Denim
Could Gap’s Denim Line Bring Down Prices of Others Like it?
What:The Gap introduced a premium denim line called 1969 last month, and it did so with some pretty aggressive advertising. Well, now makers of other similar high-quality jeans (like 7 for All Mankind and Levi’s) are having to defend their high prices. Gap’s denim costs around $50, while others cost triple that. Many say the Gap is overstating how premium their denim really is, as most their materials come from China and Mexico - as opposed to Italy and Japan.
What They Say:
“I think the Gap is going to have some impact, but I don’t think it is going to shake up the overall retail environment,” said Stefano Aldighieri, a denim designer who has worked for 7 For All Mankind, Levi’s Premium and Hudson Clothing Co. He is also the co-founder of the Los Angeles consulting firm Another Design Studio Inc. “But you can find premium denim at any price point and at any distribution. If you go to JCPenney or Sears, you will find examples of what they call premium denim. Then you go to Barneys and see their premium denim. Premium denim has become an obsolete word.”
What We Say: We’ll take a good $50 pair of jeans over a slightly better $150 pair of jeans any day, especially right now. We doubt the entire denim industry is going to start heavily discounting their products, though, because if they do, they’ll be admitting that they’re not putting out that much better of products in the first place. Any predictions?
Lane Bryant Denim Jeans $29.99 Online
The Deal: All denim jeans at Lane Bryant on sale for $29.99, through Dec. 7.
The Lowdown: Pick up quality plus size denim for less, with all jeans just $29.99 at LaneBryant.com (exclusions apply). Get great styles like this embellished flare jean, in sizes 14-28, and for $29.99, pick up more than one pair.
Shop: Lane Bryant
Free Shipping at Charlotte Russe
The Deal: Free standard shipping on all orders at Charlotte Russe, through Sept. 30
The Lowdown: Click on the link above or below to shop Charlotte Russe with free standard shipping on all orders—meaning you shop in your pjs and pay nothing extra for the privilege! Charlotte Russe is where you’ll want to get those trendy, Friday night out with friends kind of pieces—like these very hot dollhouse colored skinny jeans, $39.99.
Shop: Charlotte Russe
Summer Fashion: Colored Denim
“SOME PRODUCTS ARE NO LONGER BEING SOLD”
What: Colored denim is cycling back to the top of the trend heap.
What We Say: More than a year ago colored denim (a la 1985) started to make the fashion rounds. It’s popularity had been marginal on the whole (meaning it didn’t quite make any waves between the coasts) and we were pretty much ready to write it off completely, but a recent resurgence has us taking a second look. We’re seeing lots of teal blue, red, and yellow denim, and after all those primary colored dresses slipping into a pair of jeans is kind of a welcome change, if you ask us. The best news? If you picked up a pair last year and they’ve been sitting in your closet every since, all you have to do to be on trend is pull ‘em out and slip ‘em on. Priceless.
What? You don’t know what to slip ‘em on with? When in doubt, keep it simple—the color is statement enough. Think neutral tee or tank (or throw in a top with some horizontal stripes —like this henley—if you want to have a little more fun), with some wedge sandals or ballet flats, and maybe a chunky necklace if you want to dress things up a bit . . .
Some colored denim picks we’re digging, for less:
Straight Leg Jeans, on sale $19.99, LaRedoute
Style & Co. Petite Colored Five Pocket Jean, on sale $19.99, Macy’s
Morgan Low-Rise Skinny Jean, $48.50, Delia’s (buy one, get one half off)
30% Off Pants and Denim: Banana Republic
The Deal: Get 30% off select styles at Banana Republic! Ends July 31.
The Lowdown: If your work wardrobe is in need of replenishment, head to Banana Republic. This time, their sale focuses on pants and denim, but several solid color tops, tees and dresses are discounted as well. The basic tops can be paired with the trousers and a blazer or cardigan for work, and jeans on the weekends. Your outfit possibilities will increase dramatically!
The Martin pinstriped wide-leg pants come in gray, not the standard black, making it a cool (literally) choice for summer. Now $62.30.
Wear dark denim to the office if your dress code is a bit lenient. The urban contour wide leg jeans are a good choice—they’re chic and comfortable, a combination that doesn’t happen too often for women. Now $35.99.
Here’s that basic top that matches with everything we were just talking about—the faux wrap top. Now $27.30.
Buy One, Get One: Delia’s.com
The Deal: Buy one pair of jeans or pants at Delia’s, and get the other half off!
What We Say: Don’t be afraid to take advantage of this sale just because Delia’s is conventionally a younger woman’s store. If you want stylish and affordable denim, head here. The shapes and sizes range from skinny jeans, wide-legs, to cropped pants and bright colors. Fall is approaching rapidly (unfortunately) and you’ll need to cover up.
