Lana

Modern Vintage Inspired Denim for Style and Comfort

It took me awhile, but I think I’ve finally been bitten by the vintage denim bug. I’m hugely loyal to the super stretchy skinny jean—or skinny jeans in general—as I feel I work too freaking hard at the gym to cover it all up with baggy styles, darn it. Even when the boyfriend jean became popular way back in 2007 or 2008, I wasn’t partial to it at all, until I tried a pair from Rich & Skinny and fell in love. After reviewing several amazing skinny styles with Denimology years later, I put them aside once again in favor of form-fitting jeans. I didn’t only get the chance to review slim fits though, as there were several boyfriend fits mixed in here and there, and my tastes started to move in that direction once again soon enough. Later, when I was introduced to the love that is quality selvedge denim, I finally began appreciating 100% cotton, vintage jeans and the “they don’t make them like they used to” idea (although I don’t agree with that completely nowadays). I realized though, that they are super hard to shop for! Most denim fans prefer to visit antique and second hand shops to see in person and try on these jeans that really did come from denim’s early days, because the fits can be difficult for different shapes. This is because these pieces came out way before stretchy denim did and thus have barely any give (and usually have already been formed to their past wearer’s bodies). I don’t even have many great thrift shops around me, so I was stuck browsing them online.

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Lana

Playful Jeans to Party In from Shopbop

Playful Jeans to Party In from Shopbop

Images: Shopbop

One of the reasons I love denim so much is because I am a creative…I am basically an artist of sorts by craft. There are so many cool pieces of denim out there beyond the traditional blue jeans, and the possibilities somehow always seem endless. I always gravitate to the most unique, colorful, creative, unusual, weird and different pieces in the denim industry, and I try to get my hands on as many as possible to make dressing up in the mornings even more fun! When it comes to a night out, I know most ladies prefer to opt for the foolproof sleek, dark-washed, leg-lengthening skinny jeans to go with their favorite pair of killer heels, but why not opt for something to set you apart from the pack, to let our your playful side? Shopbop has put together a fun collection of party-worthy denim, with patchwork, fringe, distressing, embellishments, and other fun and daring details to shake up your nightlife routine a bit.

I’m definitely digging the alice + olivia Joana Splatter Paint Skinny Jeans (paint and denim always somehow seem to go hand in hand) and the Citizens of Humanity Agnes Crop Jeans in Euclid Bleach. The BLANKNYC Two Tone Raw Hem Jeans in Sliding Doors also catches my attention as I love colorblocked styles! The Siwy Mary-Jane Jeans in Crazy Train offer a fun festival-style vibe in my eyes and I’d wear them out dancing any time as well. Also, I’m sure you all remember the beautifully distressed BLANKNYC Skinny Classique in Good Vibes which has been a very popular blogger and stylist staple all this last year, longer than any denim piece I’ve ever seen out of the brand! Here are my favorite pieces from Shopbop’s Party Denim collection!

Shop the entire Party Denim collection from Shopbop here!

Lana

Warm Hued Denim to Wrap Up Fall

Warm Hued Denim to Wrap Up Fall

Images: Revolve

Colored denim is always so fun to break up the collection of traditional blues, greys and blacks in my closet. I usually associate colored denim with the Springtime, as bright colors are usually a bit more expected around the season of blooming flowers and green hills. However, during the Fall, colors are just as vibrant (if not more) with the changing leaves! Shades of brown, red, orange, tan, or gold are definitely perfect for tucking into boots or hiding under long tunic sweaters (or however you like to dress up your denim when the weather turns to cold). I can’t believe Fall is already well under way and Winter is just around the corner, but especially for us here in California, winter doesn’t actually seem to officially hit until a month or two after the solstice…and Fall always takes its time as well as October is still one of the hottest months of the year for us! In that regard, styling for the seasons is sometimes a bit different in our neck of the woods.

