by MakeYourOwnJeans | jeans
There are times when a belt alone isn’t enough to keep your jeans in place. If you happen to move in a certain way, your jeans may go sliding down, which is never a good thing (for obvious reasons). So, why is it that some jeans fall down and others do not? The Wrong Cut One reasons why jeans fall down is because they are the wrong cut. Low-rise jeans, for instance, are particularly susceptible to this type of wardrobe malfunction. Because they sit lower on the waist than other cuts, there’s a greater risk of them falling down. And don’t assume that wearing a belt will solve this problem. It may offer some support, but it’s often not enough to keep the jeans from falling back down. High-raise or even traditional cut denim jeans typically don’t have this problem, making them a better all-around choice for women who suffer from this problem. Body Shape Of course, some women experience this problem more so than others. If you have an apple-shaped body, for instance, your jeans may naturally have to sit low, in which case there’s a greater risk of them falling down. Unfortunately, there’s not much that you can do about the shape of your body. Exercise may help to some degree, although body shape is mostly hereditary. Stretched Waistband Another possible reasons why jeans fall down is because the waistband has been stretched beyond its normal limit. Even if you have a traditional, non-stretch denim jeans, the waistband may still “stretch,” at which point it may no longer fit as snugly as it once did. When this...
by MakeYourOwnJeans | Fashion, jeans
Can’t seem to choose between high-waisted or low-rise jeans? Both styles can provide a stylish, elegant look that compliments your body. However, there are some major differences between high-waisted and low-rise jeans that shouldn’t be overlooked. So before you make a decision, check out the differences listed below. Rise: Defined When speaking in the context of jeans and pants, the “rise” is the length from the top of the jeans to the bottom of the crotch. High-waisted, also known as a high-rise, jeans sit higher on the midsection than its low-rise counterpart. Some women prefer the look of high-waisted jeans, as it helps to define their midsection while creating a unique appearance that’s not found in other styles. High-waisted jeans were once the “go-to” choice among women during the late 1980s and early 1990s, but they gradually fell out of style — up until now, at least. It’s safe to say that high-waisted jeans are now making a comeback, with celebrities and working women alike wearing them. Slimming Effect of Low-Rise Jeans Of course, low-rise jeans have also become popular due to their slimming effect. Granted, wearing a pair of low-rise jeans isn’t going to shed those unwanted pounds from your stomach, but it will create the perception that you are taller and slimmer. This is particularly beneficial for shorter women, as wearing high-waisted jeans will balance their appearance by making them look taller. Comfort Now for the million-dollar question: which style of jeans are more comfortable to wear? High-waisted or low-rise? Some people assume that low-rise jeans are the most comfortable to wear, simply because they don’t constrict...
by MakeYourOwnJeans | denims, Fashion
Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t wash denim jeans after each use. Some people are stuck in the mindset of washing their jeans everyday, assuming it keeps them clean and protected from damage. In reality, though, washing your jeans after each use will only further degrade the fabric, increasing the risk of damage. So instead of cleaning your jeans in the washing machine, it’s recommended that you spot clean them. What is Spot Cleaning? The term “spot cleaning” refers to cleaning fabric (which in this case is jeans) by selectively cleaning only the dirty areas. If there’s a noticeable stain on the knees of your jeans, for instance, you could spot clean them with washcloth. The most obvious benefit in spot cleaning as opposed to machine washing is that it cleans dirty areas without exposing garments to the wear and tear of a washing machine. Furthermore, you can spot clean dirty areas on the fly with just a few basic items. This makes it an attractive choice for people who are always on the go and don’t have time to machine wash their clothes. Spot Cleaning Denim: What You’ll Need To spot clean denim jeans, you’ll need a few basic items. This includes a clean washcloth, color-protected laundry detergent, and some water. There are dozens of stain removing products on the market, but good ol’ fashioned laundry detergent seems to work just as well — and it won’t cause color bleeding or other damage, assuming it’s used correctly. How to Spot Clean Denim When you are ready to spot clean your jeans, place them on a flat, smooth surface,...
