Fashion Friday: Super Skinny Saga

There is an epidemic sweeping the U.S. You’ve seen it if you’ve ventured into a store or shopped on-line this year. It is SKINNY jeans. And if that’s not enough for you, then there’s SUPER SKINNY jeans.

Which brings us to today’s Fashion Friday. For those of us who sigh in collective horror, let’s tackle the Super Skinny Jean epidemic in fashion.

Why am I up in arms over this fashion? Well, first of all, both little bit and I have been jeans shopping this month. She’s a girl’s size 10 and I’m a ladies size 12. She is super skinny and I am super not.

So arguably, if the fashion was going to work for someone, it would work for one of us on either end of the size spectrum.

It does not.

She will tell you, she hates super skinny. Regular ole skinny isn’t much better.

Where will you find this trend? The better question is where won’t you. Thus far, the super skinny look is dominating the following stores which we regularly frequent: Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Target, Abercrombie, Levi, Express, Nordstrom, Macy’s, J. Crew, Justice, and on and on. It doesn’t help if you go to a department store. I tried Seven for All Mankind, Joe’s, Lauren, etc., and they were all skinny fit. And, I might add, they are running SHORT which is a crime if you’re 5’10 and don’t want to look like you’re wading through a river! (Or worse than super skinny, the jegging. Y’all, this is a legging not a jean!)

Seriously.

(From top to bottom, Justice, J. Crew, Old Navy, and Joe’s from Dillard’s. This is just a VERY small sample size of the skinny epidemic! And note, they’re not just SKINNY but they are often also high-waisted and ankle length – these are all bad things if you just want a normal pair of jeans!)

So what is a girl to do if you don’t actually want jeans plastered to your thighs, be you skinny or curvy? My girlfriend and I were discussing this over breakfast and have come up with a few options for all of you suffering under the same skinny jeans oppression as the Vincent girls.

One of my favorite brands, hand’s down, is Kut from Cloth. I love their fit and their longevity. I’ve had my first pair for years and finally bought my second pair. They’re a little pricey for me, they run close to $100, but in the normal sized jeans desert, I splurged. These are their Natalie bootcut jeans, but they have tons of styles and they run $89 at Nordstrom. (I also tried Lucky, similar cut, and I liked them but the color was too bright – I like my denim darker.)

J. Crew is not ALL skinny. They have straight, wide leg, curvy, boyfriend… My friend swears by boyfriend for her figure, but they don’t fit me right and I don’t care for how most of them are cuffed. Here is the straight trouser and their curvy boot cut. Normally these run over $100, but they’re on sale for 35% off.

If you’re looking for a bargain, then I’d typically send you to Old Navy. However, I have found they are the worst offender of the super skinny. Some of my fav jeans are their curvy style. Well they are out of that style for now, but I just found a gorgeous straight-legged style which I’m wearing today and they’re soft, stylish, and a bargain at HALF PRICE for $18. Can you believe it? (Plus we should all buy from Old Navy because they give you the option of seeing the jeans on a size 4 model or a size 10 model – this is the size 10 model, thank you so much Old Navy!)

There are others. You have to hunt. I tried on OVER 20 pairs of jeans just to find two pair that worked. Little bit is STILL on the hunt because the epidemic is even worse for girls (plus she is super freakish about fabrics – send help!). Sigh. Between skin tight jeans and micro-mini shorts and skirts, I am disgusted with girls fashion right now. But you already know that.

What say you? Do you love the super skinny? Don’t worry, I’ll still be your friend if you do 🙂