Posts tagged ‘how to wear’
Mom Jeans
In honor of Mother’s Day (it’s this Sunday for all you terrible sons and daughters who forgot), I thought I’d address one of the fashion stigmas they’ve bestowed upon the world: ‘Mom Jeans’. For those unfamiliar with the garment, Mom Jeans are the awkwardly baggy yet tapered jeans that sit high around the waist, sag around the butt, and are as unflattering to the female figure as a silk romper bunched up around the camel-toe. But back in the prime time of Mom Jeans, our mothers were not wearing jeans to make style statements and attract men. They already had our dads on lockdown, as is evident by giving birth to us and becoming moms. These jeans were built for comfort when driving in mini vans and station wagons to pick up us kiddies from school and do all the other kinds of schlepping our loving mothers do. (My mom cut the crusts off my sandwiches, did yours?)
It took me several years to get my mom out of Mom Jeans, and it was a slow and steady process — all beginning with the brand Not Your Daughter’s Jeans. I am happy to report that she is now looking and feeling babe-a-licious in the Sheri Skinny Jean, but in order to address the Mom Jeans stigma I asked to borrow the very pair she wore throughout my eighties/early nineties childhood. I also busted out some Wasa crackers because I have yet to meet a mom who doesn’t eat those (mine enjoys hers with peanut butter in the mornings). This station wagon also happened to be parked right outside my apartment and just felt all too fitting. Carpool, anyone?
Brochu Walker sweater | Calvin Klein jeans ca 1985 | Sperry loafers | Bottega Veneta bag | Wasa crackers
Worn with a standard cashmere sweater, Bottega Veneta bag, and leopard loafers (for the sassy mom), I made sure to show off the worst qualities of the Mom Jeans by doing absolutely nothing to them. Every time I tried to roll up a cuff or add a belt I kept saying to myself, “Don’t do it Sonia. Let these jeans have their moment.” So here you see them, having their glorious billowy moment, 7-inch zipper and all. I admit I was comfortable, but the poor fit was all too awkward to even go grocery shopping or walk Finn. Five minutes of Mom Jeans shame and I ran back inside to play tailor.
Ten minutes later and I was feelin’ sharp. Kind of like how my mom feels in her new skinny jeans. By cuffing her hand-me-downs a few times at the ankle to give them a more tailored tapered leg and adding a cropped sweater to show that there is actually a waistline around that seven-inch crotch to button closure, I actually felt more ladylike than I do in my everyday sausage casing denim. 
With snakeskin pumps (keeping that sassy feeling I got from the leopard loafers, but elevating it five inches), a bib necklace, and my usual jamble of bracelets and bangles, I no longer felt like I should be eating Wasa crackers. Give me a fresh baguette with pâté and a glass of Pinot Noir!
And even though there was still a bunched up nature around the crotch region, I just viewed it as extra room for extra comfort which, need I remind you, is the essence of Mom Jeans! Talk about full circle.
Opening Ceremony sweater | Calvin Klein jeans ca 1985 | Coye Nokes heels | Zara bag | BaubleBar x Honestly WTF necklace
So before you go harping on your mom for her awkward fitting Mom Jeans, I leave you with this advice. Give her a break, because her jeans are actually more awesome and wearable than you think! Not Your Daughter’s Jeans? Please…Not Your MOTHER’S Jeans (even though they are, but you get what I’m saying).
THANKS MOMMY! LOVE YOU!
//photos by Emily Malan
In the Buff
If we were to play a word association game with the word “nude” a few years ago, I would have immediately jumped to Italian Renaissance and/or grandmas in retirement homes who wear squeaky nude reeboks, are savvy at Bridge, and dye their puff puff hair a lovely shade of lavender grey. Ask me to play the word association game today and I would respond with Tobias Fünke and/or Spring 2013.
Reiss sweater | Armani skirt | J.Crew heels
Speaking to the latter, the naked color made several appearances on the runways last season. In the literal sense, Marc Jacobs stripped his models of pants for his spring runway parade and Pucci’s Peter Dundas was all about visible lady parts. Kimberly Ovitz nixed the whole idea of footwear and had her models doing the barefoot thing on a runway made of clay, however something tells me barefoot in a metropolitan city will only lead to foot fungi that’s just not worth the style statement. And then there were the likes of Jill Stuart, Reed Krakoff, and Katie Gallagher who put the nude hue onto actual garments of clothing, while other designers stuck to nude finger tips and heels.
Pulling inspiration from these runways — as we do — I put together a head-to-toe nude look that sparked a couple of thoughts: 1) I don’t hate it, in fact I feel quite sophisticated. 2) I especially like how each piece blends in with my skin and could really throw people off in a game of strip poker.
Schott jacket | Reiss sweater | Armani skirt | Zara heels
However, should such an excessively monochromatic naked outfit not be your cup of Earl Grey, allow me to introduce the biker jacket — a faithful friend who has only further proven her loyalty in these last few months as she just seems to make every outfit that much better. With a switch into black pumps and a bulky black leather number thrown upon my shoulders, you can’t deny that the previous outfit worthy of an afternoon tea is now more fit for a Happy Hour martini.
Reiss sweater | H&M shorts | J.Crew heels
And if the thought of too much nude in one look still sends you to Heebie Jeebie-ville, then let me just say that my strip poker team and I fully support Never Nudes. Cheers to the season of denim cut offs in public and the new season of Arrested Development on May 26th!
Full disclosure: I don’t know how to play poker, I am not on a strip poker team, and the one time I tried playing that game at a sleepover in 6th grade I called my mom crying and asked her to come pick me up.
