The Skinny on Skinny: Slim-legged Jeans for Curvy Girls

Stevie from Fidelity: The skinny jean you've been dreaming of.There's been plenty of debate in our forums recently on whether the skinny jean can truly be worn by those blessed with a more 'womanly' form. We have been insistent; it can be done! Us girls of substance are absolutely able to wear form-fitting denim styles. In fact, the skinny jean isn't just passable - the right pair is downright flattering.

The first incarnation of what we generally know as the 'skinny jean' came on the scene in 2006. As a trend, it had legs, so to speak, but many women felt like they had to be 'skinny' to wear it. The skinny jean flies in the face of conventional curvy girl fashion advice: all this time we've been told that in order to balance and minimize the hips, we needed to find cuts that were generous from the knee down. Additionally, seeing that Kate Moss, the poster girl for the waif / heroin chic look of the 90s, is given credit for bringing this style to the mainstream, we can hardly be blamed for being wary.

As old fashion edicts are hard to break and since we figured you wouldn't just take our word for it, Hitched! turned to a higher authority. We chased down Jason Trotzuk, the founder, designer and president of our current favourite premium denim brand, Fidelity. We were armed with questions that you wanted answered and he was happy to help.

Even Trotzuk admits that at one time he, too, was skeptical about the universality of this cut. It was Christmas 2007 when Trotzuk has what he calls his "pinnacle moment" with the skinny jean; an epiphany, if you will. His close friend, a mid-forties mother of two, was wearing his best-selling Belladonna medium rise, boot cut style with the legs tucked into her boots. With their slightly flared leg hidden, the emphasis was suddenly on her curves. She looked confident and, well, smokin' hot! His new muse was not Kate Moss but someone just like us. It was then that he realized the skinny jean needed to be redefined.

He created the Stevie style, which was designed as a tapered leg (think the you-pinned / mom-sewn Levi's 501s of the late-80s) rather than a 'skinny'. The thighs now had what he describes as a "custom shaping so that every women can put them on." It became a "simple matter of tweaking."

The secret (and, shh, it really is a secret - they seem to be the only denim brand to have really caught on to it!) is a medium rise. While it might have seemed okay to let your butt crack hang out as a teenager (and let's be honest - it was never okay), bending down to tie your kids' shoelaces shouldn't be hazardous to the eyes of others. The waistband also hits slightly higher in the front so that the muffin top stays safely within the pan. This combination of mid rise with slim leg is what the public was clamouring for, it turns out. These flattering styles are a runaway bestseller.

Furthermore, they can be worn with any shoe: a ballet flat, a stiletto heel or, incredibly appropriate for our climate, boots.

"When you wear a pair of boyfriend jeans or trouser jeans, your look is all about the jean," says Trotzuk.

The skinnier style takes the emphasis off denim and onto other things like your cute blouse, trendy longer cardigan and hot boots. They elevate the other pieces in your wardrobe to a new status.

"The secret of our success is that we have made our jeans to fit the body of regular women not just the toothpicks," says Trotzuk (although the size 0s and 2s are just as pleased with the fit, as evidenced by many of Fidelity's celebrity fans).
Over The Rainbow: You've got a feeling you're not in Gap anymore.
Genia Albi, women's buyer at Toronto's premiere denim destination Over The Rainbow, insists, "the skinny silhouette is hotter than ever. We have a skinny jean from every company we carry. Skinny jeans will continue to be the cut of choice for spring 2010."

Seeing as finding the right pair of jeans can feel like a grail quest for some, heading to a specialty store like Rainbow can be well worth the effort. Albi attests, "every brand is valid. We pride ourselves with the wide range of denim we carry." You can expect to find price points ranging from $78 to $300 and up at Over The Rainbow.

If a specialty store is out of your range, even department stores have added skinny to their assortment. This fall, Sears Canada launched their redesigned Attitude private label with a hip and edgy look and included a slim leg jean in the collection. Trend Director Cynthia Florek hints that a skinny jean will appear in their Nevada stores for Spring 2010. Even our beloved Reitmans has introduced straight and slim legs in their much-babbled-about Comfort Pant that sells for around $40 per pair. That's right, $40.

Have you cornered skinny jeans and are looking for the next evolution in denim?

According to Albi, the jegging - a combination jean plus legging - is "on fire right now."

Before you start envisioning tights with some horrible screen print intended to look like the finest ringspun denim twill, wipe the grimace off your face and picture this: take the idea of a comfortable legging and combine it with a great fitting jean (complete with the traditional waistband and fly of a pant). While they naturally look good on a model, this fabric is intended to smooth out the flaws the rest of us have. Fidelity sounds pretty pumped about what they are putting out on the market. Just launched this week, the jegging styles are flying off the shelves.

Also in the fashion forecast: "Holes!!!!" (the exclamation points are all Albi's.)

"Yes, holes. Torn, destruction, acid wash and more is what you will see a lot of for Spring 2010," Albi confirms. "But don’t worry if this look is not you, we will have cleaner washes and bodies for the less adventurous."

Now, go out and find those perfect skinnies and report back in the forums!