Category Archives: fall fashion trends

Hat, Glove And Scarf Trends for Winter 2022

Posted in dressing your best, fall fashion trends, Fashion, fashion, fashion trends, how to, How to wear the trends when you are over 40, personal style, tips and tricks, trends, Trendy at any age, women's clothing tips by

Old Man Winter is fully in swing here in Wyoming, and that cold wind does blow. It is most definitely hat, glove, and scarf weather. Just like you can ruin a stylish outfit with the wrong shoes or handbag, you can also ruin a stylish coat with outdated winter accessories. That’s why you’ll want to know the latest hat, glove and scarf trends so you can keep up to date.

Hat Trends:

  1. Beanies: By far the most popular hat trend is the beanie, but there are multiple types of beanies that you can choose from. Right now, you will find Pom Beanies like the one pictured above on the right that are distinguished by some type of pom on the top, slouchy beanies that have an oversized look that hangs off the top of your head, and pony tail beanies that have holes and allow for you to wear a hat with a pony tail. Whatever type you choose, make sure it coordinates with your coat, scarf and gloves. I really recommend buying your winter accessories at the same time to keep everything matched.
  2. Other popular styles of hats right now are bucket hats, wool berets, and fedoras. Bucket hats look like you are wearing a bucket upside down on your head. Berets are classically French and are usually worn to the side of your head, and fedoras are structured hats like the one pictured at the top on the left. You will also see newspaper boy hats this season which are characterized by a bill and usually a rounded top.

Glove Trends:

  1. Vegan Leather: just like the abundance of vegan leather jackets and vests that are popular this season, gloves are following suit with faux leather and suede verities. These are great because they are usually solid colors that are easy to pair with printed scarves and hats.
  2. Plaid: Similarly, the strength of plaid this season, especially in blouses and shackets, has carried over to gloves. You’ll find a variety of gloves adorned with plaid prints. Be careful, however, not to overdo the plaid as you can end up with a plaid hat, scarf and glove which might be too much unless they are designed to go together.
  3. Knits: Gloves are really following the sweater trends this season. The strongest knits in sweaters are hombre yarns, variegated yarns and cable knit styles. You’ll find knit gloves with these same elements that are essentially mini sweaters on your hands!

Scarf Trends:

  1. Cowl neck scarves: Half the sweaters in my store right now have Cowl Necks, and some even have removeable Cowl Necks, so it is no surprise that this type of a neck can also double as a great “scarf.” The best part is you don’t have to add a scarf because your sweater will do it for you.
  2. Cashmere: This style never goes out, but this season, you will see extra long cashmere scarves that you can wrap multiple times. Watch my Wednesday Wardrobing Live Video 11/30/22 to see some examples.
  3. Fringe Edged: Scarves with fringe on the edges is also popular. These can be large, oversized scarves, or smaller wool scarves.
  4. Plaid: As with gloves, plaids are very popular in scarves this season. Just remember to match a plaid to the color of your coat and don’t over do it with too many plaid elements.

That’s it…so many options to choose from. Being truly stylish means you pay attention to how everything works together not only in your outfit but in your accessories as well. Don’t ruin a great look with out of date or mismatched outerwear accessories, and don’t ruin a great coat with a hat, some gloves and a scarf that don’t look like they coordinate.

Stay warm and stylish my friends!

3 Tips To Rock Your Style For Thanksgiving

Posted in clothing, dressing your best, fall fashion trends, fashion trends, how to, How to wear the trends when you are over 40, personal style, tips and tricks by
Whether you are dressing up or keeping it casual this season, being comfortable is the name of the game!

Everybody does Thanksgiving a little differently. Some eat early in the day, some eat mid day and some wait for dinner time. No matter how your family does it, chances are, you are going to be in your Thanksgiving day outfit for several hours at the minimum and, in some cases, all day. You want to look nice but also be comfortable. We all know the miserable feeling of having eaten a Thanksgiving meal in clothes that felt just fine before you ate and that you could hardly wait to get out of after you were finished!! It is sheer torture and really hinders your ability to enjoy your family and friends. As a result, carefully considering your outfit choice for Thanksgiving is a must. In this blog post, I will share three tips to making great outfit choice and, hopefully, give you some ideas for choosing the perfect look.

