How To Find The Perfect Skinny Jeans

Finding the perfect fitting pair of skinny jeans can be somewhat daunting due to the fact that there are millions to choose from and most of the time they are all different. Knowing the difference between the fits, finding the perfect stretch content, the correct rise height, the appropriate leg length as well as finding a nice wash is very overwhelming and a lot of people struggle with it. I often get a lot of emails asking for help which I’m always more than happy to answer, but I thought I would make a post with some tips that can help you in finding the perfect pair of skinny jeans. Please click this post to find out all of the information.

Body Shapes And Sizes

In my opinion, everyone can wear skinny jeans, it just completely depends on the way you style them. Don’t be put off in thinking if you have fuller hips or a curvier figure that they wont work for you, because when styled right, they definitely will. I’ve seen all different shapes and sizes in skinny jeans and when worn with the correct clothes to balance out the proportions, they look amazing. For Example:

Curves And Hips

If you do have a curvier body shape, wearing skinny jeans tucked into mid-calf/knee high boots will balance out the lower leg portion, while wearing a longer shirt or tunic that hits just below the butt will flatter the top half. If you have fuller hips, then wearing the skinny jeans tucked into boots again will balance out the hip to lower leg ratio, but on top you can wear something that’s wider on the shoulders like a blazer with shoulder pads to keep the proportions correct.

Slim And Straight

If you have a straighter figure, more so what they call the boyish shape or fashion model style, I would say that a low rise can be very flattering. Having the jeans super skinny and tailored at the calves and ankles is the best option as it creates the illusion that you have a smaller lower leg area which in turn makes the hip area wider to the eye. I find that also boyfriend jeans work the best on this shape, but I know this is a skinny jeans post so I wont delve into that.

Petites

If you are petite then wearing a skinny jean with a high rise, pump style heels and a shirt/blouse tucked in at the waist can really elongate your legs for a more dressier look, but for casual I would definitely recommend a low rise skinny jean that’s super skinny all over. Definitely stay away from mid rises, I myself have experience with the mid rises and unless you wear a long top that hits at the front pockets, this particular height in rise is not very flattering. It can make you look shorter.

Tall

For the taller ladies, they are very lucky as they can pretty much get away with just about any skinny jean on the market, but the ones I would be more inclined to recommend would be mid to higher rises as they are most flattering. If you have long legs and are conscious of their length though, you could try a lower rise jean with a top that skims at the waist band so it doesn’t make your legs lengthier and then pair them with flats.

Butt Shapes

Now the back pockets, for me, are something that I always make sure I look at first. It’s the selling point of the jeans in my opinion. If a pair of jeans look really gorgeous from the front, but awful from the back, then I wont get them. Having the jeans back pockets in the perfect place is something that everyone should look out for so that they are flattering all the way around. It’s the same principle as if the jeans looked bad from the front, but great from the back, you would most likely put them back on the shelf. The back is equally as important as the front in my opinion, so that’s why pocket placement and positioning is a key factor in finding the perfect skinny jeans.

A few simple tips to remember are make sure the back pockets are symmetrical and in line with each other, make sure they are not too big or too small and also make sure they are a flattering shape; the classic pocket with the V at the bottom is always the best in my opinion.

Smaller/Flatter Butts

If you have a smaller or flatter tush area, then there are quite a lot of jeans to suit you. For pocket positioning, I would recommend choosing back pockets that are slightly higher up as they create the illusion of a pert butt. Picking jeans with back pockets that are also slightly wider apart will create the illusion that you have a wider butt, however this isn’t always very flattering and can look bad if they are placed to far apart. The best option would be picking central back pockets with a higher positioning. I think these can be very flattering. The above photo is of higher positioned back pockets, but my butt is more on the rounded side so as you can see it’s not that flattering.

Bigger/Rounded Butts

If you are quite gifted in the butt department then some jeans can actually look quite bad from behind. Unlike my advice above, I recommend staying away from higher positioned back pockets due to the fact that they don’t sit right on the cheek areas. They sit too high and don’t look very flattering. The perfect position for pockets are where the bottom of the pocket (as it dips into a V shape) hits just at the bottom of your cheeks (where the cheek meets the thigh). Having the pockets end here gives a rounded look and is very flattering. I also find that slightly lower down pockets (maybe 1-2 inches below) can also be quite enhancing. The lower down placement will create the look of a smaller butt if you are looking to minimise it a bit.