// photos by Emily Malan
The Beauty of the Suit
Topshop suit | Equipment blouse | Lulu Frost necklace | Michael Kors heels | Seiko watch
Allow me to make a generalization: I have often thought mens clothing to be very boring. Obviously the likes of Simon Doonan, Hamish Bowles, and Johnny Depp are excluded from this proclamation, but given the “everyday man” in his suit and tie (hey Justin!), there’s just not a lot there. Or so I thought.
In the last year however, I have accumulated several suits. Plaid, velvet, grey, and black, these coordinated two-pieces have become my sartorial savior in many a fashion bind. Do I wear them together all the time? No. But neither do men. I have seen my brother pair his grey blazer with jeans, his matching grey slacks with a navy sweater, and I have also seen him wear both pieces at the same time with a crisp button-down and tie. So much versatility with just two key pieces! Bananas!
As a preview to one of next week’s post, I have decided to show a not so neutral suit that pairs with essentially everything in any girls wardrobe. Here we go:
Behold the above image — a suit paired together for the classy, work-focused lady. With a silky white button-down, standard black pumps, and a slightly eccentric necklace, this girl could easily be going to the office or attending happy hour with friends; my guess is she’s the white wine type.
Below we have the cool girl who probably lives somewhere in Brooklyn or the East Village. She works at a creative ad agency, has a lot of guy friends, and has one of those sexy raspy voice because she likes to smoke Parliament Lights in between glasses of Jameson on the rocks. Her laid back t-shirt and beat up chucks may give off the vibe that she’s messy, but M-F she’s got her head in the game as is evident by her designer bag.
Topshop pants | R13 shirt | A.J. Morgan sunglasses | Anya Hindmarch bag | Vita Fede bracelet | Converse shoes
Then we have the California transplant (or maybe she lives in LA right now, but I’m in New York and I just picture her here). Never one to let go of her easy breezy Pacific lifestyle, she’s brought all her doily vintage inspired dresses with her. But to add a bit of edge to her west-coast-best-coast flair, she tosses in a bold lip and cozy flannel to fight off that New England almost-spring air.
Topshop blazer | Proenza Schouler bag | Dolce Vita dress | Mac ‘Ruby Woo’ lipstick | Jacquie Aiche earcuff | Ralph Lauren shirt | Asos boots
And lastly we have the mix-master who can essentially wear anything and look put together; which also happens to be the beauty of the suit. Here we have the grunge factor — flannel, boyfriend tee, converse — but the combo of the tailored blazer and matching trousers make her look like the type of person who would leave a note if she hit your car pulling into a parking spot. She also probably has a really hot boyfriend, which is where she got that boyfriend shirt and flannel. Just sayin’.
Topshop suit | R13 shirt | Converse shoes | Ralph Lauren shirt | Vita Fede bracelet | Seiko watch
Stay tuned for next week’s post where I replicate all of the above with the pieces of my own wardrobe and not the world wide web. Goodbye.
Camo Bo Bamo
Trends are bullshit. You know why? Because the minute you say “I would never wear that” you find yourself coveting a similar item only a year or so later. Case in point: the camouflage print. I can attest that back in the day when items from Delia*s and Abercombie + Fitch dominated my closet there were indeed some camo pieces, but it has been over a decade since I even considered wearing it.
Until recently, the print reminded me of my not so stylish pre-pubescent days where braces were color coordinated with holidays and butterfly clips surrounded my ballerina bun. But now I find myself strangely attracted to the print and its surprising versatility. Like plaid or pinstripes, camouflage can stand as well on its own as it can when paired with equally busy prints — i.e. leopard. And so here you see me betraying my previous sentiments of hatred regarding the camo print and wearing it like it’s a necessary staple in my day-to-day wardrobe.
This not only supports my initial statement that trends are bullshit, but also that fashion is fickle. One second you’re swearing off anything snakeskin and then you’re wearing gold snakeskin pants that Snooki probably wore in the first season of Jersey Shore. Oh fashion, you trickster.
Zara jacket & shirt | Hudson jeans | Schutz shoes | BCBG bag | Celine sunglasses | Kenneth Cole watch
// photos by Emily Malan
The Iconic Trench (and a Giveaway!)
The trench coat is such an iconic piece of clothing. From Audrey Hepburn kissing George Peppard in the rain in Breakfast at Tiffany’s to the flasher most likely getting arrested for his indecency, the trench coat is as important to one’s wardrobe as the little black dress (another Breakfast at Tiffany’s staple) or the white button down (not a flasher’s staple). What is perhaps the best part about trench coats is that they are seasonless. Wear one over a cozy cashmere sweater and a light biker jacket in the winter or atop your floral sundress in the spring and no one is going to second guess your choice of outerwear — including you.
How do I know this? Because trench coats are one of the only options of outerwear that’s sold year round. Unless you’re hitting up places like The Outnet or Yoox you’re likely not going to find a trench on sale, though it’s very easy to find one that’s reasonably priced (like the one I’m wearing right herrrrrr).
But enough about the trench. Let’s discuss what’s really going to get you twinkling on this fine Tuesday. These burgundy Denimocracy jeans are about as comfortable as they come (read: there’s a ton of stretch), and I want you to experience their comfort as well. So, I’m giving away a pair of these butt cupping stretchy lovers to one of your fine specimens. Here’s what you have to do to enter bo benter:
1. Like Denimocracy on Facebook (here)
2. Tell me you liked their Facebook page in the comment section below.
3. Also tell me the superpower you wish you had in the comment section below.
I will announce the winner on Friday! GOOD LUCK CHUCK!
The giveaway is now closed. Thank you all for entering!
Congratulations to Emily! An email is coming your way! Stay tuned for more giveaways soon!
Madewell trench | Ralph Lauren sweater | C. Wonder shirt | Denimocracy jeans | Sperry shoes | Rag & Bone hat | Kenneth Cole clutch