Layer It Up: There are several reasons why wearing layers for Thanksgiving makes a whole lot of sense. First, if you are going to someone else’s house, layers let you adjust your temperature accordingly – too cold, keep your layer on or too hot, take it off. Similarly, a vest or jacket can be very effective in hiding an expanded stomach after the meal is finished and help you feel more comfortable. Whether you choose a vest, a longer sweater cardigan or a jacket, layering adds dimension to your look that naturally dresses it up and has many practical applications as well.

Consider the looks above. In each outfit, (with the exception of the unlayered blouse and pant), the added layer levels up the style. Imagine the sweater without the vest of the tunic without the sweater cardigan, as an example, the outfit would seem less dressy and trendy. It may be that you spend some time outside having a drink expanding the space in the home, having the extra layer is perfect for moving from indoors to outdoors easily.

Wear Holiday Colors: Whether you choose holiday reds and greens or browns and rusts, wearing colors that go with the season is a great way to make your look feel special for this special day. Because rust is such a strong color this season, you should be able to find ample options out there that will match the traditional golds, browns, and orange in Thanksgiving decorations.

Take a look at the outfits I have highlighted at the top for examples. In the top row, starting from the left, the first look combines trendy rust denim pants with a lovely cable knit sweater and copper puffy vest. The second and third look, on the other hand, focuses more on Christmas colors with a lovely Christmas red blouse and a tunic with Christmas greens. On the bottom row, the look to the left combines vintage wash jeans with a white blouse that is layered with a faux suede vest. The next is the classic dressy blouse paired with a black slack, but I have chosen a rust blouse that coordinates perfectly with Thanksgiving colors. The last look combines a trendy plaid blouse with a faux wool jacket and distressed jeans. Each look offers differing levels of dressiness but all are great examples of perfect looks for the holiday.

Wear Comfy Pants: We’ve all seen the memes about getting your “fat pants” ready or setting your scales back 10 lbs. Make no mistake, Thanksgiving is a day for over-eating. More than any other part of your outfit, the pants you choose for the day are of utmost importance. Make sure they are stretchy and comfy and will expand as necessary!

I love leggings for Thanksgiving because I sell several brands that have tummy shapers in them, and if there is ever a day where I want some extra “shaping,” that is the day! Most of our jeans also have tummy panels in them as well to help, and in both bottoms, the fabric will stretch so you are comfortable sitting or standing.

Wearing the wrong outfit to your holiday dinner can ruin the event. When you are uncomfortable, it is hard to enjoy the delicious food or the company. Being in a hurry to leave because you can’t wait to get out of your clothes robs you off precious time with your loved ones. Taking some time to think through your outfit and the requirements of your day is well worth your time an energy. Watch my live Wednesday Wardrobing video tonight at 6 p.m. MST for more outfit ideas and discussion on this topic.

Also, if you see a look you like, you can find all of these items on our online store at www.fashioncrossroadsinc.com.

3 Ways To Style A Plaid Shirt

Posted in clothing, dressing your best, fall fashion trends, how to, How to wear the trends when you are over 40, personal style, tips and tricks, trends, Trendy at any age, women's clothing tips by
HyFve Flannel Shirt In Brown: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/hyfve-plaid-flannel-shirt-in-brown
New York Collection Plaid Blouse: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/new-york-collection-plaid-blouse
Be Cool Plaid Blouse: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/copy-of-be-cool-long-sleeve-shirt-in-mint
Be Cool Jacket: https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/products/copy-of-be-cool-cropped-jacket-in-oatmeal

Continuing my “3 Ways To Style” series, this week’s blog post is focused on new ways to style a plaid blouse. The great thing about blouses is that they are so versatile. At a bare minimum, you can always style a basic button up blouse left out, tucked in, or tied in the front. The full style potential of a blouse is not realized, however, until you begin layering. Here are my top 3 ways to layer a plaid blouse.