Leg Shapes

Leg shapes are definitely another very important factor when choosing your skinny jeans. Most brands know this and that’s why you have such an array of fits from ankle peg and jeggings to 12 inch and pencil legs. There will be something for everyone, it’s just knowing the difference between the shapes and what might suit you best. I’m only including the two opposite ends of the scale here as regular sized/shaped legs can pretty much do any skinny jean and look fine.

Athletic/Fuller Legs

If you have more muscular/athletic or fuller legs then I would recommend choosing a 12 inch skinny jean, or something around that proportion, as it will fit a lot like a slimmer skinny jean. It will leave more room in the calf area and it wont be too constricting on your legs overall, but it will still look really skinny. Sometimes, if you find the 12 inch skinnies still too tight, you might want to opt for a straight leg with a 14 inch opening and these will still look skinny on you. I’ve seen a lot of jeans worn this way and they still look fine. How jeans fit varies greatly on the body shape of the owner.

Very Slim Legs

This is the issue I struggle with. My hip to leg ratio is off, so when I find a pair of regular jeans that fit in the hip area, they are usually baggy in the legs which is really unfortunate. My advice for very slim legs is picking an ankle peg skinny jean with a 10 inch leg opening or less. These will definitely be very flattering and look like regular skinny jeans on you. I also find that jeggings look very flattering, they hug in all the right places and don’t leave any room for gaps or bagginess which can be unflattering. I wouldn’t recommend picking anything over a 10 inch leg opening as if your calves are small they end up looking like straight leg jeans that don’t go past your ankles and it looks quite sloppy.

Gaps At The Waist Or Muffin Top

This post I have written is not sponsored by anyone at all, it’s all written by myself, but I want to mention Levi’s Curve ID on my own accord. A lot of you may know about their Curve ID range already, but I do fully support the collection. If you usually have a gap at the waist when the jeans fit tighter all over, then Levi’s do the Bold Curve for this particular body shape while if you usually have muffin top and looser fitting legs, then the Slight Curve will work for you. The collection has 4 different cuts and it’s for different body shapes.

A lot of the questions I do receive from you all are based around this issue and I find myself usually always recommending Levi’s Curve ID because it works. I have tried the Slight Curve, Demi Curve and Bold Curve all in the same size of 27 and they each fit me differently. The Slight Curve works for me perfectly as that’s my body shape, where as the Demi Curve fits in the waist, but is baggy in the legs and the Bold Curve is really baggy in the legs and I can’t actually button the waist. This is why this collection is perfect if you are struggling with any of these types of issues when finding jeans. So definitely try out the range before you give up on denim! There is always a jean for everyone!

Figure Enhancing

I also wanted to include this section so I could mention James Jeans Couture Collection. Again, this is off my own accord and not endorsed, but they are one of the most flattering skinny jeans I have ever put on. They are designed to give you a gorgeous silhouette because they are contoured. The Couture Collection features suction thigh wrapping to make your legs slim, vortex waist contouring so you don’t get muffin top and it holds it in, hip padding to give you curvier hips and sculpted bottom volume in the form of perfectly placed and sized back pockets which contain a minimal amount of padding. The power denim appears smaller at first because they expand to hold your body in order to achieve maximum hold and lift. Everything mentioned here is true. Mine are the perfect pair of skinny jeans in a dark wash.

Washes

Washes are something that I can’t delve deep into due to the fact that they are purely about personal preference. What one person thinks is amazing, another may not like and vice verse. But what I will mention is how some washes can be flattering and how others can give the impression you are bigger than you are.

