limited. Then again, I can’t think of much else to say about denim today. Maybe a post about pants in general that includes cords and other non-denim, chem lab-savvy pants options is in order?
Mary
Great article! I loved it because it showed how to wear some styles of jeans that aren’t your everyday “I wear these because they go with everything” jeans. You gave some AWESOME ideas as to how to pull off styles I would probably be hesitant to try out otherwise. Loved your outfits, and keep up the good work!
Paula ♥
I really like this post. Skinnies are my favorite jeans! Wide leg and boyfriend jeans never really appealed to me though.
It would be really nice to have an article featuring bootleg and/or straight leg jeans :)
Tiffany
Does anybody know anything more specific on the watch? I like it, but I can seem to find it!
Milana
Love, love, love all the stylings (except the one with the wide leg) they’re a bit dated if you ask me. Boyfriend jeans are the new wide leg jeans.
Milana from FashionStyleAdvice.com
Bizzy
Nice article, but bootcut bootcut bootcut! In the right wash (dark) and length with a mid-rise, they look fabulous on any body type. Also the trouser jean would be a great addition.
Kim - Cal State
@Tiffany- Hey Tiffany! I checked for you about the watch and I think it is unfortunately sold out, which is why the link isn’t working. However, I found two very similar styles for you to check out. Hopefully these are okay substitutes!
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=15173123
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?itemdescription=true&itemCount=10&startValue=11&selectedProductColor=&sortby=&id=16800708&parentid=W_ACC_WATCHES&sortProperties=+subCategoryPosition,+product.marketingPriority,-product.startDate&navCount=27&navAction=poppushpush&color=&pushId=W_ACC_WATCHES&popId=WOMENS_ACCESSORIES&prepushId=
Breanna
I used to wear wide leg jeans in my early teens, they were so hot by than (I’m 20 atm)! I still have a pair that fits me (it seems like my hips developped pretty early *caught*), but I don’t feel like wearing them atm – I think it will take a little more time for this trend to *really* come back.
It also took some time before I tried skinnys for the first time, everyone had been saying this style of jeans is a huge no-no for anyone except super slim teenage girls, but after I tried them on I realized I actually look much slimmer than in any other style and, morover, I’m not the “A” body type (like I used to think), but the feminine and sexy hourglass! Plus they are definitely more practical in winter – you can tuck them into boots, so they don’t get wet, unlike any other jeans style (I own a pair of bootcuts, though, I think they’re super classic and timeless).
Chelsey
What about bootcut? Those and skinnies are my favorite and they are extremely flattering on women. I haven’t worn wide leg jeans since 4th grade! I actually want to try a pair on just to see how I like them now.
Caity
What about bootcut jeans?
They are probably the most classic style out there.
Another personal fave is the straight leg jean!
Caitlin
I loved all these outfits with the exception of the wide legged jeans (I’m just not a fan of this style). I totally agree about not choosing neon colours for the coloured denim, and I loved those bergundy ones. I might have to see if I can find a pair of those! :)
thisizkim
Hey Kim from Cal State. I’m Kim from a cal state too…. haha! I’m going to a CSU in NorCal.
hmmm… how do you feel about the skinny jeans from Delias. The Morgan skinny jeans? I like them because they aren’t super skinny and aren’t super low. I love skinny jeans, but its so hard for me to find a pair I actually like. Most of them are too low and I hate that!
I have a few color skinnies. I’m sorta saving them for summer because they are pretty bright.
Thanks for the post!
Bethany
I love these outfits! The wide legs are my favorite and super cute outfit!
Suzi
Even though the wide leg jeans aren’t super trendy right now, I’ve always been a fan of the look. In a crowd of girls wearing skinnies and bootcuts, I think it would really stand out in a good way as long as it was with a mindfully put-together outfit. Like the boyfriend jean it can look sloppy.
I’ve also really warmed up to the skinnies. I feel like now that they’ve been in style a few years, it’s easier to find a pair that fits just right.
Kim
Yeah, it’s already been mentioned but I too get tired of seeing skinny jeans everywhere and would have loved to see bootcut and straight leg jeans mentioned :)
Elle
I agree with the above posters who have mentioned the lack of variety of jeans in this post. In fact, I think you guys should add in different types of jeans into more posts. A lot of your articles have styles that are suited for the skinny jean or leggings but please keep in mind that there are girls with various body types reading your articles and would like to get style advice suited to their own bodies.