Check out some of the choices:
The Morgan low-rise skinny grey jeans are a touch dressier than blue denim—they’re so versatile you’ll keep them around forever. Now $44.50.
If you don’t want something as curve-hugging as skinny jeans, check out the Reese low-rise skinny boot-cut jeans. They’re casual, leave more room for comfort, and come in four washes. Now $39.50.
Pictured: The Sophie ultra low-rise flares have a wider leg and a bigger flare than boot-cuts. Now $39.50.
News Alert: Sheryl Crow, Denim Designer
What: Sheryl Crow is designing a clothing line consisting of jeans, t-shirts, and other laidback styles that jive with Crow’s persona as a rocker chick, according to Styledash. This line is a bit different from your standard celebrity designs, however—it’s eco-friendly. The line will be called Bootheel Trading Co. by Sheryl Crow.
What We Say: All we wanna do is…find out when and where we can check out these new clothes. We never knew Sheryl Crow to be a fashionista, but since we’ve secretly wanted to cruise and see the sun come up over Santa Monica Boulevard, we want to try on this vintage-inspired wear and see if we feel any hipper. We love the fact that it’s eco-friendly, too. We’re all about helping out the environment and looking great at the same time.
Image from InTouchWeekly
High vs. Low: Distressed Denim
How can a torn, mutilated and destroyed pair of jeans cost as much as (and sometimes more than) its intact cousin? Wouldn’t it make sense if they cost less considering they look like your dog has had a go at them? Manufacturers justify the price of distressed denim due to the time and work that goes into perfecting that “distressed” look. Ok, we get it, but we still don’t want to shell out a lot of dough for them - it just doesn’t feel right. That’s why we used our budget fashionista sleuthing skills to find a high and low pair to compare. Check them out! We bet you can’t tell which is which…
On the left is the Hollister Venice Boot Cut distressed denim jean, $59.50, available at hollisterco.com. On the right is the True Religion “Johnny” Cowgirl Destroyed distressed denim jean, $284.00, available at truereligionbrandjeans.com.
P.S. Don’t forget that you can always take an old pair of jeans and proceed to cut, tear and transform them into your own version of distressed denim.
Best Jeans on a Budget: Reader Advice
Okay, we’ve doled out plenty of advice here on The Budget Fashionista about finding great jeans on a budget, but let’s face it, it’s enough to send even the most self-respecting fashionista running for the sweatpants.
We’ve liked Old Navy jeans in general (though the sizing can be inconsistent, and some cuts are better than others), and Levis are a tried and true option. But what are we missing? Tell us your picks for best jeans on a budget (and we do mean under $50 a pair).
C7P: Chip & Pepper’s New Budget Line with JC Penney Stores
What: Chip & Pepper, the twin LA denim designers, partnered with retailer JC Penney’s for the C7P (the “&” sign and the number “7” are both on the same key on your keyboard) line, an affordable denim and sportswear line for Back to School 2007. The line includes an array of denim items, including jeans, skirts, Bermuda shorts and crop pants, along with T-shirts, tops and fleece all targeted towards the junior and young men’s market. The collection will retail from $14.99 for tops to $34.99 for jeans.
What the fashion heads say: From Tipjar.com: The California surf-inspired jeans, t-shirts and hoodies for guys and gals have a laidback style and the price point makes me happy. Everything in the collection is under $40.
What I say: I’m sooooo not the target demographic for this line, but it looks like the same stuff you can get at Old Navy for around half the price. However, if you’re a fan of their higher priced denim line, this may be a way to get your hands on a pair of jeans for under $40.
Trend Alert: Wide-Leg Jeans
What: The wide-leg pant trend is gaining steam, with fuller-cut jeans and trousers, like these at the Gap, popping up everywhere for fall.
What the Fashion heads say: From FabSugar.com: Wahoo! As I predicted, the skinny jean backlash has begun and wide legged jeans are on the rise. Don’t get me wrong - I have warmed up to the skinny silhouette, but I am a 70’s girl at heart and love the elongating look of a wide legged pant.
What I say: After suffering through scads of skinny jeans, I’m loving this trend towards wide-leg denim. I’m still kicking myself for not buying multiple pairs of the wide leg denim jeans from the now defunct Forth and Towne. There’s hardly a jean that’s more figure-flattering for all kinds of body types, and the look sets the perfect tone for a casual day at the office (there’s something about the skinny jeans that make them not as dressy as wide leg jeans) or a laid back dinner out with your girlfriends. Pair with some cute ballet flats, or a nice pair of heels and it’s the ultimate in comfortable chic.
What to Buy Spring 2007- Yea or Nay: Denim Trench Coat, $98.00
My two cents: After trashing the Gap a few weeks ago, I decided to show some of the positive items they will be selling this Spring (yesterday jeans for those of us with a little more curve in the back). I like this coat, but I’m not sure if I “$98.00” like it. It would be incredibly functional and I’m sure the cost per wear (learn how to figure out the cost per wear), would be well under $2.00 a pop. I also like the fact that is comes in Petite and Tall.