Another thing I have to include is fading. Again, this is personal preference, but a lot of the times if the jeans are faded in the wrong places quite heavily, for example over the butt and sides of the thighs, it can look highly unflattering as it creates the illusion those areas are larger than they are. Always be careful and look closely in the mirror at the fading to make sure you are happy with how it looks. Some washes can look stunning on the hanger or on the floor, but when worn, sometimes they don’t sit right. Also make sure that any honeycombs (faded lines on the backs of the knees) are in the correct place as it can look silly if it’s hitting at mid calf. This is not an issue if you have the correct inseam though.

Dark Washes

Dark washes are the most flattering of them all. The dark colour gives a slimming effect and it also hides any lumps and bumps you may be worried about. They are versatile too so you can take them from day to night without any worry. I would say, if you are going to only invest in one pair of designer jeans, make it a dark wash, preferably one that has a sheen to it because it looks nicer and will be the pair that you wear most often. Dark indigo is usually the best shade and luckily almost every brand has a dark wash pair of skinnies so it doesn’t limit your options.

Medium Washes

Medium washes are ones that I class as in between light and dark. They can vary a bit with the shade, but I find them very versatile too. They are harder to pair with certain clothes and colours though in my opinion as if you wear a lot of denim shirts or jackets, you would need to make sure they were super light so that they don’t clash against the wash of the jeans. Medium hues are also very flattering though, they are an easy shade to wear on your legs.

Light Washes

With light washes, you need to be careful what shades you pick as some can be very unflattering. I recommend staying away from super light bleach blues as they can give the appearance that you have larger legs and also some can be see through which is not very convenient as it shows off any imperfections as well as your underwear. I would suggest picking them in a more mid to lighter blue in a sturdier denim to eliminate any of the above issues. Lighter washes make great summer jeans as they are more casual and keep you cooler than darker jeans, but like I listed above, they can come with some issues.

Coloured/Printed Washes

Now coloured and printed washes are always on trend, but they can be a bit of an issue when it comes to making sure your jeans are flattering. Some prints can give your legs a rounded or large impression, so you want to always make sure you pick something flattering. Smaller patterns on jeans are always good as are vertical stripes (not horizontal). The small prints like leopard or polka dot don’t give your legs any larger look and vertical stripes make your legs look longer and slimmer, where as horizontal ones would do the opposite. As for colour, generally most colours are ok, but like the rules of the blues, the lighter colours can be see through, thinner and make you larger where as the darker colours will be flattering.

Rise Information:

Super Low Rise – 6 inches and below.
Low Rise – 6 – 7 inches.
Mid Rise – 7 – 8 inches.
High Rise – 8 – 10 inches.
Super High Rise – 10 inches and above.

Cut Information:

Jeggings – Skin tight and very stretchy skinny jeans, almost like leggings but made of denim, hence the name Jeggings (Jean Leggings).
10″ Ankle Peg – Super skinny jean with a 10 inch leg opening that hits at the ankle without stacking/bunching. Usually with an inseam of around 28 inches.
12″ Skinny – The most common of them all. A skinny jean with a 12 inch leg opening. Usually with an inseam of 32-36 inches, depending on the brand.
Pencil Leg – This is very similar to the 12″ Skinny, if not the same. It has the look of a pencil which is slim all the way down and slightly tapered at the ankle.
Cigarette Leg – I will include this one as like I mentioned above, some body shapes can wear them as skinnies. A Cigarette leg is slim and completely straight all the way down. Usually with a 14 inch leg opening.
Carrot Leg – I am including this one as well as it is a skinny jean, but of the boyfriend variety. It’s exactly like the shape of a carrot. It features a dropped crotch and loose thighs, but tight and skinny at the calves.

Final Note

So this is all of the information I have put together to give you advice on finding the right skinny jeans for your body shape. This post is based on all the knowledge I have gained over the many years of working with denim. I would love to know what all of you think and whether or not it was helpful to you. Also, as I mentioned above, I don’t mind answering any of your denim questions, so if you have any, just leave me a comment here and I will get back to you as soon as I can! I just have a couple more tips to leave you with! Remember to buy your skinny jeans quite tight to begin with as they will stretch out with wear and can become quite loose and don’t be afraid to size down or up if you need to, every brand fits and runs differently and sizing can vary!

All credit goes to Lorna Burford/DenimBlog.com.