  1. Layer over a graphic tee and under a vest: This is a fun style and is perfect for a cold day because this style adds the extra layer of a vest for warmth that can be worn by itself or under a coat. When you are matching a tee and a plaid shirt, just be sure the colors in the tee are also in the top. For example, if your plaid shirt has black, white and pink, choose a graphic tee that is in one of those colors.
  2. Layer over a striped tee and under a jacket: Mixing stripes and plaids is a fun way to pair patterns. The same principle applies as what I described with layering with a graphic tee. Match your stripes to the colors in your plaid shirt. In my example above, a black and white striped top would be a great choice. Then, choose a coordinating jacket in a solid color to go over the top. This style can be dressed up also and made to work with your work slacks when you choose a dressier jacket or even a blazer.
  3. Layer a plaid blouse under a sweater: Showing the plaid shirt collar and tail under a coordinating solid or printed sweater is another great way to layer your top. It adds dimension and character to the sweater and also an extra layer of warmth. Layering a vest or jacket over the sweater is also a great option.

In my weekly Wednesday Wardrobing Video this week, I demonstrated each of these ideas. Watch that video here: 3 Ways To Style A Plaid Shirt

3 Ways To Style A Blazer

Posted in fall fashion trends, fashion trends, how to, How to wear the trends when you are over 40, product review, tips and tricks, Trendy at any age by

Have you ever found yourself in a style rut where you can’t seem to think outside of the box? We all have! I think this is especially true when a style that has been popular in the past has a resurgence. If you’ve worn it once before, you tend to style in your mind the way you wore it before.

I love blazers, and, as an 80’s girl, this is not my first go around with them, but what I am loving is the fresh new ways to wear them that change up the look and keep it trendy.

If you are in a blazer rut, these ideas may get you out:

  1. Style your blazer over a graphic tee: this is definitely a throw back style that is fresh and trendy again. Pair your favorite blazer over a graphic tee in a contrasting, but complimentary color or pair it over a graphic tee that compliments the colors in the blazer. For example, if you had a tweed blazer in browns, pair it over a light brown tee with gold foil lettering, or, for a splash, pair it over a mustard tee. Finish your look with jeans and tall leather boots.
  2. Style your blazer over a glitzy top. You can never go wrong with pairing opposites when you are looking for a trendy style. Try taking a sequined top or tank top and pair your blazer over the top. In the example above, take that same tweed blazer and pair it over a cream top with gold sequins. Finish your look with jeans and some brown leather shoe boots.
  3. Style your blazer under a vest and over a sweater. Layering is always a great way to style up a blazer. In this look, you treat your blazer almost as light weight outer wear. In the tweed example, pair the blazer over a light weight taupe sweater and then put a fun metallic copper puffy vest over the top. Wear some cream, brown or tan colored denim and a shoe boot to complete the look.

Of course, you also always have the traditional pairing of a blazer and a button up blouse or basic layering tank or turtle neck. These old school looks never wear out, but I hope I have inspired you to try some new looks to up your style game this fall and winter!!

To see examples of the pairings I have mentioned here, watch my live Wednesday Night Wardrobing Video for 11/2/22. Check out this and other blog posts on our website here. https://fashioncrossroadsinc.com/blogs/news/10-steps-to-being-a-smart-shopper

Fall and Winter Color Trends For 2022

Posted in color trends, fall fashion trends, fashion trends, how to, tips and tricks, trends, Uncategorized by
Pantone: https://www.pantone.com/articles/fashion-color-trend-report/new-york-fashion-week-autumn-winter-2022-2023

Whenever I am ready to write my color report for the season, I always turn to Pantone. As a buyer, despite my concerted effort to not buy according to my own preferences but according to my customer’s wants and needs, my own color bias and regional biases are hard to overcome. As a mountain west girl, we tend to gravitate towards earthy colors and shy away from bold colors. Maybe it is because we like to blend into our landscape rather than stand out against it.

Whenever I am ready to write my color report for the season, I always turn to Pantone. As a buyer, despite my concerted effort to not buy according to my own preferences but according to my customer’s wants and needs, my own color bias and regional biases are hard to overcome. As a mountain west girl, we tend to gravitate towards earthy colors and shy away from bold colors. Maybe it is because we like to blend into our landscape rather than stand out against it.

According to Pantone, this season’s colors “support our need for nurturing and tactility, as well as a calm and restorative space, fulfilling our yearning for comfort. Concurrently, the colors also illustrate our need to break free of restraint and embrace the joy of being alive through super bright hues expressing energy boosting vitality and the celebration of life.” In other words, on the heels of pandemic and our lives being turned upside down, we are simultaneously seeking nurture and freedom. We need to be re-assured that calm is on the horizon while at the same time want to let all that pent up angst out.

