Esprit Denim - YouLookFab Forum

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Esprit Denim

Ana

(website)

Veteran

I like the look of the white denim on Esprit's website. I was wondering if anyone has their jeans, how they wear, stretch, etc? What is their sizing like?

I'm looking for white "skinnies" to wear with longer tunics and mini dresses, but I know not all people should wear super skinnies, so I'm not sure which ones to order off their site. Here's a photo (embarassing) of me in Express W10 skinnies for reference:

http://i66.photobucket.com/alb.....005-22.jpg

http://i66.photobucket.com/alb.....006-15.jpg

I wouldn't ever wear them without a longer shirt covering my hips, because I have very muscular thighs. Should I stick to a straight leg style, vs. skinny, or is skinny okay since I will be covered from at least mid-thigh down. I want the look to be clean, and I worry about a wider leg and a tunic just overwhelming me with too much fabric.

Thanks for the advice!

Dressing

30 replies

Latest reply was from Tanya

Maya

Veteran

Esprit's sizing is erratic to me. Sometimes 2's fit, but I usually take a 4, and a few times I have had to go down to a 0. It depends on the cut, I think. Things that are meant to be tighter are usually too tight for me, while things with a bit more wiggle room can be worn in my normal size. I needed a 4 in a pencil skirt (which they didn't have in stock, grr), but 2's and 0's were fine i pants.

Ana, I don't think you have any reason to be embarrassed. Those skinnies look super. They are the perfect wash, length, and width (at the leg opening, that is). You just need a longer top (and some shoes of course!).

You mentioned in another convo that you think I look good in skinnies--well, I don't! I just pair them with the right pieces. That's all you have to do too. Women seem to be a lot more afraid of skinnies than they should be. They are actually pretty easy to wear, and I think most body types can pull them off with the right elements.

Here is a pretty unflattering picture of me in skinnies. Notice that the shirt is way too short:

http://img.photobucket.com/alb.....G_0897.jpg

My thighs look monumental...and don't tell me they don't--I know they do...but I don't mind so much because I know I have control over it. In this case all I needed was a longer top. The skinnier the leg opening, the longer the top. Fashion is all about creating illusions, after all.

christie

You guys are way to hard on yourselves. Seriously. I think only Giselle can wear skinnies without a tunic. I didn't think that either of you looked big at all. And even though you thought those shirts were unflattering, I thought you looked fine.

Maya, if you threw on some boots over the jeans, I think that would cute even with the shirt.

shannon

Those skinnies look fabulous Ana. The color and length are perfect too. You should get white ones. Sorry I know nothing about the Esprit jeans. Can you get the jeans you have on in white?

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for the comments, all. Express doesn't have any white skinnies at the moment, and actually I don't have those skinny jeans from the photos anymore, because they were more low rise than I was really comfortable with (major muffin top going on). I was just posting them as an example of body type to figure out what type of white jeans to get. I think I might try either the "Alaska Tube Denim," which is more of a "true" skinny, or the "Smart Denim" in white.

Anyone know what the rise is like on the different Esprit jeans? It's not listed in the information. I think I might have to settle with something less than a 9" rise for white skinnies, since I can barely find them around as it is, and when I do find them, all of them have had a lower rise. Oh well.

Maya

Veteran

I bought those jeans specifically for tucking into boots Christie. Other than that the only time I wear them is as a kind of denim legging...when I have a tunic that might not be long enough for regular leggings.

This is just my opinion, but a woman who looks good in skinny jeans will always look better to me than a woman who looks good in bootcuts or other easier to wear looks. It just has to do with my aesthetic. Skinnies have more personality to me. That does not mean a woman can't look fab in universally flattering outfits, but I always appreciate it when there's something that could be potentially risky, or something that may look fab on one woman, but wouldn't be easy for anyone else to pull off. That's PERSONAL style to me and kind of shows me that you know how to dress YOUR unique body. That's why I really enjoy reading the Sartorialist. A lot of it is unflattering, but when it's good it's incredible!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

First of all Ana, everyone is spot on. Those skinnies look super. A good choice. I agree whole heartedly with Maya in that everyone can wear skinnies if they are matched with the right top and shoe.

