Tuesday 18 January 2011

Jean genies

I have a fashion/style/good taste conundrum and I am looking for guidance. Let me start at the beginning – are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin.

Once upon a time – okay, this Christmas – my mother bought me some sheepskin boots (yes, Uggs I’m afraid – I’m anti overly exposed brands but she couldn’t get me Celtic Collection ones from Cornwall so generously paid through the nose for these). Now, I will happily wear them with a knee length skirt, opaque tights but I’d quite like to wear them with jeans. I wear bootleg jeans normally – being, as I sadly am, short of leg, wide of hip and stout of girth. So it was with some trepidation that I bought a pair of “slim legged” jeans. Note: not skinny – I could be prosecuted for fraud if I wore skinny jeans.

I just can’t work out if I can actually get away with them or not. I tried them on (they fit which is a start I guess) and then took them off. My short legs hold their shortness in the thigh area – and what they lack on the vertical, they more than make up for on the horizontal. My calves are fine, but my thighs are what could charitably be called chunky. Now, I would only ever wear ANY jeans with a long top – I guess upper thigh length or longer if I could. But does a short, fat, size 16, with an over-endowment of thigh, have any business wearing slim leg jeans tucked into Ugg boots? Discuss please.

In other news: my engagement ring now fits fine and I am – just – back in my 16 jeans. They’re pretty tight but no muffin top and they’re a better fit than the 18s – phew. Yesterday I had a blip where a colleague brought me in homemade millionaires’ shortbread from his fiancée to thank me for sending her my bridal mags every time I’ve read them. But I ask you: what B2B (not Business to Business as I thought, but the nauseatingly vile Bride to Be. Don’t worry, I will never refer to this again) sends another 5 squares of delicious yet evil calories? Reader, I ate 3 over the course of a horrendous and stressful day (the 3 smallest, mind!) and took the last 2 home where I watched bf eat them with jealous and rapt attention. I skipped some other points in the day to compensate and added them to my tracker – I have plenty of bonus points so it should be okay and yet I feel guilt. Maybe it’s a pavlovian response to the taste of sugar.

7 comments:

Ex Yo-Yo Dieter Debbie said...

Ah Peridot, I can offer no fashion advice here (since I am also of the chunky-thigh, short-legged type).

My neighbour told me recently about heeled Uggs that one can only buy in the UK...the Russians would love to get their hands on those! (They even wear heeled rubber boots over here behind the Iron Curtain. Apparently, flat footwear is instant "babushka" status. I am rebellious and wear my flat shoes/boots everywhere - so there!)

Maybe make a rule that all food "gifts" will be passed on to your fiance (unopened)?

As for the skinny jeans...they are NOT for me...they don't even look that great on skinny-legged people!

starfish264 said...

I'm opposite side of the "skinny" divide,I'm afraid. I'm an avid skinny jeans wearer and have been since I was a size 18-20. The trick as you've mentioned is to make sure your jeans fit properly, they should be comfortably close on the legs but not like sausage skins, and be sure you make sure they are muffin-top free - most imporant thing of all if you want to wear with longline tops / tunics over the top, so you can keep a smooth silhouette. As long as you balance with a longer line top they'll look fine.

Food gifts are pure evil. Evil I tell you!

Curlygirl said...

Hey Peridot. I think the skinny jeans, short legs, big boots combo is totally acceptable and indeed a good look. And may I point you in the direction of the M&S Limited Collection Cotton Blend Jegging. Yes, I know - no moe than B2B, jegging is not a word I parlay about in any old company, but these are so comfy, and so flattering, and so fit for the purpose of wearing with boots that you will never want to take them off. You will have to lop a few inches off the bottom as they only come in one length, but as they are for on boots, you don't even have to hem them. You could staple them if you wanted. I have them in the grey nd they are fab.

Glad that al is ticking along nicely for you. All good here.

X

beth said...

So I got the definitive word from not one, not two, but three scary New York fashion editors for you... (Yes, I braved the fashion closet with roots showing AND wearing a rather unfortunate outfit. I think they thought I was the "friend" who needed help.)

The bad news is, they wouldn't recommend wearing Uggs full stop for the curvy and short-of-leg. (Your recommended shoe is a wedge heel...)

If you must wear Uggs, they recommend slim fitting jeans or leggings paired with a top that shows a little bit of cleavage (scoop neck or, preferably, V-neck) that hits about hip height. It can be A-line but it must hit about the hip or just below (shouldn't hit at your widest point). Cardigan is also OK, provided it shows a little skin on top. Still shouldn't hit lower than hip.

Lesley said...

God! I've had the exact same dilemma but without actually owning the Uggs. I dont really like them but they look so warm and comfy and would be prrfect for football matches. I decided that if I could bring myself to buy the boots I eould wear with skinny jeans (I quite like mine altho am well aware that my thighs are not suitably thin....). So I cant be definitive but I say - go for it!!! (And let me know how it works out...tee hee.)

Lesley xx

PS. B2B = dim in the extreme/bitch (delete as applicable)

Seren said...

Hmmmm. I am personally of the opinion that if it makes you feel good - wear it, but if you're not sure then don't. Not because you shouldn't but because if you lack confidence in your "look" you won't wear it to your best advantage. If you see what I mean.

B2B - yuck. Millionaires shortbread - yum. Well done on resisting, I reckon I would have scarfed the lot.

Call me Ishmael said...

I think you've got your answer already on this one. It's a yes, with certain caveats, and if you glue wedge heels on your Uggs. Short legs are so hard to dress well.