Here at indi, we love all things denim. Well, we love denim jeans, and denim/chambray shirts, denim skirts and the well-styled denim vest or jacket. But even we draw the line sometimes - not all things were meant to be given the denim treatment. So we present a list of the 5 denim trends not to adopt, in no particular order.
1. Denim Boots. Yes, denim is a comfortable, versatile material, but that doesn’t always translate to stylish, especially when you turn it into footwear.
2. Denim Gown. Denim can be dressed up, a dark wash paired with a feminine blouse and blazer and some killer heels will always be in style. Even a flirty little denim dress paired with the right accessories can look great. But a denim ball gown? This might be the perfect example of a good idea taken too far.
3. Denim Romper. I know I know! There’s plenty of fashionable gals out there who look great in denim rompers. But maybe not denim rompers with cutouts, strange buttons and flaps as well as an oddly light, distressed wash. Erin Wasson we love you. But this design? Not so much.
4. Winkers. Maybe you’ve seen these posted else where…they’re the jeans that “make your butt wink when you walk.” Is there really anything else to say?
5. Knee-less jeans. And last but not least, these monstrosities. Yes, distressed denim is in, but the complete removal of a crucial part of the pants leaving only the inseam and outseam to hold them together seems like overkill.
For those who knew the above information, I hope you were amused. For those of you that are cleaning out your closet, I hope you feel better informed. Try your hand at designing a pair of custom jeans that won’t scare anyone (including yourself!) at indi next time, ok?
posted by: evan on November 18, 2010 at 10:53 am
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denim,
denim disasters
We’ve got some really exciting news for you: now you can shop custom shirts and custom jeans all at the same site!
You’ve probably noticed that the URL above has changed to indiCustom.com, which is our new home. You may also know that we sold shirts at indiTailored.com. Now indiDenim and indiTailored have merged into indiCustom, allowing you to shop custom jeans and shirts under the same domain.
So why did we make this change? As a premium retailer of custom products, we are expanding our offerings (ladies, get excited). While indi’s core products, our men’s shirts and custom jeans, still remain the same (your past orders, the shopping experience, etc.), soon we will offer a wider variety of products to choose from. You’ll be able to build upon your custom patterns and experience with us to shop more custom products that fit your body perfectly.
Welcome to the new indi!
posted by: evan on November 16, 2010 at 12:10 pm
filed under:Happenings at indiDenim
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When shopping for jeans, what kind of fabric should you look for? Learn how to choose your denim fabric when designing your own custom jeans at indi or shopping for jeans anywhere. Watch our video below:
Transcript:
Eunice: Today we’re going to talk about the difference between stretch and non-stretch denim.
Bonnie: Stretch denim is any sort of denim that contains a synthetic such as lycra or spandex. Stretch denim gets kind of a bad name but actually a lot of premium denim retailers do use it because of its benefits such as it’s more comfortable, it contours to the body a little better, and it’s a lot more forgiving, so it’s good for styles like jeggings or skinny jeans.
This is our pacifica dark denim and as you can see it has quite a bit of stretch so it gives a lot.
Eunice: This is out non-stretch denim. It’s made from 100% cotton and is called the Montara fabric. Non-stretch denim is actually great for relaxed styles like the wide-legged jean and the boyfriend jean. It’s a lot more rigid and a lot less forgiving than stretch fabric. If you like a heavier denim then non-stretch denim is probably for you. For more style tips go to indiDenim.com or email us at service “at” indicustom.com.
Here in San Francisco, along with an awesome World Series win (Go Giants!), we are enjoying some lovely 75 degree November days; which then drop to 50 degrees at night. This makes jeans the perfect item to wear at any time of day. I know many other places experience this weather as well, so how do you style jeans to go from one extreme to the other?
Jeans are a current staple in most women’s wardrobes. But, most importantly, it’s about as easy to style jeans as it is a plain white t-shirt. First, choose what style jeans you like best, from there you have a blank canvas on which to create plenty of outfits. I created a few sets on Polyvore to demonstrate how to style jeans several different ways. I chose skinny jeans because I consider them my most basic style jeans, but any pair you prefer will do.
Pair whatever style jeans you choose with a blouse with fun detailing, like these horizontal stripes, and then add heels for height and a neutral jacket for a put together, grown up look. On you way to work you can wear the short sleeve blouse and (since I do a lot of walking) the skinny style jeans are perfect for a little cuff to make them more warm-weather friendly. By the time I head home, the temperature is rapidly cooling, so the jacket and the jeans uncuffed are perfect.
Another way to style jeans to take you from warm days to cool evenings is an oversized sweater over a loose printed tank top. This is one of my favorite ways to be weather appropriate because it is so comfortable. Again you can choose whatever style jeans you prefer, but because of the bulky proportion on top, a leaner look on bottom would be a nice contrast. During the day wear the tank top (long and loose so you don’t look like you’re in high school) with some nice statement jewelry and some polished flats, a nice dark wash-style jeans will also keep this look from being too young. When the weather cools down, pull on the over-sized sweater (I prefer a slightly shorter, cropped sweater to showcase the tank top) and a loose knit cap, and you’ll be ready to go.