Secondly, Esprit sizes are all over the place. In true Euro style, their bottoms fit smaller than their tops for sure. I cannot offer a suggestion on which denim size to purchase unfortunately. Perhaps order two sizes and see how you go. I’d go bigger on the bottom rather than smaller. Their quality is sort of in-between ATL and BR. I bought their “Spring denim Skinnies” and the denim does grow a tad but it’s fine. Sort of nice when white denim grows. The fabric looks thicker. My white David Kahn jeans are definitely of superior denim quality but they were also twice the price.

Esprit skinnies: front rise measures 8.50 and the back rise measures 12.50 . They are a straight skinny which is what you want.

Maya

Veteran

Angie, how are Esprit dresses? I just found a super shirtdress in the outlet store that was available in a size 4 and 6. I ordered the 4 and I'm hoping it won't be too big.

Ana, I think the Matchsticks come in white. I know we ruled them out for you in another thread because of the rise, but it could be worth a try. You never know. Remember that I have quite a booty and unnaturally long legs for my height. They might fit you better than you think. Also I think the rise gets slightly longer as you go up in size, so mine might just be extra short because I ordered the smallest size.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Hmmm.....size 4 could work Maya. Once again, hit and miss. But I have hope.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for the info on the rise of the Esprit skinnies. I will look into the Spring Denim pair, and also try on the J. Crew matchstick jeans, since they both have similar rises. Thanks everyone!

Tanya

Veteran

Angie, I don't want to bother you to keep measuring your Esprit white skinnies, but would you mind telling me what does the leg opening measure? After ordering the white La Redoute pair which was too wide (16") and therefore going back I discovered that I need 14'' leg opening for my skinny calves. Should I go with size 2 or 4? The only bottom from Esprit I have is a brown corduroy pencil skirt in 0 that fits perfectly.

Maya, that dress is very pretty. I have one shirtdress from Esprit from last summer in size 2 and it is slightly big on me.

Maya

Veteran

Tanya, you're a lot tinier than me in the bust and waist. I can imagine you're a 0. When I last went there I fluttered between a 2 and 4. SInce this is 100% cotton and I plan to layer it so much, I thought sizing up might not be a bad idea.

Tanya

Veteran

Maya, that does sound like a good idea. I didn't know you've already tried their stuff on and I wanted to give you a starting point. Other than chest ( which I envy you on) I don't think that our measurements are that different.

Maya

Veteran

I went to a store a few months ago and was traumatized from going back. The woman who "helped" me told me my hips were telling me to have children....

My waist flits between 26 and 27 inches (used to be 25 and 26...boo!). Hips are just shy of 36. I think our proportions make a lot of difference though. You have a lot more space between your bust and hips for your waist to gradually go in. Mine goes in and out quite abruptly because there isn't as much space. I think you're a true hourglass Tanya. I'm more of a rectangular hourglass.

Tanya

Veteran

I am sorry that women wasn't very pleasant. What would she have told me with my 37" hips!
As for the shapes, I agree that ours are different, but we are generally in the same size range. Good luck with that dress.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Wow, if a salesperson had said something like that to me, I would have said, "And my wallet is telling you to mind your own business," and I would have walked out right then.

Maya

Veteran

I had asked her what size (approximately) I would be since I hadn't shopped there before. She told me 0 and I was kind of surprised but I went along with it since I figured she would know better than I would. When I took off my big winter coat she pointed at my upper leg and said "WHAT IS THAT A HIP? YOU DIDN'T TELL ME YOU HAD HIPS!"

...as though I had kept it a big secret!

Anyway, she then asked me if I had children yet and she said "well those hips are telling you it's time!"

My friends told me I should have told her I was infertile and ran off crying :p I was just a bit shocked that a person working in sales would be so rude!

Tanya

Veteran

OMG that was so rude of her! I am very sorry she was so nasty. I would have been shocked as well. I always come up with good answers to rude people only hours later, so I wouldn't have said anything at the moment either.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh dear. That’s such a shame, Maya. How dreadfully rude. I'm shocked. Was this an Esprit store?

