https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Mon, 13 Apr 2026 06:41:13 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1638475 Sat, 02 Apr 2016 16:52:05 +0000 Aziraphale 1638475@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Argh -- I was away from the forum for two days and this thread totally got away on me! I'm sorry. <b>Cins, Sally, Dottie, Angie, Suz, KL, Shiny and Smittie</b>: thank you all for taking the time to write down your advice. It has been spectacular warm spring weather for a few days here, and even though I am in crunch mode (deadlines are all next week) I am going around in my cropped flares. I've decided that they are JFE with a relaxed, semi-tucked tee shirt in a similar tone and with 3" low-vamp pumps. I like the pretty, classic, conservative shoes against the severely frayed pant hems. The fact that I'm spending a lot of time sitting in front of a computer and drafting table means that wearing 3" court shoes is a reasonable option -- I don't know if I could walk all day in these shoes. <b>Suz</b>, I'll have to try the tonal booties if (when) it gets cool again. Mine still have heels, but they are 2.5", and somehow that extra half inch makes an&nbsp;</p> <p>Also, surprisingly, a long black cardigan -- the knee-length kind -- works when thrown over top -- it helps emphasize a vertical line, I think. No pictures because of time constraints, but I'll get to it eventually!&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Shiny</b>, I will be popping over to your separate thread now -- thanks for making it! It's always nice to see a fellow petite gal pull things off. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1637039 Wed, 30 Mar 2016 14:19:19 +0000 Anonymous 1637039@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Aziraphale -- I agree with you about high-vamp footwear--it really makes me look stumpy. But I will say that white high-vamp women's converse certainly look better than darker-coloured, thicker-soled trainers. Still, they're not my favourite look.</p> <p>I really do like crops though - I think it's a fun look and my eyes have adjusted. For me, they look tremendously better with high-shaft booties (as you mentioned) or low-vamp heels (love <b>Dottie</b>'s picture!).</p> <p>I guess low-vamp heels are not a particularly interesting option, or perhaps they're dated? In either case, I think I'm OK with it because the pants keep the outfit in the trendy category.</p> <p>I like <b>Suz</b>'s idea to wear a long cardigan.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636939 Wed, 30 Mar 2016 03:21:56 +0000 shiny 1636939@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Started a separate thread but this one is for you!</p> <p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/jfe-flared-crops?replies=1#post-1636938">http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....st-1636938</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636914 Wed, 30 Mar 2016 02:02:47 +0000 Keix 1636914@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm short with proportionally short legs (28" inseam in skinnies), so I totally get where you're coming from. However, I had no problem with the look on the models in today's blog post--the flared crops read as flattering on the statuesque, so I figure there's a way to make them JFE on me. Whereas you see the model pics as JFE, so it makes sense that you'll struggle to style them on much shorter legs.</p> <p>If your eye doesn't adjust, then maybe this trend isn't for you, and that's OK! (Of course, I haven't found any suitable cropped flares or straights yet, so this is theoretical. But the BR petite crop flares that were the right length--although not the right fit in the hip and waist--looked JFE unstyled on me in bare feet. Maybe my eye is adjusted TOO far.) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636848 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 22:56:40 +0000 Angie 1636848@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>YES to your low vamp heeled pumps question. I mentioned that in the post, actually:&nbsp;</p> <p><i>"Some like to wear low-vamped pumps and flats with flared crops, and while that isn’t my own preference, the combination can work if the hems are sufficiently short. Pointy toe boxes also help elongate the leg".</p> <p></i>Second, you're a semi-tucker so use that styling technique to lengthen the leg line from the hips up with low to mid-rise jeans. No problem with the short torso.<br /><i><br /></i>Third, you are not&nbsp;used to seeing yourself with high vamped footwear and flared crops. But your eye will adjust. I guarantee it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636844 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 22:44:14 +0000 Suz 1636844@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Dottie</b>, I am smiling since 5'7" qualifies as tall to me (at 5'4") and even more to <b>Aziriphale</b> (at 5'1" -- I think?)&nbsp;</p> <p>The challenges are greater for those of us who are shorter for sure.&nbsp;</p> <p>But I really love <b>Rabbit</b>'s ideas here. For me, so far, what has worked is the low contrast bootie, semi-tucking the top or wearing a higher waisted jean, keeping the outfit quite low contrast altogether (so I might wear a burgundy bootie with dark denim and a navy top plus whatever topper) and surprisingly, another styling option that has been quite fun is a longer cardigan over the whole thing. I don't know why but it seems to work.&nbsp;</p> <p>As we get into warmer temps, I am going for a cage sandal or sandal bootie with a heel for sure and the sandal in low contrast to my skin. And I'll probably keep tops relatively low contrast or else cropped/ tucked.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636807 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 21:24:37 +0000 Dottie 1636807@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Here is an example with low vamp pumps (kitten heel). These are the navy J.&nbsp;Crew Teddie pants, not jeans, but I believe the same principles could apply. &nbsp;I'll likely go with pumps since we are past boot weather in my neck of the woods. &nbsp;I am 5'7" with a 32 inch inseam in socks. &nbsp;The tan pump gives a longer leg line, but I like it with the navy pumps too.