Angie Marie
Loved this article! And to you girls who have pointed out that skinny jeans don’t flatter your figures: be sure to at least TRY a couple pairs of dark-wash skinnies on in a dressing room. I am slim with curves (somewhat on the thin side, I guess, but far from “skinny”) and my curves look their best in skinnies, which actually prove quite slimming when done in a dark wash. I only currently own one pair of skinny jeans (I’m a dress girl, so I’m usually in those instead) but I need to stock up. So give skinnies a chance,at least in the privacy of a dressing room!
Vivi
I think you did a good job in this article! You were trying to point out new and fresh ways in jeans, so you didn’t really need to write about boot cut jeans, like other readers were suggesting. I like the first and third outfits!
Kristen
I really like this article! I have a pair of black skinny jeans that I LOVE, and your post reminded me that I should wear them more often. While I’m not a fan of wide-leg jeans or boyfriend jeans, I think it’s great that you mentioned them to give readers other ideas. I also like the burgundy skinny jeans you posted! I worked at Forever 21 where we had some CRAZY colors of skinny jeans that I would never wear in a million years. Now I’m thinking that I might be able to pull of purple or burgundy.
Thanks Kim!
viviana
Questi sn fantastici e poi sn aderenti cm piacciono a me!!!!!!! Complimenti!!!!!!!!
Coco
Do boyfriend jeans work out for everyone? I feel like they can make shorter people(like me) look stumpy. I’ll attempt the look in a few days though. It’s so weird to see them as a look when I feel like when Katie Holmes was wearing it everyone negatively judged her.
Winnie
I always thought skinny jeans wouldn’t look good on me either, but I decided to give them a try because I thought the style was cute, and they look waaaaaay better on me than bootcuts ever did! I am living proof that skinny jeans are not just for people who are “skinny.” I have very curvy hips and thighs and I have found that skinny jeans are some of the most flattering jeans I have ever worn!
I really like all the outfits in this post, but I didn’t like the shoes that were included with the black skinny jeans outfit. I just don’t think they really go with the overall vibe of the outfit–why not some brightly colored or metallic ballet flats or some rocker chic ankle boots? Maybe it’s just because I really dislike moccasin boots, but I really don’t think they go with the outfit.
Lady in Evening Dress
I love these outfit, but I don’t like boyfriend jeans..
Lindsay
Love your style!!! I think you are my fav of the new writers. This was REALLY helpful. I’ve been having alot of trouble getting dressed for class without looking icky(as you mentioned earlier skirts just are not a practical option for me). Thank you!!
Kim - Cal State
@thisizkim- hey fellow CSUer, i go to Long Beach, funny how we have the same name though haha. i’ve never personally tried on those skinnies from delias (love delias, though) but they look really comfy. you’re right they aren’t too tight and aren’t too loose so they’re definitely a winner.
@coco- you raise an interesting question, i too have never tried boyfriend jeans in real life, but i would really like to. i imagine this look isn’t for everyone because it is rather loose, so you might have to be long and lanky to pull it off best (which sucks for me since i have short legs).
and i know what you mean about katie holmes getting flack for starting the trend, i remember thinking “what is she wearing?” when i first saw it but i think in order to be fashion forward, you have to take risks and look different, that’s what sets you apart from everyone else.
Madeleine Fahlbusch
I think the looks you put together in this issue are all incredibly stylish, I don’t think there was one look I didn’t like. I think all the looks are very practical and comfortable. My favorite types of jeans are just good ol’ skinny jeans in a very light blue faded wash because I think they’re not too stark and look chic with almost everything I own. I don’t think you forgot any popular jeans to include in this issue, kudos!! I wear my jeans with my hair wavy, a blingy cocktail ring, a trendy top (ex. my sparkly pink tee with a bow printed on it from dELIA’s) and some chic ankle boots.
Cara
These are all lovely (personally, I am addicted to a pair of grape-purple skinnies that can be used as a psuedo-neutral or a color, depending on my mood), but I’m with the poster who asked for more non-denim pants options. Though my mission this summer and fall has been to acquire Blair-worthy dresses, I have started to realize that I can look just as feminine and more unique if I only incorporate pants that are not the ubiquitous denim. That said, other options are a bit tough to find and tougher to wear. I am usually quite inventive and very put-together, but I really cannot find an use for my lovely tweed wide-leg trousers outside of interviews or Sunday mornings that are too cold for a skirt. Any suggestions from CF for pants beyond the jean?
aish
i love the first three looks
i live in skinny jeans. guess getting one in colour might be nice
i love the plaid shirt too.
hey are acid washed skinny jeans a good idea?