While my experience of the pandemic in Wyoming is very different from that of readers from other places in the country and world, I can completely relate to this juxtaposition of desires. So many things have changed since the worst of the Covid pandemic hit the United States and world; we are still dealing with the ramifications in shortages, shipping delays, increased prices, and the like. We are adjusting to a new normal, and this somewhat chaotic experience makes us want colors that sooth our nerves. I see that

reflected the most in the core classic colors for the season. From soft and soothing cream, blush and grey and always stable black to earthy green, these key colors exude calm and predictability. They are easy to pair and soothing to the psyche. Grey works with burgundy, pink, blues, black, white, yellow, lavender, and many greens. Ivory is a great staple to pair with browns, rusts, earthy greens, black, and ocean blues. Blush and green are nurturing colors that feel soft and soothing.

But, not to be outdone, this season’s palate offers some bold colors that are meant to grab attention. Orange, mustard, pink and teal all add a punch of color to any look. Here in Wyoming, we might choose to use these colors in our accessories or mixed with other hues in prints.

My store has a plethora of the earthy rusts, reds and greens so popular this season. Again, these colors offer a boldness that still fits in with our evergreen trees and fall aspen leaves. I also love the mountain lake blues that are predominant and are so pretty paired with grey. It is easy to add a pop of mustard into this color palate as well while still not going overboard with color.

If you’d like to see some examples of these colors and how we interpret them here in Wyoming, you can watch my Wednesday Wardrobing video at 7 p.m. MST or catch the replay anytime in our VIP Facebook Group. You can watch that video here: https://www.facebook.com/events/579048177328422

5 Surprising Colors To Pair With Mustard

Posted in clothing, color trends, dressing your best, fall fashion trends, fashion trends, how to, personal style, tips and tricks, trends, women's clothing tips by

Mustard is such a trendy color for the season, but it can be a bit intimidating to wear because many women don’t know what to pair with it. Let me assure you, mustard is a surprisingly easy color to pair up with a multitude of colors. The images above demonstrate how great it looks with black and olive, but this blog is about some pairing options that might surprise you.

Before we dive into color pairings, let’s talk a little about mustard as a color. First of all, there are a lot of variations of this color out there. Just imagine the condiments isle at the grocery store. The classic French’s mustard is what most of us think of when we picture this color. It is a traditional mustard. But…if you like dijon mustards, you know those come in a variety of yellows and extend into even some browns. Likewise, you will see many variations of mustard in clothing. Choose a mustard based upon your underlying skin tone. If you are warm toned, you can lean more toward the caramels. If you are cool toned, lean more toward the yellows. In my opinion, the easiest mustard to work with is the traditional color. For me, the pants featured in the pictures to the far right and left are a great example.

So let’s talk surprising color pairings:

  1. Rust: This super trendy color for this season looks amazing with mustard and is particularly good if you have warm toned skin. The combination feels earthy and very fall, harkening to the colors of falling leaves in October.
  2. Olive: Another great option for warm toned gals is olive. Like rust, it also feels earthy with mustard, but it adds a sense of the early fall, just as the grass is starting to change color in preparation for winter.
  3. Navy: Tending more toward the cool tones, navy is another great option with mustard and is a way for a woman with blue undertones in her skin to wear this traditionally warm color. Navy and mustard remind me of an autumn sun contrasted against an evening sky.
  4. Artic Blue: This brighter blue, some call it Ocean Blue, is also great for cool skin tones and works amazing with mustard. It is one of those colors that surprise people when I hold it up against mustard to show them how easily it pairs. It feels a bit like the ocean with a setting sun upon it.
  5. Emerald Green: A classic cool color, this lovely shade of green is perfect with mustard and offers yet another way for a cool skin tone to wear it. Emerald always reminds me of the mountains here in Wyoming and the pine trees. If you imagine a pine tree cast against a warm sun, you can imagine how these two colors work great together.

When you put two very different colors together, even when they pair up well, it always a good idea to find a third item, like a scarf, that helps tie everything together. In fact, I often use scarves to discover unique color pairings that I have not considered. This will make your whole look cohesive. You can do the same thing with a necklace or handbag too.

