Choose the jeans that work for you

Sun, 06/29/2008 10:56 AM | Lifestyle

(Courtessy of In be Man's) (Courtesy of In be Man's)

What are two must-have fashion items a woman needs in her closet?

According to fashion expert Deli Makmur they are a little black dress and a pair of jeans. Indeed, the latter is already the most ubiquitous clothing article in the streets.

Just lower your glance in any public place to anyone from either sex; it is almost certain that you will see jeans on people's lower limbs.

This versatile piece of clothing is a favorite as it is comfortable and goes well with almost anything.

However, if you think that one cannot go wrong wearing jeans, think again.

Emerging as simple mid-waist straight pant made of blue denim, this classic item has evolved as a fashion article with various cuts and colors.

With the abundant types of jeans on the market, it no longer serves as a safe clothing article.

Even though the 1980s evil days of unflattering baggy pants have passed us by, choosing a flattering pair of jeans can still be a tricky business.

In a discussion on how to find the perfect jeans on Thursday at Neo & Vanity Lounge at Standard Chartered Building, South Jakarta, Deli -- accompanied by Levi's Indonesia product manager for ladies jeans Lita Cahya -- explained that woman should be aware of their body figure and choose styles of jeans based on that.

"Jeans should be comfortable but also flattering," he said.

Choosing the wrong pair of jeans can make a person look like a cling-wrapped sausage (a wide-hipped woman in skinny jeans) or a stick wrapped in an oversized cloth (a straight and skinny woman in square-cut high-waist jeans).

"The common misperception about the skinny jeans trend is that it will make the wearer look slimmer. Well, it doesn't," Deli said.

Deli said different body shapes suited different styles of jeans.

(Courtesy of In be Man's)

Before buying a pair of jeans, one should know the three key structures in jeans: fit, silhouette, and rise/waist.

Lita explained that fit is the cut from the waist to the knee, the silhouette is the cut from the knee to the ankles and rise/waist is the waist level in jeans.

Types of fit vary from tight, slim, and regular. Types of silhouette vary from skinny, tapered, straight, boot cut and flare/wide leg. Types of rise/waist vary from low to high rise.

"Women with straight and skinny figures as well as women with an hourglass figure can wear any kind of style of jeans," Deli said.

"While curvy voluptuous women look best in dark one-tone straight or boot cut jeans with a mid-rise waist," he said.

This makes one look slimmer as it hides the tummy and makes the legs look longer, Deli said.

Singer Audi, who wears jeans almost every day, said she was a devout fan of boot cut jeans.

"I'm big in the bottom and have big thighs, so I stick to boot cut jeans, as they make me look slim," she said.

Actress Rachel Maryam however, who has a petite frame, said she loves to wear skinny jeans over a boot cut style.

"I wear skinny or straight jeans with high-heel shoes to make me look taller," she said.

In the Levi's 2008/2009 Fall collection, high-heeled peep toe shoes were the norm accompanying the casual to evening collection.

A model looked masculine in dark tapered jeans with a white long-sleeve shirt and suspenders. A mauve checkered shirt with washed-out grey skinny jeans gave out a casual countryside look.

The best were the ultra miniskirts collection. A grey miniskirt with a loose long-sleeved v-neck shirt went well together. While a dark miniskirt with glittering dark stocking and a black tank top suited a night out at a club.

"You can wear jeans in any occasion, if you can choose the right style," Deli said.

-- Prodita Sabarini

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