OT Poster
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Gone are the days when all you could choose when buying a pair of jeans were the colour and the waist size.
Even the not so top brands offer atleast three different options each in rise, fit, cut and fabric today.
Unlike in the past, all the said varieties are available in outlets in the city; the styles and cuts in Levi’s or Pepe that you get in Kochi are all you are going to get in Mumbai or Bangalore, says Nisar , manager, Pepe s h o w - room, M G road.
So how do you ensure that you come home with a pair which will be second skin? The first criterion to consider would be your priorities.
Is comfort the first and last thing on your mind? Many brands bring out two kinds of jeans - for example, Pepe has ‘Fashion’ which caters to those who want the latest in fashion, (these may look funky but the fad may disappear as fast as it comes) and ‘Core’ for which the cuts and styles will be classic, which will never go out of fashion.
In any brand, you will find options in three categories - rise, cut and fit.
RISE Rise refers to the length between the waist and the meeting point of the legs. The rise in women’s jeans will always be lesser than that of men’s so never ever make the mistake of buying men’s jeans, even if they look the same.
High rise : The waistband will be located above the navel.
High rise suits only those with a shapely waist (remember the earlier Shilpa Shetty?) or else the stomach will appear more protruding. High rise is generally no longer the trend nowadays.
Regular rise: The waistband will be located precisely on the waist. This kind suits women with an average to long legs and will accentuate a well proportioned body.
Low rise: The waistband will be located around 2-3 inches below the navel. This is the most popular rise around the world now, especially for women. However, you need a reasonable flat tummy to look good in a low rise jeans.
There is also a super-lowrise jeans, which lies 3-5 inches below the navel but this style is not so much in use in a conservative place like Kerala.
CUT Cut refers to the actual shape of the pants. It comes in three categories mainly - skinny, straight and boot cuts. Flared/ baggy might still be available is some brands, but they are not currently in vogue.
Skinny: This style tends to hug your legs closely all the way to your feet. Few women can wear the skinny or tapered cut well because they basically require the perfect body. Always try sitting down and making basic movements before settling down on one.
Straight: Traditional cut with a straight narrow leg that does not flare at the ankles. If you are on the shorter side, a straight leg can give the illusion or more height. However, if you are plus size, it is better to avoid the straight leg cut; it can make you look extremely out of proportion.
Boot: Skims the thighs with a slightly flared lower leg. If you are blessed with curves, the boot cut can balance your hips and thighs.
FIT The fit refers to how tight and how close to the skin the jeans are worn. Jeans with a low waist almost always have a tight fit and most often have boot cut/ flared leg cuts. The three common fits are relaxed, regular and slim fit.
Besides the said categories, there are various other factors which you need to consider, for example, the fabric and the stretchability. Fabric mixed with Lycra will be stretchable while those with linen will be lighter and thus more expensive, says Nisar.
The kind of tops that you wear should also match the jeans, says Nisar. It would be a fashion disaster to wear a kurta top or a long formal top with a funky skinny kind of jeans, which will look good only with a short fitted western top, he says. There are jeans which come with natural wrinkles which should never be ironed, he points out, it will ruin the whole look.
Also, the length of the jeans is always a constant - (46 for men and 44 for women). Too short people should get the jeans altered to their height, but the length should be such that the bottom doesn’t go up when you lift your legs, he says.
The look which is in right now is a smooth, straight cut without any rips or embellishments but then, what is more important is how comfortable you feel, at the end of the day.