If you want some more ideas for ways to style mustard, check out my featured collection this week which focuses on this topic. You can find it here: Kyleen’s Picks Of The Week. Happy pairing! You can also watch my training video on this topic in our VIP Facebook Group called Fashion Crossroads Fashionistas. It airs Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. MST.

XOXO Kyleen

5 Ways To Make Casual Friday A Slam Dunk

Posted in dressing for work and dressing for an interview, dressing your best, fall fashion trends, fashion trends, handbags, how to, personal style, tips and tricks, travel clothing, women's clothing tips by

Casual Friday means employees get a green light to wear jeans at work, but most employers want a dressed up casual style that still feels professional but is less dressy than the normal Monday through Thursday dress code requires. As a society, we are becoming more and more casual, and sometimes we forget how to do a casual style that is more than yoga pants and a sweatshirt. This blog post will give you 5 tips for making your Casual Friday wardrobe a slam dunk that still makes you feel great in your clothes and offers elevated style that is appropriate for work.

Tip #1: “Joggers” or pants that are banded at the bottom but slimmer in fit than a typical sweat pant are a trendy style right now. Most of us wouldn’t even consider wearing a jogging pant or sweat pant to work, but when you put this style in the right fabric, it can totally work. Take this olive green jogger set that is in the first picture as an example. Because this look is using a heavy weight travel knit that is a dressy and luxurious fabric, suddenly this style is taken up to a level worthy of the office.

Tip #2: Layer, layer, layer. You can easily dress up a simple sweater and jeans with a vest and boot and make the whole look not only trendy but dressy enough for the office on a Friday. Feminine details like the puffed sleeve on this sweater also add an element of dressiness. Clean jeans that don’t have any distressing can still be trendy when you have a bitty bootcut, like this style in picture number 2.

Tip #3: Printed denim is so in, and you can easily dress it up with the right top. I love how this waffle knit in olive green in picture number 3 is elevated by the banded bottom and the feminine button detailing on the sleeve. Look for added details like these to really help you do dressed up casual. The other tip that makes this look work is the dressy shoe boot and matching handbag. Keep in mind, your accessories really matter. This look, for example, would take on a whole different feeling with loafers, as an example.

Tip #4: Wear a blouse as a “shacket.” Stylish women have been using this trick for ions. Something magical happens when you take a simple blouse and layer it over a tank. It dresses the whole look up and adds dimension. This is another example of how layering can be used to give your look more dimension and style. The dark denim, skinny jeans and high wedges also help this look to be dressier, as do the accessories and handbag.

Tip #5: Take a work blouse, like the look in picture number 5, and make it more casual by pairing it with colored denim, which is dressier than regular denim. Oftentimes, it is difficult to tell if a colored bottom is actually a jean, so many women can get away with wearing colored denim for their Monday through Thursday office looks. Complete the look with some dressy shoe boots and a fun handbag, and you have a dressed up casual style that will have you feeling comfy and classy.

These tips can also work for dressing for work related travel when you need to be comfortable but still look nice when you arrive. If you want to see some more ideas, watch my live video tonight at 6 p.m. MST. In the mean time…thank goodness it is almost Friday! I hope you will try out some of these tips!

6 Styles For The Perfect Bonfire Night

Posted in dressing your best, fall fashion trends, fashion, fashion trends, how to, personal style, tips and tricks, trends, women's clothing tips by

The warm orange glow of a fire that crackles softly in the cool, crisp air; the warmth of a cup of hot chocolate in the palms of your hands; the soft Chenille of a cozy sweater; the tip of a nose turned red by the first cold fall night….oooh, I can hardly wait!

From easy tunics and leggings to cute jeans, shackets, tees and plaids. Get these items on our online store here

Truth be told, while I love summer and all the wonderful things I get to do, my favorite season is fall. I love everything about fall because, here in Wyoming, it is a time of transition – the season between the heat of summer and the dead of winter; I look forward to it every year. And, in my opinion, fall clothes are THE BEST clothes. It isn’t cold enough to warrant a heavy winter coat, so we get to wear soft and cozy sweaters, warm down vests, trendy capes, cute hats and scarves, tall boots, shoe boots and, my favorite, UGGS.