Hmmm Tanya...if you wear 27 inch denims, I'd suggest a 4 in this style. You don’t want these to be skin tight because they’re white. If you wear 25-26 inches I'd go for a 2. If you wear 25 inches, I’d take a 0. The leg opening is 14 inches. It’s perfect.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

My calves are 14" at their widest point. If the leg opening on the Esprit Spring Skinnies is 14" would this still work for me, or should I look for a 16" leg opening? Sorry for all the questions--I know nothing about skinny jeans. Tanya, if it's not too much hassle, would you mind measuring the leg opening on your Express skinnies? I've worn those, so maybe then I could compare.

Thank you for all the information!

Tanya

Veteran

Angie, thanks for the measuring/sizing tips. If I do decide to get the Esprit skinnies than they shall be a size 4.
Ana, both of my Express skinnies have 14'' leg opening, that's how I figured out what I need : the new ones looked bad at the calves, the old ones looked good, as any decent scientist I made matters quantitative and took tape measure in my hands :0) (I am just making fun of myself here, tough I do wish fashion came with exact equations I could just plug things into and get the right answers ).

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for measuring, Tanya. 14" should work for me then since I can wear the Express skinnies just fine, and you all confirmed that they looked good. I will order the Esprit Spring Denim in size 6 and 8 and then return the ones that don't fit. There is no regular Esprit here in Austin, but there is an Esprit outlet store. I may check them out as well.

P.S. I'm a math major, so I totally understand your need to quantify things.

Patience

Veteran

Ana, I think you look great in the skinnies too. It's really all about the length of the top. Longer is good but you can also do shorter-- you've just got to find the sweet spot. For example, today I'm wearing my white jcrew matchsticks (which I finally got hemmed so I don't step on them). I put on the top I wanted to wear and it looked terrible. It hit at about the top of the inseam, the widest point of my hips. So I belted it and pulled the top out to blouson (right term?) over the belt a bit so I could just see the jean pockets peaking through. It was a million times better. I may get the shirt hemmed.

BTW Ana, I'm a mathematician too.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Sounds perfect Patience!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

ps. and the right term

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Patience, that's so awesome that you're a Mathematician! What do you do for a living in Austin (if you don't mind my asking)? I just got accepted to UT for the Fall (going to ACC right now) and I've been thinking that with a Math degree (emphasis on statistics) that I would get a Master's and probably teach at ACC or get a PhD and teach at a University, because I wasn't sure what other options for jobs there were in this city, and I don't really want to move away.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Such well dressed mathematicians, scientists and artists we have on this forum!

Maya

Veteran

Tanya, do you put your measurements in significant figures? I'm probably making myself look dumb because I scarcely remember what significant figures are.

I often use my wardrobe as inspiration for color combinations in my designs, and vice versa. And I make a lot of cheesy graphic design analogies to help me better understand whether or not something I'm wearing works. I wrote this whole paragraph out comparing fonts to clothes in my comment on Angie's blog post today, but I decided to delete it :p

Tanya

Veteran

Maya, I sort of round them up a bit ,e.g . my hips are really 36.6 but who wants to write that down. But the difference would be important in centimeters which are my favorite length unit, well at least the one I was used to before moving to USA

I would have loved to read that paragraph . I don't do anything similar, my artistic talents are well bellow average. But sometimes I look at random colors I get in my experiments and think 'hmmm, pink and orange look nice together, maybe I should try that'. But I never do in reality, I guess I'm not much of a risk taker.

Maya

Veteran

I am selective about rounding. I'll round up my hips to 36" and round my waist down to 26" so I seem a bit more proportional than I really am!

You must have some artistic talent Tanya. You can certainly throw an outfit together, and that is an art form!

My paragraph was sooo geeky! It was about how Helvetica is a universally beloved default font among graphic designers, with dozens of variants, and it can work easily in almost any context and look great, but using Helvetica all the time would be boring and repetitive, and wouldn't showcase your talents as a designer very well. Playing with other fonts shows that you don't always take the easy and safe way out and that you're really thinking of each project on its own unique terms, which is essential in graphic design. Otherwise all companies would end up with the same kinds of designs that do not distinguish them from competitors.

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