You’ve probably gathered from previous posts that I’m not into casual dressing. But there is one item of casual clothing I couldn’t do without. Yes, you’ve got it – it’s jeans.
The term jeans is generally used to describe blue jeans, a particular type of trousers which were invented by Jacob W. Davis and Levi Strauss in 1873. Although they were patented by Levi Strauss, various garments made of blue denim had been in use for many years before jeans. (The fabric, a kind of twilled cotton, is generally thought to have originated in Genoa, Italy.) These garments were originally designed for workers and sailors, because denim is so hard-wearing, and jeans became popular with cowboys in America for the same reason. They really took off in the 1950s, and now jeans are one of the most common items of clothing, world-wide. Everyone wears them – even I!
Jeans are durable. They can withstand years of wear and many washes. Yet they are pliable enough to be comfortable, and that’s why they are a staple in many wardrobes. I like the feel of denim – particularly denim that has been washed many times so that it’s beautifully soft.
The bad thing about jeans is that it’s hard to find a pair that fits exactly, even these days when so many of them have a stretch fabric added to the cotton. Women like jeans to fit closely, to hug thighs without strangling them, to fit at the waist and to taper nicely to the ankle. Some years I find a pair of jeans that fits well, but then fashion dictates a change in style and I have to try numerous pairs to discover the perfect fit all over again.
My problem is a common one. I have a small waist, but although my legs are slim they are not skinny, and jeans often seem to be made with catwalk models in mind. Jeans that fit my legs always gape hugely at the waist. I find it easier to get jeans that fit overseas than here in Australia, so I usually only shop for them when I’m in the US, or South America. However, if you live in Melbourne, there is a solution. There’s a shop called Dejour Jeans in Brunswick, where you can get jeans tailored to your specifications, and even take in your favourite pair to be copied. It isn’t expensive either, but it does mean waiting some time in a queue, as lots of people have cottoned on to this excellent idea.
The great thing about jeans is that you can dress them up or down. I work in a place with a dress policy that bans casual wear. Yet our secretary wears jeans from time to time. No one even blinks, because she looks smarter than everyone else in their corporate attire. She has the knack of combining them with an elegant blouse and a blazer to smarten them up. And she always wears heels.
The easiest way to dress up a pair of jeans is to team them with heels. They make your legs look longer and they work with skinny jeans, or wide legs that touch the tops of your shoes. Have you noticed that jeans are often too long when you buy them? That’s because no two women are exactly alike in size, and some women will have longer legs but still wear the same size as a woman with shorter legs. It’s easier to cut or hem a pair of jeans than it is to add a piece of material. I always have a pair of jeans in my wardrobe that are a bit too long, and I only wear them with heels.
I love wearing jeans with the Megan shoe. It seems to have just the right shape to suit the kind of jeans I like, and the colours look gorgeous with denim. Try them!
