Sorry for the delay, but the snowstorms, and my cold just had me out of it the past couple of weeks. Since the launch of the blog, I have had a few women hit me up about helping them shop for clothes. I love any opportunity to help someone find something that is not only a good deal, but fits into their everyday life. Since not everyone is going to ask for one-on-one help, I decided to have posts about important Essentials. With that being said, my first Essential is Jeans. I LOVE JEANS, and for many jean shopping is the bane of their existence. It did take some trial and error to find out how wear each fit so that is flattering. I remember when skinny jeans first came out, and people swore that big girls could not fit them. I personally was sick of bootcut jeans so I willingly tried on any skinny jeans that came in my size. Same thing about short women and ankle jeans. For a short plus size woman, ankle skinnies look great on me, but there is nothing wrong with taking 10 pairs of jeans into a fitting room and just going at it (but bring a good friend that will tell you the truth if your jeans are squeezing the life out of you).

In your closet, you should have at least 4-5 good pairs of jeans to rotate (I have ten times more than 4, but that is because I have a shopping problem...lol). The best way to keep your jeans in great shape is to wash them inside out, and let them air dry if you can. Throwing them in the dryer at times can break down the elasticity due to the high temperature of the dryer.

SKINNY JEANS

&nbs… — Lane Bryant Tummy Control Skinnies

The majority of my jeans are skinny. Reasons why I like skinny:

Make my legs look longer
Easier to wear them with my knee high boots
Great with flats

STRAIGHT LEG JEANS

&nbs… — Lane Bryant Distressed Straight Leg Jeans

Straight leg jeans are great for those that do not want a bootcut, but they are not into the fitted look of a skinny jean. The best type of straight leg jeans, are boyfriends, because they are a more slouchy which is great for a more relaxed look. Since the style can be a bit loose, I make sure I wear a belt and cuff them. Currently, my favorite jean is a boyfriend, ripped style. I bought them a year ago from Lane Bryant, and they are at the point of splitting in the thigh. Granted, I get sad when another pair bites the dust due to chub rub, but at least its due to wear and tear.

BLACK JEANS

Black jeans are a definite must. Black jeans are the easiest to dress up and down. I have worn black jeans to work and I do not think anyone could tell the difference if I was wearing a black pant. With a black jean always go with a fit that you are comfortable wearing, and you can't go wrong.

WIDE LEG/ FLARE JEANS

Wide leg or flare can be tricky at times, but what worked for me was trying them on with heels. Wide/flare jeans should have a long enough inseam that it covers the majority of your shoe. Inseam here is majorly important. Once you have found the right length, it should skim your thighs and not be too tight. When they are too tight, it just doesn't elongate your legs the right way, and we all want to have some mile high leg action

I am hippy with a big butt, so my concern is the gap between my jeans and waist. So the first thing I look for is a jean with at least 2% stretch. Whoever decided to add stretch to jeans is a genius and thank you kindly! The amount of stretch determines whether I can wear my regular size 16 or go up a size. I will go up in a pair of jeans only if the waist gap is not serious. Lane Bryant Jeans work great for me, but that has been years of trial and error while shopping. I have learned not to stress about the size on the tag because there are good resources out here to tailor my clothes. Understanding your body type is your biggest arsenal in purchasing the right jeans. If you are bottom heavy, then you definitely want to find a pair that has more room in the hips, or if you have no hips, then you want to find something that is more structured but provides room where you need it. No one these days should walk around in sad butt drooping jeans. My resources for jeans has been Lane Bryant Genius Fit, Torrid Stiletto, and NYDJ. Need help? Just hit me up at styleoversize@gmail.com. Until next time lovers!