Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Bottoms Up & lookin' good-- definitely worth the read

We are firm believers that if your bottom doesn't look good you are fighting an uphill battle from the get go. The problem: there is nothing more difficult then making your bottom look spectacular or more frustrating then a day of jean shopping... so many styles, colors and trends. Where do you even begin?
To help dress your bottom with the perfect denim, no matter your size or shape, we have consulted our denim expert, Katie Jacob Dallimore, owner of Stella Boutique.  Here is what she has to say...

(Keep in mind that all jeans featured below come in different washes, so if you don't like the wash just choose another one)

for curvier bottoms...

Joe's "honey"
as featured in Lucky Magazine as the jean to minimize your bottom
  
For women that have a smaller waist than hips and thighs and often have a problem of denim gapping at the waist, there two jean styles that Stella has in stock right now that are specific to fitting that niche and those are the Joes “honey” and 7 For All Mankind “kimmie”.  

7 For all Mankind "Kimmie"

They are both offered in a bootcut but the “honey” is also offered in a skinny version. However if there is a jean you love but is a tad large in the waist please remember that a good tailor can be a miracle worker.  All they have to do is remove the back belt loop, nip it in at the waist and reattach the belt loop to hide the seam. For the locals we love the Golden Needle on the corner of Staring and Highland--- they are FANTASTIC!

TIP: to minimize the look of your bottom try jeans with a slanted yoke (the place between the waistband and the pockets) to define curves and larger back pockets to make your bottom look smaller. The Joe's honey is a perfect match!

for petite bottoms...

Joe's Provacteur

Most jeans that are produced now are offered predominately in long inseams. That is because us short girls can have our jeans altered but those long legged ladies can’t add more length. Typically altering is not an issue because just as a good tailor can take in a waistband, she can also reattach an original hem that makes the jeans look like they haven’t been touched.  However if you are are 5’3” or under you will run the risk of losing the width in the leg because so much has to be cut off... so try these two styles for us shorties!

7 For All Mankind "Lexie"

For these petite figures several denim lines are starting to offer a petite version, specifically the Joe’s Provocateur and the 7 FAM “lexie." The Provocateur comes in boot cut and a skinny. The lexie comes in a variety of fits for each season. Also, 7FAM makes a “flip flop jean”  that taller girls can wear with flats and shorter girls can wear with heels.

TIP: if you are looking for bottom enhancement try jeans with flap pockets to add instant volume. 


for conservative bottoms...

You can get a higher rise jean without having the stereotypical “mom jean.”  Typically these jeans        will sit a little above your hip bones and won’t give you a muffin top that the lower rise jeans can sometimes do.

Joe's "Muse"

If you feel like you can’t sit down without covering your backside with your hand or feel like you are constantly having to pull up your jeans you may want to try some brands like the Joes “muse”, 7FAM high waist boot cut, and Tag + jeans are great too. These are still very fun and stylish but give you a little more coverage.

bottoms looking for the lastest trends...
skinnies & cigarettes 

Skinny jeans: denim designers are now making skinnies that flatter all body types not just runway models.  If you feel like you are a little unbalanced (larger hips and thighs then calves) you may want to opt for a cigarette rather than a skinny.  A cigarette jean is a little looser around the calf That can make you feel a little more balanced while providing the same look as a skinny.  Also a cigarette jean can be a good segway into a skinny if you aren’t ready to try that super tight look.  Joe’s “cigarette”, Rock & Republic “Stella” and 7FAM “Roxanne” or “Straight Leg” would be great styles to try. 
 Joe's "cigarette"

Rock & Republic "Stella"


7 For All Mankind "Roxanne"

7 For All Mankind "Straight leg"

As previously mentioned the Joe’s “honey skinny”  is great for the curve girl that wants a skinny jean. For everyone else we recommend Genetic “Shane”  They are the perfect fitting skinny with amazing washes that flatter almost ever body type. The “Shane” jean are a celebrity favorite! Also the Genetic “James” is a great option if you want a little something extra.  They fit like the Shane but have a 6” zipper at the ankle that looks great with heels or gladiator sandles.

 Genetic Denim "Shane"
on sale now at Rue La La 


Genetic Denim "James"


tips from our expert...

Trying on tips:
1.      
 Go into a jean shopping excursion with time and patience.  
(you may have to try on a lot to find the right jean but don’t get discouraged)

2.       
Please, please ask for help.  
With all the different fits out there the sales associate should be knowledgeable enough to find you that perfect jean if you let them.  Often times you will go into a store with a certain jean or fit that you saw on some model that won’t be the right pair of jeans for you. 
If you are open minded you will end up looking fabulous if you ask for help.

3.     
Come out of the fitting room. 
The associate can’t help you if we don’t know what you like and dislike about the way a specific jean fits. 

Remember... jeans are made mostly from cotton.  Don’t let anyone tell you that they won’t stretch and they won’t shrink because that is just not true.  Some do stretch more than other and some will shrink more than others, but the nature of cotton is to stretch when worn and shrink when washed. 

 How to prevent jeans from shrinking...
If you want to try and prevent your jeans from shrinking wash them on cold water, inside out (to preserve color) and hang them dry.  To get the stiffness out you can tumble them in the dryer on low for about 5 – 10 minutes after they are fully dry.  

How to shrink jeans a little...
If you want your jeans to shrink up wash them on warm, inside out and tumble dry them. 


 How jeans should fit in the store...
Be mindful that jeans can rip if they are purchased too tight so be careful when purchasing.  You want them to be fitted but not too tight that they ripple or you can’t sit because they will rip.

Where to buy and how much to spend???
Being the Rag Taggers that we are- we always look for the best deal around. However, when buying denim we believe a little more money spent can go a long way. So spend some money on your denim... its probably the most worn item in your closet. Be prepared to spend anywhere from about $100-$250 on a great pair of jeans.
But don't get discouraged by spending money on your denim... because once you find the brand and style that fits you the best then you can shop them online and find great deals.
Most of the denim brands above are featured on some of our favorite site that run great sales  like Revolve (enter the promo code tulip for 15% off), Bluefly, Shopbop, Tobi(end the promo code DEMINDAYS for 20% off) and are often featured on Rue La la (Genetic Denim is on sale now), and Gilt.

BUT if its your first time trying a brand we suggest going to a store and trying it on....once you know what fits then you can go online and and buy!

Locals....  

We absolutely positively suggest you go by Stella Boutique to buy your denim. Katie has the widest and best selection of denim in town at competitive prices. She, along with her sales associates, are very knowledgeable on different types of denim for different body types. Let her help you... she can make your bottom look amazing!!! 







Friday, March 12, 2010

Stripidy Stripes!!!

I just got back from the beach...
it was great... pina coladas, lazy days on the beach, nautical themes, swimsuits, beach hats, pools and hot tubs!

Now I'm home and feeling a little nostalgic for the beach... lucky for me STRIPES are in style!!! I can just throw on my favorite stripe shirt or dress and feel like I'm back on the beach.
Brittany Boutique- Meridien genuine traditional breton sailor shirt
EUR 38.00  $53.20 

$10.50!!! Comes in more colors
                                                                                             Yoox Ben Sherman                            Yoox- Spina Stole                                 Yoox Murphy & NYE
                                                                                                           $42.00                                                $89.00                                                       $35.00

 Anthropologie Striped Pursuit Top
$98.00

                                                                               Ruche- Daffodil lace on stripes dress                                                                         Ruche- Nautical Stripes Scarf
                                                                                                      $34.99                                                                                                                 $16.99


$57.00

This month's InStyle helped us out on this trend