I don't think I know one person who doesn't own a pair of jeans. I'm not sure what I'd wear if I didn't have any. ...I guess I would just resort to sweatpants every day.
Cowboys wore them because of their durability, but I think most of us wear them right now because they're just so easy.
There are so many styles, washes and cuts out there that everyone's bound to find the perfect pair. Jeans can also be worn with all kinds of things to achieve a completely different look every time you wear them.
A T-shirt and a pair of pumas achieve a sporty daytime look, while bright loafers and a blazer are perfect for work. Try a pair of jeans with a glittery tank and stilettos, and viola -- you're ready for a night out!
The most popular cuts right now are long and lean (Gap has an actual style called "Long and Lean") with either a straight, boot-cut or flared leg.
Straight-leg jeans are great for day. They're not fussy, but super simple.
Although jeans are easy to wear, one thing you want to do is make sure you're wearing the right shoes with the cut of the leg. For example, you're not going to wear super pointy shoes with a straight leg, and you're not going to wear flats with a really flared leg; the proportions just wouldn't look right. Hence, a straight leg looks best with a sportier shoe, like sneakers or flip-flops or something.
A boot-cut leg is the most versatile of all cuts, and according to a friend of mine who works at Saks, it's the most popular cut out there. Boot-cut jeans look great with flats or high heels, pointy or round toed shoes and (surprise!) boots.
Do you remember when flared jeans were the coolest thing ever in sixth and seventh grade? I remember getting a pair of flared jeans from the Limited and thinking I was the coolest kid in town. That day was the best day ever.
Anyway, so there's something I need to discuss. What's the deal with tapered jeans? I don't want to sound excessively mean, but I'm really not sure why people wear these, as they weren't flattering in the '80s and definitely aren't right now. I've seen them around, and I don't even know where you can buy tapered jeans.
I was puzzled, so I confronted my fashion-savvy roommates about the situation. Why do people wear tapered jeans? Are they cognizant of the fact that they wear them?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you have to wear Sevens or Citizens or anything like that; all I'm saying is that I'm not sure why anyone would wear jeans that are super-slim in the leg.
I mean, it looks weird.
Don't you think?
Which brings me to wonder: If a friend of yours was wearing something as hideous/random/weird as tapered jeans, would you tell him or her?
If a friend told you that what you were wearing was hideous/random/ weird, would you become furious/defensive/despondent?
Honesty is important, even when it comes to clothes. I think most of us would want to know if we were wearing an outfit that was really unflattering or that just didn't look right.
But the thing is, I think a lot of people are hesitant to say anything about the style choices of others because they are just that: choices.
The choices that we make are bound up with who we are. True, flared vs. boot-cut jeans do not determine your identity, but I think that style does. Perhaps this is why some are so hesitant to criticize an outfit; they don't want to say anything lest they harm someone's self-esteem. Have you ever buried something in the back of your closet because a friend/girlfriend/family member said something along the lines of, "are you ACTUALLY going to wear that out?"
Maybe you haven't, but I think some people (including myself) have.
People's hesitation to say anything about other's fashion choices is perhaps why tapered-jeans-boy wears those pants proudly, not knowing how slim that leg really is cut.
Seriously, I think someone should say something.
Demetra's column runs bi-weekly on Wednesdays. She can be reached at fashion@cavalierdaily.com.
Read More
On embodying ‘Hey There Delilah’
By Mai Hukuoka | 2 days agoA long-distance relationship – in which the hurdle of communication and staying connected doubles in size – was the bane of my existence, something that I wanted to shy away from for as long as possible
Sbrocco’s serves breakfast classics with rich flavors
By Ingrid Gay | August 18, 2025Sbrocco's lures in customers with their Pinterest-worthy decor and high-quality baked goods, ranging from their brioche-based donuts to New Jersey crumb buns to refreshing cold brew
The value of shoveling chicken poop
By Rosie Strickland | August 14, 2025Unlike most of my resume-oriented peers navigating corporate internships, I’m spending my summer sweating through outdoor manual labor as a farmhand, making lattés and selling shampoo bars at a local shop in my hometown
