What to wear instead of skinny jeans - Peonies and Power Tools

In 2016 I decided to revamp my style. It was then that I got my first pair of skinny jeans, in my first box from Stitch Fix. For those of you who don’t know, Stitch Fix is an online personal styling service. I was skeptical. But when I put those magical babies on, I felt like I had lost 5 pounds!

So naturally, I filled my closet with skinny jeans of every description. I even found CURVY FIT skinny jeans at Ann Taylor. My life was complete! For a woman in her 60s, I was so stylish and cool!

So, this morning when I happened upon this article by Donna Bulseco in The Wall Street Journal, I was seriously dismayed. Are skinny jeans really out of style? What should I wear instead?

Suffocatingly Slender Denim

“Why They’re Out: Elvis wore them in the 1950s. The Sex Pistols flaunted them in the ’70s. In 2006, British supermodel Kate Moss made them trendy yet again. But squeezing into skinny jeans today—particularly if you pair them with a blazer and pointy stilettos, or a too-tight plaid flannel and an equally pointy pair of chelsea boots—will place you in a bygone decade. Or worse, it could get you fashion-cancelled on TikTok, where Gen Z has boisterously condemned skintight denim.”

So what is this you say, WSJ, I no longer look cool in my skinny jeans? Mine are not skintight, by the way. Just tightish. So this is what I have to say about that…I am a firm believer in dressing for our own bodies so that we look our best, even if not the absolute latest style.

And our clothes must be the right size. Nothing looks worse than ill-fitting clothes. We should never be squeezing into anything! If it doesn’t fit, get rid of it or have it tailored.

Despite what Ms. Bulseco may say I love to wear my skinny jeans with a blazer. A nice, good-quality blazer is a classic that will never go out of style.

I do agree with Ms. Bulseco when she says this…

“After a year when serious concerns took precedence, there’s no shame in being blissfully stuck in a bygone era. But as we emerge from our Zoom cocoons, the time is ripe for reassessing our fashion choices and stepping up our wardrobes for a post-pandemic era—within reason, of course.”

Palazzo Pants

A good skinny jean alternative is what I call “palazzo pants.”

I bought these in black and love them. Even though they are slightly see-through, they are great for summer, slip right over my CAM boot (yes, still stuck in it) and can be dressed up or down. I normally wear a medium but bought the larger size to be safe. They fit great.

Straight-leg Jeans

So although I won’t be purging the skinny jeans from my wardrobe, I might step up my style a bit by adding a pair or 2 of those not-so skinny straight-leg jeans. I really like this pair from Kohls and they come in a “curvy fit.” Even though they are not “skinny,” they are cousins of the skinny jeans, with just a bit more room.

Bell Bottoms

Apparently, wide-leg and bell-bottom jeans are back in style. Something I should have saved, I guess. Vintage bell-bottoms! My granddaughter would have loved them. I don’t think I’ll do a second round of bell bottoms, however, but there is a good article here about how to wear them.

Mom Jeans

What in the world are “Mom Jeans”? I have to admit that, due to their name, I had assumed they were unflattering, high-waisted, baggy, shapeless jeans, perhaps with an elastic waist. Although I am a fan of high-waisted jeans, no way was I wearing those.

American Eagle describes “Mom Jeans” this way:

The classic Mom jean sits at the natural waist, is slim through the top of the body and relaxed down through the leg. This means you’ll have a comfortable fit that’s a little relaxed but not loose. These jeans show some love to your ankles and help you show off your shoes, too.

Still skeptical, I headed over to their website to check out “Mom Jeans.” Wow! So many styles, I stopped counting at 30! “Ironically, Mom Jeans are popular with the younger crowd,” said Sarah Nobles of Mono Mono Boutique.

Cadence in her Mom Jeans. So cute!

This happens to be my favorite pair, but they have so many more, with and without rips and holes (great for the younger crowd), other colors, and varying degrees of fit. It could be love.

I’m a big fan of white jeans for the summer and most of these styles have that option.

In Conclusion

Read up on style trends and then do what is best for you. I may ditch the “woefully generic mom cardigan,” and maybe the “drab beige pants.” I still try to be somewhat stylish, after all. I’m stubbornly holding on to my skinny jeans, though. No way I’m letting go of my Rothy’s, either.

Thank you to Donna Bulseco for her great article on keeping up with style. You may find the complete article here:

Skinny Jeans and 9 Other Styles That Date You

2018, The kids have gotten a lot taller, but I look exactly the same, haha!

As always, take care. You can do it!

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