So today’s blog post is all about dressing for those bonfire nights and staying trendy and fashionable while you do it. Whether you are on a hay ride, finding your way through a corn maze, sitting by a campfire roasting hot dogs, attending a loved one’s football game or cheering on our good ol’ Wyoming Cowboys, these tips will ensure you look great while you are doing it.

My favorite fall trends for those bonfire nights:

  1. The Shacket: this combination between a shirt and jacket is like wearing your dad’s heavy weight camping flannel. The oversized fit means you can layer it over other things and also makes it perfect to pair with the season’s trendy leggings. Add some shoe boots or tall boots and a coordinating hat and scarf, and you will have a trendy fall style, perfect for whatever fun you have in mind.
  2. The Chenille Sweater: sweaters are huge this season and Chenille (ultra soft yarn) abounds. This fabric just oozes comfort and cozy. You’ll be giving yourself hugs, I promise.
  3. Wide brimmed Fedora: Your fall look won’t be complete without a brushed velvet Fedora. This style works well with plaid blouses, shackets, capes, and more. Match your hat to your shoes and handbag for a the classic classy lady style.
  4. Plaid Shirts: My sixteen year old daughter calls these her “flannels.” I haven’t pointed out to her that flannel is a fabric and what she really means to say is “plaid,” which is the print. Ugh…did I just sound like an English teacher? (You can take the girl out of the classroom but not the classroom out of the girl! He he.) At any rate, my daughter is enamored with paid shirts because they are so trendy and they work so well over the cropped tops she loves to wear with her high waisted shorts and jeans. Wear them open, partially buttoned, tied…you choose, but make sure you have a plaid shirt this season.
  5. Suede or faux leather leggings: the great thing about this trend is these fabrics are ever so much warmer than cotton knit, so here in the west, we love this trend! Pair them with a cute graphic tee and a long sweater cardigan. Wear them with a tunic length shacket. Match them to a longer sweater. The best thing about this style is you will be as comfortable as you are fashionable for all those cool weather activities.
  6. Puffy down vests: these will just not go away, and it is probably because they are the perfect transitional item for fall when you don’t quite need a coat, but a sweater is just not enough. Choose one in a trendy fall color like olive, rust or mustard to give your outfit a fresh look. Match up a cute beanie and scarf, and you’ll be rocking fall style.

The leaves are already turning yellow on the tree outside my office as I type this blog post. Soon, we will be seeing golden yellow patches on the mountain indicating that the Aspen trees are beginning to turn. This year, make sure you get out and enjoy this season with all it has to offer. And, make sure you look great while you are doing it for all those selfies!

Want more ideas for fun fall outfits? Watch my Wednesday Night Wardrobing Live Video at 6 p.m. MST in our VIP Facebook group.

Tips and Ticks For Choosing The Best Jean For Your Body

Posted in dressing your figure, fall fashion trends, how to, personal style, product review, tips and tricks, trends, women's clothing tips by

Of all the bottoms on the market, jeans are probably the most complicated to buy. Very few other pants offer so many choices in fit. Buying a single pair of jeans requires you to make a myriad of choices. Do you want a slim fit to loose fit like a boyfriend jean? Do you want a low, medium, high rise or the ultra high “mom jean?” What inseam length do you need? Do you want a skinny, straight or bootcut? Do you want an ankle jean, petite or regular? Do you want a light, medium or dark wash? And on and on….

Honestly, it reminds me of ordering coffee at Starbucks….”Can I please have a grande, vanilla, almond milk latte or would it be a grande, almond milk latte with a shot of vanilla? It gives me anxiety. I’ve seen customers get equally flummoxed at trying to tell me what they want in a jean, and I don’t blame them.

In this blog post, I will try to demystify jean buying and help walk you through making the best jean choice for your body.