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636806 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 21:21:54 +0000 shiny 1636806@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm not going to go crazy with this trend but I did purchase a pair from BR a few weeks back, not denim but they are a medium blue and they "read" like a dressier denim suitable for work. I've worn them a few times. Here's my take:</p> <p>Lengthwise, I am treating these like I would a midi skirt/dress -- there seems to be a "happy" place where those hit me too. But also, the same types of footwear I'd wear with a midi work with cropped flares, at least to my eye so far. I prefer having a pointed toe (whether flat or heeled), but my laced wedge cage heels definitely work. I think that chunkier footwear can absolutely work -- think about how we wore midis in the 90s, with blocky footwear. </p> <p>I have also experimented with ballet flats as these are most comfortable for me to wear, and I think it works too (even if it's not quite as edgy). I even tried with white loafers that have black laces -- with black socks peeking out (kind of a nerdy look but also comfortable) --- and lots of skin showing at the ankle and that worked to my eye as well, for a more casual/fun take.&nbsp;</p> <p>It does seem that you can offset the leg lengthening effect by creating a column of color and pairing a top in similar shade as the bottoms. Otherwise, I think pairing with a "skirt" top would work, i.e., treating these like fuller bottoms and offsetting on top with a a top that is a bit more fitted and tucked in, semi-tucked, or skirt-length. I've tried this with tee shirts and quite liked the look, though a tee shirt isn't going to fly for work.&nbsp;</p> <p>What doesn't work so well? Tunic length tops. Seems to work best with a tucked or semi-tucked, or top that isn't too long, though if you pair with a shorter/structured topper you can get away with it.</p> <p>Is it the most flattering look for those of us who are short? No. But it's a fun look so I'm just fine with JFE on this one!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636800 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 20:54:05 +0000 Sal 1636800@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I remember feeling that way when skinnies first arrived- I could not make them work on me with the tops I was used to wearing with bootleg or wide leg jeans (this is 2000s somewhere). &nbsp;My issue was not leg-shortening, more tree trunk like legs. &nbsp;I saw people slip on skinnies with a simple tee and ballet flats and look wonderful- I was not that person.</p> <p>In the end I worked out that I can wear skinnies (and still do) but I have to make all the components work together well. &nbsp;I wear them with longer tops (without too much volume, but not too fitting) and either an ankle boot with a heel or a chunky flat boot (or with tall rain boots over the top). &nbsp;I like the visual weight at the bottom. &nbsp;</p> <p>But this is not about me!!</p> <p>With your shape I suspect you can wear skinnies easily, and do not have to fuss with the details, whereas crops (especially flared) are challenging you more. &nbsp;If you want to embrace the look I would work out 2-3 top/shoe combinations that you like and only wear the crops that way. &nbsp;If the trend has staying power you can grow this "capsule" further.</p> <p>I also think low vamps and crops can work very well. &nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636793 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 20:40:33 +0000 Cins 1636793@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I had that very same question today about how the crop length could look stumpy. &nbsp;As we approach summer I am less inclined to wear shorts (except at the beach) now that I am older, but need another solution. &nbsp;So knee length or just below the knee skirts or culottes are what I am looking for in a casual look. &nbsp;I don't like culottes on me that are mid calf. &nbsp;Dresses are an option too, but like the separates for a more casual look. &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636761 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 18:58:36 +0000 Aziraphale 1636761@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Dana, Janet -- yes, I agree that monochromatic works best -- I'm already doing that. :-)</p> <p>Rabbit, I'm nodding along to all your points. Heeled booties in low contrast to the cropped pants does sort of work for me, and is pretty much the only way I can wear crops in this weather anyway (no sandal or sockless options yet!). I also agree that oxfords and loafers look cool with cropped flares if the whole outfit is edgy, but that's not what I was getting at. What I was moaning about isn't how to make cropped flares look not dorky, but how to make them not so incredibly unflattering on me. I love flat oxfords, but with cropped flares, on me, the effect is unbelievably bad.&nbsp;Because I'm a shrimpie. ;-)</p> <p>Ann-Marie, I'm not especially short waisted -- I'm just short all over. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636751 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 18:41:16 +0000 Anne-Marie 1636751@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I, too, am a bit puzzled as to the reasons low-vamped heels won't work. The look isn't as fresh and 2016 to me as the booties or the lace-up flats, but I also think they'd be a bit more flattering for some of us than, say, the oxford options.</p> <p>I also have the problem of not always being able to tuck in the top. Are you short waisted too?</p> <p>I will probably sit this trendlet out for the most part. I will never be able to make the oxfords work, so I'm forgetting that. I do have cropped black baby flares, but the flare is ever so slight (more like a cropped straight) and they are surprisingly flattering worn with booties, ankle straps, and high vamp heeled sandals.</p> <p>To throw another cog into the wheel, I've wondered if full-shaft boots would work in the fall and winter, if the boots hug the calf and ankle.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636736 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 17:33:31 +0000 rabbit 1636736@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Adding on, &nbsp;I'm just cutting off my first straights now, but my plan (we'll see how it works out) is to start by doing a column of color waist down or ankle up. &nbsp; </p> <p>So the jeans are navy dark wash, I'll wear them first with navy heeled booties (column of color from the waist down), or with red ghillie lace ups or leopard booties, but with a navy pullover or jacket (column of color from the ankle up). &nbsp;</p> <p>Assuming that works then I can push it further.