by MakeYourOwnJeans | Fashion, Jackets
The winter season is characterized by dry air and cool temperatures, adding a new level of difficulty to otherwise simple task of getting dressed. You’ll need to wear clothes that are comfortable yet stylish at the same time, offering warmth to beat the winter climate. Among the easiest ways to achieve a comfortable and stylish look for the winter is to dress in layers, which is something that we’re going to discuss more of in today’s blog post. Dressing in Layers: Defined What does it mean to “dress in layers?” Well, it’s exactly what it sounds like: wearing multiple garments at once, creating layers of fabric over your body. The truth is that most men and women already dress in layers without even realizing it. If you wear a jacket over a t-shirt, guess what? You are dressing in layers. Or if you wear a button-up dress shirt over a white tee, you are also dressing in layers. Anytime a garment is worn over another garment, it’s considered to be a layered look. Consider the Thickness of Your Layers When choosing a layered outfit for the winter (or any other time of the year), it’s important that you consider the thickness of each garment. Stacking multiple thick garments on top of one another, for instance, may prove to be cumbersome. Sure, thicker layers will provide a greater level of warmth, but you need to consider the overall style, appearance and function of your outfit. A better approach is to choose a single thick garment, and then layer it with thinner, lighter garments. Wear Form-Fitting Base Layers A good rule...
by MakeYourOwnJeans | Uncategorized
The clothes you wear can and WILL have a direct impact on your confidence. If you toss on sweatpants and a t-shirt everyday, you will feel less confident than if you wore a well-made outfit consisting of high-quality denim jeans, a button-up shirt, and the right footwear. It’s just that simple. It’s unknown how or why exactly fashion affects confidence, but the general consensus among experts is that it does. One plausible theory is that we make first impressions based on appearance; therefore, it only makes sense that your choice of clothes will directly affect your level of confidence. If you’re attending a corporate event or expo in which dozens or even hundreds of other workers are in attendance, you obviously want to present yourself in the most professional manner possible. Doing so will give you greater confidence, at which point you’ll feel more comfortable networking and conversing with other workers in attendance. Another possible reason why fashion affects confidence is because the right clothes allow individuals to blend in and look “normal.” There’s nothing wrong with differentiating yourself from the pack by wearing a unique outfit, but you usually want to keep your style similar to the respective event and/or atmosphere. In other words, don’t wear a pair of shorts and sandals to your best friend’s wedding. Most wedding guests wear a semi-formal attire for this type of event, so it’s a good idea to follow a similar structure with your outfit. A pair of khaki-colored chinos with a button-up shirt and tie is an excellent choice that’s sure to boost your confidence. You might be surprised to...
by MakeYourOwnJeans | jeans
Looking to dye a pair of your jeans? While denim is incredibly strong, durable and resilient, it’s also susceptible to fading. This isn’t something that happens overnight, but months or years or use will eventually cause your jeans to fade. The good news is that you can often restore their color by dying them. So before donating your faded jeans to a local charity, follow the steps below to dye them. What You’ll Need The only thing you’ll need to dye your jeans is, well, dye. Rit dye is an excellent product that works well for this purpose. It’s cheap, effective, and sold at most Wal-Mart stores (as well as other retail stores). If you want to achieve a dark color, however, it’s recommended that you use two boxes of dye instead of just one. And for an indigo color, you should use three boxes: two blue and one black. Getting Started There are several different ways to dye jeans, but the easiest is to use your washing machine. Fill your washing machine with warm water and add the dye. Now stir it around to ensure the dye is distributed evenly throughout the water. Place your jeans inside until they are completely submerged and wait. Optional: you may also want to add 1/4 cup of salt to the water. The purpose of the salt is to help protect the new color from fading. While it’s not necessary for dying jeans, many people have found that salt does in fact protect against future fading. Besides, it’s not going to hurt anything, so go ahead and add a bit of salt...