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Lana

Coated Denim for Fall and Winter

Coated Denim for Fall and Winter

Images: Shopbop

The sleek, leatherlike look is always in, regardless of the season. I always like edgy looks, or pieces that look like they just came off of a long motorcycle ride or rock concert (from the stage side, of course) to balance out more casual outfits. Leather jeans were always kind of appealing to me, but I never owned any; partially because of the price, but also because of the fear of washing them or feeling too suffocated. There are always vegan leather options, but in my past experiences they only felt kind of clammy as the day went on, again not offering a whole lot in the breathability department. I know there are a lot of awesome new options, but I haven’t quite dipped back into that realm yet. However, when coated jeans emerged onto the scene, and I finally got to review a pair or two, I found a new alternative that I knew I could love!

Coated denim (also known as “waxed denim”) is regular denim with a layer of acrylic, resin, polyurethane or pigment. When done on a black jean, it really looks like a beautiful leather piece! Using denim allows them to be more stretchy, soft, and breathable for a comfortable all-day wear. I really love wearing them under a casual tee shirt or out on the town or a DJ gig! They can be kind of tough to wear in warmer weather, so now that Fall is here and Winter is just around the corner, my coated denim will emerge once again. The extra coated layer offers a bit of warmth, and I think they just look way too cool under boots. Most come in black, but there are some jewel-toned alternatives out there, which of course are great for Fall to match with the season’s colors! Some of my favorite coated denim pieces include already-loved denim styles like distressing and rips, and moto or zipper detailing. Here are a few pieces I’ve gathered to share with you that I think are great examples of coated denim.

What do you think? What are your favorites?

Lana

Faded Black Denim for Fall

Faded Black Denim for Fall

When shopping for black jeans in the past, I was always looking for the most jet black, dark and saturated (wash wise) pair I could find. I mean, it’s fair to say that’s a fundamental piece for anyone’s closet, and I do own a pair or two of those. However, I always end up saving those only for special occasions for fear of washing them and having them fade. Now, I know I have posted in the past about some pretty awesome fadeless black jeans from brands such as Level 99 and DSTLD in the past, but I haven’t owned any of those yet and still was afraid to wash the nice black pairs I have and love.

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Lana

The Quietly Ubiquitous Jumpsuit

The Quietly Ubiquitous Jumpsuit

Some styles tend to never truly disappear, even if you think they have…I would say the jumpsuit is one of them! It’s almost up there with overalls. It seems if you pay attention to the fashion world (and bloggers especially), jumpsuits are always there, and always hold a decently popular place, even though they may not be seen around as often as skinny jeans or Uggs. It’s one of those styles that always keeps tapping me on the shoulder, tempting me to give it a try, because, well, don’t they look comfortable? Who doesn’t want a simple, effortless way to get ready in the morning or before a long trip? However, for some reason, there’s still that hesitation, even though fashion is all about taking risks and trying new things. Why the stigma on the one-piece? Who knows. Either way, I’m seeing some seriously stylish models, celebrities and bloggers out there constantly rocking jumpsuits, and whether or not I feel I could pull it off, it’s always on the back of my mind…and I am sort of fascinated by the fact that these looks stick around despite their seemingly-low fanbase. I was writing a piece for Denimology about the super cute Bella Dahl Utility Jumpsuits, and ran across a large collection within Shopbop. I felt I should share! I think the Bella Dahl piece above and maybe some of the more comfortable ones in the last image below would be most likely to grace my figure, even though some of the denim ones look pretty awesome. I’m still not sure though…what do you think?

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Lana

Shopbop Presents the Principle Denim Collection

Shopbop Presents the Principle Denim Collection

Image: Shopbop

Shopbop Presents the Principle Denim Collection

Most of us who have been wearing jeans for long enough already know what styles and brands best flatter our figures, but for many of us, finding the perfect pair of jeans is still quite the task! Fear not…because if you’re ready to dive into the premium denim market, Shopbop has got you covered with their new Principle Collection. This is so exciting…the retailer has partnered with 15 of the biggest names in the denim industry to design an ultimate collection of a wide variety of fits, styles and washes. We’re talking pieces from Rag & Bone/JEAN, AG, McGuire, Paige, FRAME, R13 and many, many more, in the form of flares, skinnies, crops, baby boots, micro flares and a few relaxed styles as well. They even squeezed in a classic BLANKNYC Vegan Leather piece (how couldn’t they?). I’m totally digging this collection, and Shopbop put together a great little lookbook in the form of a guide for those who just aren’t quite sure where to start. There are even two petite styles involved to be sure to include everyone! If you’re looking for a serious staple piece, this is a great place to look! The media sure has been trying to push this “denim is dying” idea on us for several months now, but the reality is quite different…and Shopbop is here to prove it. Check out the Principle Collection below!