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636735 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 17:29:23 +0000 Dana 1636735@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I agree with Janet that keeping the outfit tonal/monochromatic will help. Then I'd try a low vamp heel in a similar color to the jean. You could also try bookending the shoe with your hair to keep that vertical line going.&nbsp;</p> <p>That's the great thing about style. You can play around with it; break the rules and make it your own!&nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636729 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 17:21:41 +0000 rabbit 1636729@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My take (so far) on cropped flares for people without mile-high legs to begin with &nbsp;is that they are a statement piece, not a basic/essential. &nbsp; So much like an over-sized jacket, or full midi skirt or culottes, or maybe an off-the shoulder top, the rest of the outfit has to be built completely around them, and there might be limited combinations that actually work, but if they do work, they could be exciting. &nbsp;</p> <p>So with booties in a low contrast to the pants, they might provide more interest than a skinny would -- in sort of a mod way (as in Angie's example image on the blog post or her outfit with the fur-colored half cape).</p> <p>With ankle straps or sandals, there is a boho or 70's charm, and maybe the pants form a column of color with the top, or the top is free-floating and peasent-y (although tucked), or you are wearing pale platform espadrilles and light wash jeans or something. &nbsp;Angie's examples nod to 70's casual glam and boho respectively.</p> <p>With oxfords or loafers it works much better to my eye if the outfit looks super modern/edgy (like in Angies examples, the cut of the blouses make it clear that any awkwardness/geekiness in the the shoe/hem area is an intentional fashion-forward choice ). &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>With sneakers Angie's example actually looks like a cropped straight, and I can see that working well as a tomboy look, similar to cropped skinnies or rolled boyfriends.</p> <p>I also think that pumps and low vamp flats or low heels should work too, at least they seem to be all over street style looks:&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/431641945516265276/">https://www.pinterest.com/pin/431641945516265276/</a>&nbsp; and&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/398709373240826384/">https://www.pinterest.com/pin/398709373240826384/</a>&nbsp;for example.</p> <p>I think there are a lot of similarities to boyfriend jeans in that the look can be intentionally kicky and casual (the raw or let down hems) and can provide contrast with more refined footwear, or jacket or bag or something. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636726 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 17:16:04 +0000 Janet 1636726@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Elisabeth, I find that keeping the whole look low-contrast or tonal goes a long way to making it JFE. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636722 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 17:00:51 +0000 Aziraphale 1636722@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>kkards, I know what you mean -- I kind of want to wear the style, too, because I wear a lot of denim and so it's important to me to have an up-to-date denim capsule. &nbsp;Just trying to figure out how to make it work... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636720 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 16:58:08 +0000 kkards 1636720@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>ok, no ideas on the leg lengthening/shortening thing...in fact I posted a question about it on Angie's blog post.....that being said, I plan to wear this look even if its not the most flattering because its new and different and I'm looking for new and different </p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636707 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 16:43:34 +0000 Anonymous 1636707@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think these designers do this to us just to drive us nuts. &nbsp;I am sure they are laughing LOL.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636691 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 16:22:44 +0000 deb 1636691@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>No answers but thanks for asking the questions. I will be following. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/cropped-flares-and-jfe#post-1636689 Tue, 29 Mar 2016 16:09:42 +0000 Aziraphale 1636689@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have a few questions about today's blog post, but it's a bit late to post there and anyway they are questions for everybody!</p> <p>First off, while cropped flares are certainly cute and fresh, they <i>do</i> absolutely make the models' legs look shorter. MUCH shorter, in the cases where they are wearing high-vamp flats. On the models, this is JFE because they've got long legs to begin with. On me, it's NFE -- <i>not</i> flattering enough. I try to minimize my poison eyes, but much as I adore flat oxfords, this look is clownish on me. (I tried it, and collapsed in a fit of giggles).</p> <p>Secondly, the wearing of flat lace-up shoes -- I'm not sure how this is any different than wearing ballet flats, as I can barely see the laces. Maybe if the model's lace-ups had high-contrast laces it would make a difference? Again, it only barely works, to my eye, and it certainly wouldn't work on me.</p> <p>Thirdly, say I try to compensate for the cropped length of my pants by wearing ones with a higher waist. This elongates the leg line, true, but doesn't it do that at the expense of the torso? So now I've got legs of an (almost) acceptable length, but barely any torso, which is also very NFE. Ack.</p> <p>I can wear the look in a just-about-flattering-enough way if I do it with booties that "close the gap" (bonus points if the whole outfit is just about the same colour). But what if I cropped the flares just a little shorter, and wore them with low-vamp heels? Wouldn't that work too? It works for those wide-leg jeans that I recently turned into culottes. They are a bit longer than knee-length.</p> <p>Sorry for the long post -- thanks for reading. If you have any thoughts, I'm eager to hear them.</p> </p>