by MakeYourOwnJeans | denims, Fashion, jeans
We’ve all been there before: you accidentally wash your favorite pair of pants on the hottest setting possible, causing them to shrink down a size. Instead of having the “perfect” fit, they are now tight, constricting and downright uncomfortable to wear. The good news is that denim is naturally resistant to shrinking. Denim is incredibly strong and resilient to shape changes, which is one of the reasons why jeans have become the world’s most popular style of pants among both men and women. The bad news, however, is that certain types of denim, such as those made with a combination of denim and other fabrics, may still shrink to some degree when exposed to excessively hot temperatures. In the event that you accidentally shrink your jeans, you can usually unshrink them by following a few basic steps. First and foremost, fill your bathtub with lukewarm (not hot) water and place a small amount of baby shampoo inside. Next, press your jeans down into the soapy water, keeping them submerged for at least 20-25 minutes. After this time has passed, remove the jeans and squeeze the excess water out. Take your damp jeans and place them flat on a clean, dry towel. Now roll up the towel (and the jeans) into a cylinder shape. The purpose of this is to remove additional moisture without drying them completely. Go ahead and unroll the towel/jeans and re-roll. Do this three or four times and the majority of the moisture should be eliminated. After unrolling the towel and jeans for the last time, keep the jeans laid out flat on the towel and...
by MakeYourOwnJeans | denims, Fashion
Many women prefer to tuck the bottom of their jeans inside their boots. It’s a fun alternative to the traditional style in which jeans are worn over boots. If you are wearing a bold pair of boots and want to show them off to the world, for instance, you may want to tuck your jeans inside them. Doing so will emphasize your boots, making them more visible. But how exactly are you supposed to squeeze the bottom of your jeans into an already tight-fitting pair of boots? Choose the Right Jeans Of course, the secret to tucking jeans inside boots relies heavily on the “cut” of the jeans. If the bottom portion of your jeans are too wide and/or baggy, you’ll naturally have a hard time trying to tuck them inside your boots. On the other hand, a pair of jeans with a slim and narrow leg that doesn’t taper open at the bottom will be far easier to tuck inside boots. For this reason, it’s recommended that you choose either straight-leg or skinny jeans, both of which are better suited for this type of style. Jeans First, Then Boots Assuming you are wearing skinny or straight-leg jeans, you should have little-to-no problem tucking the bottom inside boots. Just remember to put your jeans on first, and then your boots. If necessary, you can always undo some of your boots’ laces so they’ll fit more easily. Once your boots are over your jeans, you can re-lace them back up — and now you are good to go! Socks Matter What type of socks do you plan on wearing? Conventional...
by MakeYourOwnJeans | denims, jeans
Soaking Your Jeans in Seawater is Good for Them I’m not sure how this myth got started, but it needs to go! Sure, there are some benefits associated with washing jeans in saltwater, such as the ability to make them softer, but this doesn’t mean that it’s okay to soak your jeans in seawater. Seawater contains a countless number of microorganisms that can not only change the color of your jeans, but it can also make them unsanitary — not to mention the fact that seawater smells. For these reasons, it’s recommended that you do not soak your jeans in seawater. Your Can Clean Jeans by Freezing Them We talked about this in a previous post here on the MakeYourOwnJeans blog. In case you missed it: sticking your jeans in the freezer is not going to clean them, nor will it kill the germs. On the contrary, freezing simply renders the germs inactive for a short period of time. Once the jeans are thawed, the germs return back to life. This is yet another denim myth that we’ve debunked! All Denim is Rough One of the distinguishable characteristics of denim is its rough texture. This texture is actually beneficial because it helps protect the fabric from damage. With that said, however, it’s important to note that not all denim jeans are rough. Stretch jeans, for instance, are made with a combination of traditional denim and an elastic material like polyester or Spandex. The combination of these fabrics allows for a greater level of elasticity as well as a “softer” texture. Raw Denim is Better Raw denim, as the name...
