This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Levi’s®. All opinions are 100% mine.
I will never forget the first time I bought a pair of skinny jeans. My daughter was about 6-months-old at the time, and when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror the morning after a particularly colicky and sleepless night, I was horrified at what I saw. My hair was limp, my complexion was worse than when I was a teenager, I had dark circles under my eyes, my clothes were 3 seasons out of date, and I just didn’t feel like myself.
My initial instinct was to crawl under the covers with a jar of Nutella so I could watch Sex and the City for the rest of the day, but anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes with a baby knows that binge-watching Netflix is completely out of the question during those first few months of parenthood, so I decided to seek refuge in retail therapy instead. I figured a couple of new outfits were just what the doctor ordered to help me get my groove back, and from the moment I stepped foot into the mall that afternoon, I started to feel more like my old self.
Until I decided it was time to buy myself some new denim…
Skinny jeans had become all the rage about a year before I became pregnant, and even though I try to stay on trend each season, I never felt comfortable enough in my own skin to wear something so form-fitting and sexy. And since pregnancy stretches your body in ways you never thought possible, the last thing I wanted to do was try to squeeze myself into something that would accentuate the parts of my body I’m most insecure about.
But the sales assistant that helped me that day insisted I give skinny jeans a go, and when I told him I was much too old and un-cool to pull the look off, he pointed out that I had nothing to lose by trying them on.
So I obliged.
I remember feeling rather smug when I came out of the change room to show him how ridiculous I looked, but he held up his hand as if to silence me, looked me straight in the eye, said, ‘you have no business buying anything but skinny jeans with a figure like that’, and then went on his lunch break.
I never saw him again.
I bought 3 pairs of skinny jeans that day, and while it took quite some time before I felt confident enough to wear them outside of our home, skinnies have since become a staple in my wardrobe, and I don’t know how I would survive without them.
And since I know there are gals out there who feel how I used to – too insecure to even try skinny jeans, let alone buy them – today I’m teaming up with Levi’s® to share 5 of my best tips to teach YOU how to buy the perfect pair of skinny jeans.
Because being fashionable doesn’t need to be difficult!
1. GET THE RIGHT CUT
I’ve heard so many people complain that skinny jeans were only designed for skinny people, but that’s simply not true. The trick is to select the right cut for your body type. And while I could talk your ear off about skinnies versus jeggings, and low-rise versus high-rise, my biggest advice if you want a versatile jean is to stick to a mid-rise skinny like the Levi’s® 711 Skinny. It sits at the waist, features a skinny leg, and has a classic silhouette look that compliments every body shape.
2. PICK THE RIGHT WASH
While lots of celebs can pull off virtually any wash of jean imaginable, experience has taught me that light-colored jeans have a tendency to make you look heavier than you really are, so I tend to stick with darker washes. Of course, this isn’t always practical, especially when the weather warms up, but the right pair of shoes can offer a great balance when needed – see below for more tips!
3. PAIR WITH THE RIGHT SHOES
Everyone knows that shoes can make or break an outfit (right?), but few people really understand how important footwear is when it comes to skinny jeans. It took me a long time to really understand what does and does not work, and I’m still learning, but here are a few of my best pointers:
-Knee-high boots can cut your legs off and make you look shorter, and since dark jeans are much more slimming than light jeans, you should always opt for a dark denim when sporting tall boots.
-Ankle boots look good with all denim cuts and washes, as long as you cuff them properly.
-Flats should be reserved for taller girls, but if you absolutely must wear them, make sure your skinnies have an extra long inseam to add a bit of length to your legs.
-If you want to give the illusion that your legs are longer and slimmer, opt for high heels. Always.
4. CHOOSE THE RIGHT MATERIAL
I used to shy away from stretchy fabrics as they feel a little too much like leggings (which I’m still not confident enough to wear), but after experimenting with different materials over the years, I’ve come to prefer stretch denim as I find it’s not only more comfortable, but it also holds and lifts me in ways that make me look and feel my best. Give it a try and you’ll see what I mean!
5. SHOP AT THE RIGHT STORE: MACY’S
Jean shopping has always been a long and drawn out event for me, and I’ve been known to spend an entire day shopping for the perfect fit. But when I ran over to Macy’s in Las Vegas last week, I bought the most amazing pair of jeans in…wait for it…less than 10 minutes.
I’m serious!
The Levi’s® 711 Skinny has everything I was looking for in a jean – mid-rise waist, slim through the hips and thighs, skinny leg, stretch denim material – and it came in a bunch of fabulous washes for every occasion. I tried on 2 pairs, both of which felt like they were made specifically for me, and since I wanted something that would work for both daytime and nighttime looks, I opted for the darker wash.
And I’m so glad I did.
My husband and I had a chance to go out for some much-needed adult time the following evening, and even though I didn’t have a ton of dressy clothes in my suitcase, I managed to ‘wow’ him by pairing my new Levi’s® 711 Skinny jeans with a bold tank top, a few bangles, and a nice pair of heeled shoes. I would have added a black jacket if we were at home in freezing cold Toronto, but it felt pretty amazing to be out and about without sleeves!
As you can see, the jeans hug my body in all the right places, and they are, hands down, the most comfortable pair of skinnies I’ve ever owned.
And at just $40 a pair, they were a real steal!
So if you’re only going to try or buy ONE pair of skinny jeans this year, the Levi’s® 711 Skinny should be it.
Trust me.
Check them out next time you’re at Macy’s, or if you’re impatient (like me!), you can also purchase a pair (or 3) online at Macys.com.
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