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Lana

Patchwork and Vintage Appeal from CURRENT/ELLIOTT

Patchwork and Vintage Appeal from CURRENT/ELLIOTT

First of all, I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend! I decided to take Friday off from blogging and enjoy the much needed break. I didn’t do a whole lot, as resting was hugely anticipated, but I attended a friend’s BBQ party (at which I totally should have snapped an outfit shot or two…oh well) and spent some quality time in with the hubby! I still spent a little time looking through possible blogging subjects to start the week back up with, so here we go! Back to the grind… 🙂

Like printed jeans, patchwork styles hold a special place in my denim-loving heart. One of my favorite reviews I ever did for Denimology was for the CLOSED Pedal Star Patchwork Jeans and I’ve been craving to revisit the patchwork trend ever since! It’s such a fun, playful look and I love trying out different outfit combinations to dress them up or down. I almost even feel like they simulate a “double denim” type look (well, multi denim in this case?) without the worry of trying to pull it off just right! CURRENT/ELLIOTT is no stranger to these fun, super creative and vintage looks, and just released a new line of patchwork pieces for summer, including a denim puffer vest! While looking at the huge list of new arrivals, I was also impressed by some of the new distressed, bleached and rip/repair vintage details in a few other pieces. CURRENT/ELLIOTT is keeping the released hem trend alive, which I happen to also be very fond of! I recently wrote about some of my favorite examples of this emerging trend, and I also scored a pair of CURRENT/ELLIOTT‘s Cropped Straight Let Out Hem jeans in Loved at a pretty awesome sale at BeyondTheRack! I wanted to make a post about them at some point here…they are such the perfect summer jean!!

But back to Patchwork…Last year I posted about CURRENT/ELLIOTT’s Loved and Found vintage shop which is SUCH an awesome addition to their website! For those that don’t know, the shop was launched in late May last year and features several one-of-a-kind items from the brand’s archive, along with a wide collection of trinkets that were found in flea markets and antique stores around the country. The shop also includes home decor, jewelry, old toys, and several repurposed vintage CURRENT/ELLIOTT styles that were repaired by CEO and creative director Serge Azria. One of the items that is currently featured is a beautiful, limited-edition patchwork blanket created out of reclaimed CURRENT/ELLIOTT pieces, in denim and other various fabrics. These are handcrafted, so each item is unique and one-of-a-kind! See the photos below!

Patchwork and Vintage Appeal from CURRENT/ELLIOTT - The Fling in Patchwork

Images: CURRENT/ELLIOTT The Fling in Patchwork

Patchwork and Vintage Appeal from CURRENT/ELLIOTT - The Stiletto in Patchwork

Images: CURRENT/ELLIOTT The Stiletto in Patchwork

Patchwork and Vintage Appeal from CURRENT/ELLIOTT - Patchwork Puffer Vest

Images: CURRENT/ELLIOTT Patchwork Puffer Vest

Patchwork and Vintage Appeal from CURRENT/ELLIOTT - Loved and Found Patchwork Blanket

Images: CURRENT/ELLIOTT Loved and Found Patchwork Blanket

Distressing and bleaching? Cool. Bleached denim, when done in chunks like this, reminds me of a pinto horse for some reason…either way, I’m a fan! I have a pair of Frankie B Iron Prepster skinnies that are white/blue bleached and slightly distressed, and I acquired them way back before my collection exploded. I need to bring these back for a post now!

I like this style here because it illustrates another trend I’ve been seeing around lately: the exposed button fly. This combined with the dropped hem and distressing yields a true vintage, worn-in appeal.

Shop the new CURRENT/ELLIOTT arrivals here, and grab a limited-edition blanket from the Loved and Found shop here!