  1. Let’s talk fit…Right now, jeans can be purchased in a variety of fits from slim fits that hug the body like a legging to looser fits that look like you are wearing your fella’s jeans. There are also wide legged, high waisted varieties that look like they stepped right out of the seventies. Choosing a fit is about your desired level of trendiness and your body shape. The trendiest jeans styles this season are slim legged ankle jeans, loose fitting and beat up boyfriend jeans, and wide legged culottes. If you are shorter, I would avoid the wider legged styles, as they are trickier to wear and can have a tendency to make shorter people look dumpy. If you have thicker legs, you may want to choose straight leg or wide leg styles with a little more room in the thigh and calf to avoid looking poured into your jeans. Boyfriend jeans work on anyone, but do take some know how in pairing them with tops and shoes. If you want a middle of the road fit, I recommend choosing a straight leg style with a slimmer fitting leg. This is a great look that keeps your jean trendy without requiring a lot of thought on how to wear it.
  2. So many rises….trendier jeans right now are high waisted, even higher than you would probably think of as a high rise jean. Generally, if you just want a great fitting jean, a regular rise is your best bet. These jeans will come just over your belly button and should fit right around the smallest part of your waist. Regular rise jeans are the most flattering because the high rise helps to hold in extra pounds around your middle. Lower rises that sit an inch below your belly button or lower don’t do much for helping your figure. Ultra high rises take some know how to pull them off, like a cropped top, as an example. Whatever you choose, just be sure to sit down in any jean you try on before you purchase it to make sure it doesn’t roll or continually slide down. A sign you have chosen the right rise for your body is that you won’t have a large gap in the waist.
  3. How do I figure out what inseam I need…one of the trickiest parts of jean buying is the multitude of inseam lengths out there. A typical regular length jean has a 33 inch inseam. A petite jean will be more like 29 inches. A typical ankle jean will have a 27 inch inseam. To figure out your inseam or to measure a jean, just use a tape measure from the crotch of the jean to the hemline or from your groin to your ankle. Your inseam will depend largely on whether you are short or long waisted, but generally, women under 5’2 will need a petite jean and women over 5’5 can do a regular rise jean. For us poor devils, me included, who are in that 5’3-5’5 height range, we are just stuck with cuffing a jean that is too long or getting one hemmed. It’s a huge bummer, but the good news is that the ankle jean works quite well for us. If you are particularly long legged or near 6 feet, you are unfortunately going to have to find tall jeans, which can be a TALL order, he he.
  4. Let’s chat about leg opening…you can readily find skinny, straight and bootcut styles in pretty much any jean brand you choose. A skinny jean is usually about 5 inches across at the hemline. A straight leg style will be more like 7 inches across. And, a bootcut style will be somewhere around 8 inches, depending upon the brand. Generally, women who have thicker legs will prefer a bootcut style because it will offer a roomier leg and thigh. The other option is a boyfriend cut jean that is meant to fit loose. If you have thin legs, you will probably like how you look in a skinny jean because it will show off your great legs. If you are somewhere in the middle, or, as I mentioned previously, just want a good all around jean, you will probably gravitate to a straight leg jean. A lot of it also depends on foot wear. If you like to tuck your jeans into tall boots or cuff your jeans, as an example, a skinny jean is what you want. If you want to wear your jeans over sturdier shoes, a bootcut will be a better choice.
  5. It’s all about the wash…from vintage washes that are light to dark denim washes that almost look black, you can buy jeans in just about any shade of blue you want. Vintage washes tend to lend themselves to summer and lighter colored tops. They do look lovely paired up with cream sweaters in the winter, however. Dark denim washes are usually dressier and can be worn from casual to dressed up casual. Medium blue washes are considered “go to” washes in the industry because they go with everything. Fading along the front of the leg can make a thick thigh appear thinner. Whiskering and distressing are all a means of adding eye-catching details to the jean or making them look already worn. There are many ways to create these effects including chemical washes, sandblasting, scraping using ruler-sized files, grinding with actual stones, and lasers. Right now, these elements along with colored washes in everything from wine to mustard, make a jean trendier. The cleaner, un-embellished jean, on the other hand, can be worn for years to come. What you choose is all dependent upon what you want out of your jean.
  6. Look at me….the bottom of your jeans is pretty important right now. From fringed hemlines to embroidery and sequins, the hemlines of jeans are taking center stage. You will find clipped hems which are shorter in the front and left unhemmed, multiple layers of fringe, bows, ribbons, and just about anything else you can imagine gracing the bottoms of jeans. These details add to the jean’s uniqueness and are a fresh twist on that basic of most basic items that we all love to love…the jean.

Happy jean shopping! Don’t get flummoxed. Now you can talk jeans like a BOSS! And, if you want to hear me talk about this in person, just join me on my VIP Facebook group called Fashion Crossroads Fashionistas tonight at 6 p.m. Watch here: https://www.facebook.com/events/884895962279917