Using the power of jeans - YouLookFab Forum

So many of you wear jeans for business casual, but I cannot. And so it is sometimes disheartening to think that an item will look good with jeans, because I would wear maybe once a week.

But what is so interesting is that almost anything looks good with JEANS! I began noticing that some items I was about to purge from workwear or even dressy....look great with my jeans.

The lesson for me re: issues like PPP and CPW is that I want to limit buying items I would ONLY wear with jeans( except for stuff like cottonT's & some basics) but really look for how to wear work tops & shoes with jeans for my other occasions , and to aim for that kind of overlap. I don't mean I can't get a sparkly top or something ever, but that it makes more sense to aim for a tad of trendiness at work that then mixes with jeans and bolder accessories for play, than to be lured into " jeans tops"..

I've been noodling on this for awhile, and it's no rocket surgery, everyone does it, but it's getting more focused.

11 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

What things would you *only* wear with jeans? Maybe they could casualize your workwear, too.

deb

I wear my tees under my jackets with an pencil skirt. I also wear the tees with jeans and the same jacket. Mix it up and see how you feel. Maybe out to the mall or dinner.

Suz

(website)

Hmmm. I am curious about this. I would love to see some visuals when you get time.

donnat

I love your expression "rocket surgery", but yes you want your work tops to be able to do double duty...

Lisa

Interesting thoughts. For myself, I shop with my casual office in mind. This keeps me from purchasing too many "weekend only" outfits that I will rarely get to wear.

christieanne

I have had the same thoughts as I work the other way - my company is eliminating denim from our dress standard and trying to go back to a slightly dressier format. In looking through my tops I am thinking many really look good just with jeans. But then I realized I need to mimic the shapes and cuts of the jeans I love when I switch to a dressier pant. So looking for slim cut straight leg trousers. Colored bottoms. I doubt I will feel comfortable wider leg trouser at this point.

It seem sto me that denim has a versatility that other bottoms don't. The ability to casualize or modernize a top.

Will look forward to seeing how this all comes together for you!

unfrumped

christieanne, that is what I mean also--jeans are somehow tolerant or make things work, whereas other bottoms need more attention to proportion.
I think maybe our "eyes" are trained to accept all kinds of tops, toppers and footwear with jeans as being fab or at least ok.

Plus, there is the fit-spandex thing going on. Even if jeans aren't actually tight, or too tight, they're allowed to be, ummmm--fitted. And they do things for the rear view. Again, I think this is an eye-acceptance thing.

So it may be that the newer stretch-wool suiting blends can be one way to get closer to the flattering jeans look but still work-appropriate. A lot of these are offered in fits that don't fit me well, but I'm trying to explore more different brands to see what's out there.

Kiwichik

I think you've had a gret epiphany - it took be years o work out what you have described. I think denim is so versatile because we read it as a neutral not just as a neutral colour but also neutral in terms of the ability to adapt it to work/casual/evening out wear. Denim with Lycra is fabulous - like wearing shape wear without anyone knowing.

Firecracker (Sharan)

I appreciate your insight. I can't wear jeans to work, either. I find some things look better with jeans because of the shades of blue they have in them, which work particularly well with denim shades.
There's also a way in which denim serves as a neutral that goes with other colors, even if they're nowhere in the same family of colors. Other neutrals aren't so comprehensively neutral, it seems to me.
Can you wear a denim jacket to work? I find I can wear some of my "jeans-only"
tops with a denim jacket and charcoal or olive dress pants, for example.

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