Gap Denim Trench Coat: Yea or Nay?
Fashion Advice: The Booty Gap
Dear Budget Fashionista,
I have a question and maybe it’s a stupid one. I have a lot of problems with jeans and the fit (or lack there of) around the waist band. There always seems to be a gap. I have a pair in particular that I love and want to keep except for this problem. Is there a way to have them tailored? Is this a common request? Do you have any advice in this area?
Answer: Very, Very common problem
Yes you can have them tailored.. but most tailors will not be able to give you that perfect fit because the problem is in the construction of the jeans. Jean manufacturers are making jeans for women that sit right on the hips and these women don’t have as defined a waist as you do so the jeans fit on them without a gap. Tailors can make the waist band smaller and take in the hips, but that would essentially be reconstructing the entire jean. Also working with jean material isn’t easy and the tailoring may cost you more than what the jeans are worth.
So…...
- Try a pair of jeans that is a size smaller with at least 3% spandex/lycra content, which helps reduce the booty gap problem
- Look for jeans that are made for those with a bit more curves- the Gap’s curvy fit, Apple Bottoms
Jeans (excellent, excellent jeans for those with this problem and can be found at Macys)
- Try jeans with a higher rise (at your waist or about an inch below your natural waist).
- You can also make your own jeans at http://mejeans.com and http://www.makeyourownjeans.com/. LandsEnd also has a custom made jean service, but the items aren’t very fashionable.
-
Redemption: Old Navy Women’s Short Belted Trench Coat, $39.50
“THIS PRODUCT IS NO LONGER BEING SOLD”
They needed to do something to make up for the skirtall.
Cheap(er) Designer Denim: Paper, Denim & Cloth to Lower it’s Prices
The designer denim company, Paper Denim & Cloth, has lowered the retail price on their new and classic denim lines to $90-$130 (from $150 and up). I’m not sure why they lowered it (perhaps competition from places like H&M and Target?). I wonder if other higher priced lines like Rock & Republic and James jeans will follow suit?????
Fall 2006 Fashion Preview: The Skinny (Jeans)
There’s something about this fall’s new “it” jeans, the skinny jeans, that makes me feel uncomfortable. Maybe it’s the fact that the jeans are a “camel-toe” incident waiting to happen. Or the fact that I know this style is going to be as abused as its lowrise sister.
Whatever the case maybe, the skinny pant is here and there is nothing I can do about it. And because I love you and only want what’s best for you, here is the answer to some of your skinny jean questions:
Where can you find these jeans?
Old Navy. Baby Phat. Paper Denim Cloth. Everybody’s got their own version of the jeans. There’s no where to run. You can’t hide from them.
How much do they cost?
Under $30 at Old Navy, Forever 21, and H&M. $100+ for designer versions from Seven, Antik, and gang. $300+ from the crack heads at Rock and Republic.
Who should buy the jeans?
For the most part, Skinny jeans are for skinny people. Even if you have skinny legs but are a bit bigger at in the torso area, you should walk away from the rack- you don’t want to look like Humpty-Dumpty.
That being said . . .There is one way in which you can wear the jeans and that is to wear them like you would this season’s other big trend—the black legging—by layering long tunics, your summer jersey dresses, or long grandpa sweaters that end past your thighs over the jeans. Make sure to wear a belt with these tops, so they don’t look bulky and a pair of heels to a add a bit of height. Remember—the taller you are, the thinner you look.
What about plus size?
Again, the only people who can wear the skinny jeans are skinny people, which is why you won’t see me in a pair of the jeans. Remember not every trend can be or should be worn by everyone. Regardless of what they put on the racks. Think of your body as a scale- a wide top, should be balanced with a wide bottom, a thin top should be balanced with a thin bottom and vice versa.
What kind of shoes should be worn with the skinny leg jeans?
The best shoes to wear with skinny jeans are ballerina flats (which you can find at stores like Steve Madden,Target, Zappos) or heeled (thin or stillettos look best) pumps (which can find pretty much everywhere shoes are sold or check out Zappos.com
).
Fashion Advice: Where to Find Designer Jeans on Sale
Dear Budget Fashionista:
I absolutely love the “7 for all mankind” jeans—but don’t want to spend $120+ on DENIM! Any clue as to where I can find these jeans without hurting my bank account?
Answer: Try outlet stores like Off Fifth the Saks Fifth Avenue outlet, Last Call Neiman Marcus Outlet. You should also take a peek online at Bluefly.com and the sales section of ShopBop.com
. You might want to take a peek inside of your local Marshalls or TJ Maxx as well.
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