Lana

Frayed Hems Beyond the Denim Short

Frayed Hems Beyond the Denim Short

The frayed cutoff short. Nothing new. We’ve all been sporting them and creating our own out of our old jeans for decades. Last year I discovered skinny jeans with raw hems after one of my favorite bloggers, Lorna of Raindrops of Sapphire posted about her raw hem 7 For All Mankind jeans (she later shared her AG raw hem leggings). I love the look! I thought it was just something those two brands were up to, until I got a newsletter a few days ago from popular denim brand J Brand. They have an entire line dedicated to raw hems, titled The Fray, which includes not only skinny, culotte and bell jeans but also jackets, dresses and denim tops! Initially, this post was just going to feature J Brand, but as I searched the net a little more, I found that the raw hem trend was on full force with a multitude of other top notch premium denim brands! I scoured a few shops until I picked out a few favorites and collected them all here to share with all of you…and to bookmark as wish list items as well. What do you think of this new(ish) trend? I think it’s about time I add a skinny jean with a raw hem to my ever-growing denim collection! I’m not sure if I’m that partial to the tops and dresses, but you never know until you try it right?

I was just about done with this post until I spotted these couture items on Shopbop…kind of beyond reach for many of us but still awesome!

What do you think? Do you have a favorite frayed denim look?

Lana

Black Denim is Anything but Dull

Black Denim is Anything but Dull

It wasn’t long ago that I only intended to have just one staple black skinny jean in my closet, because how much variations do you get in black jeans anyway, right? I reserved this pair by Big Star as my go-to for dressy nights, as I was too afraid to wash it and watch it fade into more of a charcoal grey. Well actually, I take that back…I DID get one pair of ripped black skinny jeans from Habitual, just to mix it up a bit. Then Denimology came along. I started this blog, and Level 99 and DSTLD came into my life, teaching me that there IS such a thing as black jeans that don’t fade, and hinting towards a pandora’s box of black denim that I had yet to really discover. Then Denimology brought me to a brand new name that started up this year, FIGI, and I received a black pair from them was more comfortable as an every-day jean, which pushed me just a tad closer to believing that not all black jeans are alike (review coming shortly). I knew it, somewhere deep inside, that there had to be more to the LBJ (Little Black Jean). I wasn’t an idiot, as I had been surprised enough by new discoveries of what the premium denim world had to offer to know I hadn’t seen the end. I am, after all, a fan of taking something usually seen as basic and simple, and making it jaw-droppingly awesome. Then one of my favorite online shops, Revolve Clothing, sent me one of the usual every day email blasts, and lo and behold, it featured black denim. But not just any black denim…take a look for yourself:

Revolve carries such a huge variety of different black denim styles that I decided to stay within the shop for this post, as many of these are available elsewhere anyway. I know I’d seen the cutout/mesh style by Siwy before from Frankie B (actually there’s a photo of it on the homepage at the time of me writing this up), and I’m glad it stuck around. I’m always tempted to grab a pair of the Frankie B ones but I’m afraid of that mesh ripping! Although, that might give kind of a good grungy look, like stockings with a run. Current/Elliott stays true to their expertise at patterned jeans with The Stiletto in Washed Black with Mini Stars (I’ve been eyeing an old pair of medium blue jeans with stars from years ago on eBay for quite some time now), and denim veteran 7 For All Mankind puts a beautiful twist on the floral denim trend with thePieced Skinny in Black Grey Floral Shantung

I’m not much of an over-the-knee or thigh-high boot kind of person, but several Fall season lines I’ve seen might just change my mind (as long as they are tight, like leggings). So I found it funny that I spotted this awesome style by James Jeans, the Dietrich Thigh High Skinny in Femme Fatale. A sign? Perhaps. I’ve never seen anything like it, either way! To really push the limits on black denim, D-ID released The Pistol in Black Wax…unfortunately it is sold out, but are you surprised? I left it here just because I can’t take my eyes off of it. I’m not that familiar with D-ID yet, but I’m sure that will soon be remedied.

So obviously if you can’t tell by now, the denim world is limitless…can you see now why I’m just a wee bit obsessed? Which here is your favorite?

View even more beautiful styles of black denim from Revolve Clothing here. I really had to hold back from posting them all!