Any way you choose to style jeans to be weather appropriate, keep in mind that layers are the easiest and most flattering way to be ready for any temperature. Try designing your perfect style jeans for this time of year at indiDenim.
posted by: Bonnie on November 4, 2010 at 12:50 pm
filed under:Denim 101Misc Musings
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Tall jeans can be hard to find. Any woman with an inseam outside of the regular range (32”-34”) has hunted for a pair of tall jeans, for a pair that won’t make them look like they’re preparing for a flood. But in addition to worrying about the inseam, tall jeans need to be fashionable too.
In general, tall women can get a way with more looks than petite women. Petites tend to focus on wearing jeans that make them look taller, tall jeans wearers have a little more leeway, since they’ve already got the height. Basically, tall jeans should emphasize the long legs of the wearer, and the hem should fall all the way to the heel.
Tall jeans also need to be bought with the torso in mind. If your torso is short, go with mid to low rise tall jeans in order to lengthen your torso. A long torso, on the other hand, should stay a way from lower rises, they will make your torso look longer.
Tall jeans that are bootcut or straight leg show off the legs. Dark wash tall jeans will also highlight long legs. Tall jeans should not be loose fitting because they will make you appear wider than you are. Pair tall jeans with a heel and your legs will look like they go on for miles. If you don’t necessarily want to accent how tall you are, cuffed or boyfriend jeans make the leg look shorter. Distressed and light wash tall jeans will also take the emphasis off your legs.
Tall jeans can be hard to find, let alone design yourself! We hope that with these tips you’ll feel well-equipped to shop for tall jeans or start designing your tall jeans with confidence.
posted by: Bonnie on November 2, 2010 at 10:02 am
filed under:Fit Jeanious
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Knowing the measurement for your natural waist is important when it comes to shopping for all sorts of bottoms. At indiDenim we use your natural waist measurement to create your own pair of custom jeans, so getting this number correct is very important! Enjoy!
Transcript:
Bonnie: Hello, today we’re going to be talking about the natural waist. This is a measurement you hear a lot when you’re shopping for bottoms like pants or skirts. The natural waist is the smallest part of your body and it can be found by looking in the mirror and leaning; where your body creases that is your natural waist.
To measure it all you need is a soft tape measure. You start with zero at the center of your body, and wrap around. Where the tape measure overlaps will be your natural waist. At indiDenim we make this measurement easier by just measuring from your bellybutton and around. And that will be the measurement that you put in on our jean builder online.
For more style tips go to indiDenim.com or email us at service @ indicustom.com.
posted by: Bonnie on October 26, 2010 at 9:10 am
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Here’s a fact: it’s not very often that Bay Area sports teams make it all the way to the playoffs each year. We are not spoiled like the rest of the cities out there so when something big happens, you better believe that we show our full support. This season, the San Francisco Giants secured a spot in the playoffs.You can rest assured (if it weren’t for the sky rocket ticket prices) that there isn’t any other place I’d rather be than watch them play at AT&T park.
This notion however got me thinking…if I were to go see the Giants play in person, what would I wear? Of course, jeans would be my personal go to ticket item. Nothing could be better than wearing some comfortable jeans for those moments you have to stand up and sit down repeatedly to see Cody Ross hit that home run or Tim Lincecum strike others out. Besides, it would be a little ridiculous to wear a dress or a skirt to a baseball game anyway. However, it’s just as important (at least for me anyway) to still balance my blaring orange attire and baseball cap with a cute combination of accessories and good taste. To give you a better idea, I made my own outfit Polyvore set that you can check out to inspire you to be sporty chic too here :
Sporting an overwhelming amount of orange and black (for the Giants and Halloween of course), the accent piece here is my asymmetrical leather jacket. Casual enough for a game with some fashionista flare, the jacket balances the casual nature of my comfortable black bootcut jeans and converses. The key here is to wear what you would normally wear to a game, but keep your apparel well-fitted (no frumpy jeans, ladies) and pick one classier accent piece to set the outfit off.
So to all you Bay Area sports fans out there, just like us at indiDenim, we’d like to say Goooo Giants! And good fashion choices…
posted by: eunice on October 20, 2010 at 4:55 pm
filed under:Misc Musings
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For years petites have had to take their ready-to-wear clothes to the tailor. Problems with petite jeans usually consist of too long an inseam or too much gaping at the waist. Since many mainstream designers didn’t focus on their petite jeans, the stress of finding appropriate jeans for petites was extreme. There are now many more options in the market and petite jeans are thankfully not as rare as they once were.
Petites should keep a few basic fit concepts in mind to keep them from looking stumpy or childlike. Petite jean styles should not be too baggy (avoid extreme flares or wide leg jeans), which can make you look like you’re swimming in fabric. Instead choose trouser, straight-leg or even skinny petite jeans with the correct inseam (most petites have around a 29” inseam, unlike the standard 33-35” inseams found in most stores in similar sizes). All of these styles look great with heels, another way to elongate the figure and look taller.
Petite jean styles should not include anything that is cuffed, cropped or flood (a high-rise ankle look) because it makes the leg appear shorter and ill-proportioned. Capri petite jeans also have this affect on the petite’s legs. On the other hand, petite jeans should not bunch around the ankles either, which makes the legs look too short. The perfect length for petite jeans are when they just touch the top of your shoes, making you look taller and well-proportioned.
Now, with all the different styles and washes, it’s easier than ever to find a flattering petite jean in a style you like. There may still be some tailoring or customizing to get the perfect fit, but by remembering what works best, petite jean shopping should become less of a dilemma.
posted by: evan on October 14, 2010 at 1:11 pm
filed under:Fit JeaniousDenim 101
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