Update your Jeans – Ballymena Today

Here at Ballymena Today we wear jeans all the time – ALL THE TIME. Blogging is thankfully a task which can be carried out in comfy clothing and my jeans of choice for the the past few years have been set in stone – black, long, skinny jeans. I get mine from Next because I like the fit and can buy from their Tall range (which is stocked in store in Ballymena) and the leg length is perfect. If i’m feeling adventurous I might roll the leg up slightly to show off an ankle – but only for special occasions. [Illustration by www.supersimbo.com]

There are two reasons why I have forced myself to write this article –

1/ I am stuck in a jeans style rut and Autumn seems like the best time to break out.

2/ Skinny Jeans are no longer the only style on sale and Ballymena is full of the alternatives.

Update your Jeans – Ballymena Today

So after shopping, researching and some DIY I have put together the best new jeans to replace your trusty skinnies! I want to keep them dressy and not too casual so I am avoiding ripped jeans, avoiding anything overly distressed and picking the colour of denim quite cautiously. Here are two online articles which helped me and could give you some inspiration too:

• 5 new denim styles you need to know (and what shoes to wear with) by The Frugality

• How to Ace All of the Latest Jean Trends in Your 30s by Who What Wear

I will start with the good news . .  .

Mom Jeans

Mom Jeans are basically straight leg jeans which have no stretch. Eeek, after years in stretchy skinnies I wasn’t sure about this on but I have to admit that once you get the right size they are very comfortable. I found a lovely pair from Primark which were a dark grey denim and shorter than I would normally wear. Buying from Primark means that I can try the new style without breaking the bank, they were only £13. They have a high waist which I like and they are perfect for Autumn/Winter because they are just the right length to ear with ankle boots and show a little bit of ankle. The colour makes them slightly more dressy that their stonewash counterpart.

My new dark grey Mom jeans have replaced my skinny jeans for days shopping in town and blogging under a blanket.

Step Hem

H&M always have a very quick turnover – getting the trends in straight from the catwalks. This is why they were the perfect place to pick up the high trend Step Hem jeans. They are straight are tick all the boxes for a fresh look.

They have seems down the front and the hem is uneven making it a bit more interesting than the usual. I picked a blue pair up for £29.99, which is the same as the price of my Next Skinny jeans. As I am quite tall they looked cropped, which is very of the moment and with a pair of loafer shoes, blue striped shirt and navy coat these look modern and edgy.

I love these jeans but wouldn’t like to spend too much money on a step hem pair as I’m pretty sure I will only get to wear them this year. It feel a little but faddy but I’m looking forward to getting as much wear out of them now as possible. H&M have the same pair in black denim.

DIY Frayed Hem

I like the look of a frayed hem but had trouble tracking down an affordable pair to try. Being thrifty I picked up a blue pair of straight leg jeans, again for £13 from Primark. With a pair of scissors and 15 minutes of concentration I was able to unpick the hems to give a deconstructed frayed leg. A quick press with the iron and I was ready to go. Not only did the DIY give me the same look as the designer jeans (SEE by Chloe has a pair that are £120) unpicking the hem gave the jeans an extra inch which made the leg length perfect for me.

I am currently in love with my frayed hem jeans and they give a fashionable edge to any outfit. So far I have paired them with a sweatshirt and adidas superstar trainers but they would look equally as well with a dressy blouse and heels. They are great for that dressy up but a little undone look which I love.

Skinny Jeans tucked into High Boots

Yes, I am trying to get out of a style rut but I am not going to throw my Skinny jeans out just yet. I can confirm that Skinny jeans are still perfect for tucking into knee high boots. GO for a leather pair with a heel and it will elevate your skinny jeans from boring to polished and perfect.

……….and here are the styles that didn’t work for me but they might work for you.

Ankle Ticking Jeans 

River Island currently have the cutest jeans which I have christened “Ankle Ticklers”. For £42 you can own these pretty jeans which I love in concept but not on my body. Unfortunately my height made these look as if I have grown out of them but for petite frames these would be fun and I recommend you head to River Island and try them on.

Embroidered Jeans

The final jeans trend which I tried and rejected are Embroidered Jeans. I am not a big fan of having too much going on and I like a good fuss free pair of jeans so I knew straight away that these weren’t for me. However if you like the embroidery look which is very fashionable right now then there is everything from formal floral embroidered straight leg jeans to cutesy skinnies with bright comic badges and patches sewn on. Again if you want to try some of these in then head to New Look or Topshop.

Whatever your jean dilemma is hopefully this article has given you some inspiration to get out and try on some new shapes and styles. Ballymena is a great shopping town and is a great place to come for a good old shop. Use the town centre carparks where you get 5 hours of parking time for £1 and enjoy a host of high street stores and beautiful unique Ballymena boutiques too. We hope that you find the new jeans for you.