November 2007 archive

Julie: Did I buy the wrong size of Seven Jeans?

Julie, Kind of recently I bought some Seven jeans, with a slightly high waist. In the thigh and hip area, they fit very well. But, in the waist they're a little on the big side; wearing a belt kind of helps. I also noticed that when I walk, sometimes the front (by the crotch area) makes this odd noise/ruching. Although I could have fit into a smaller size, I opted for the slightly larger size. It's way too late to take them back. Is there anything I can do to fix this? Does this noise mean that I should have gone one size smaller? - Alli

Hello Alli!

I do believe the size smaller would have done the trick; that noise is most likely extra fabric bunching together, but I don't think there is anything to fix it as of now; except create a fabulous relaxed look!  To maintain a fitted looking jean I always suggest opting for the snug fit, because the jeans tend to stretch out to how the next size up feels.  Keep in mind, the only place you cannot compromise a snug fit is in the waistband; it will not stretch out much.

Best,

Julie

Esquire Magazine's Best Dressed Real Man

Esquire Magazine recently put its readers to the test with their contest for the "Best Dressed Real Man 2007."  The contest, which took place earlier this season, challenged readers to find men in their own lives who they thought were the best dressed.  Readers were asked to submit their candidates for voting, and then the group was narrowed down to semi-finalists and eventually a winner was chosen.

By looking at the profiles of each of the five finalists it is easy to see that you don't have to be a fashion designer to have the sharpest duds on the street. Contestants' occupations covered a diverse range, with the five finalists being a New York restaurant manager, an LA Clothing Shop Owner, a Floridian business manager, a Floridian attorney, and a North Carolina dental student. 

Viewers can look at contestants' profiles, watch interview videos, and learn some tips and tricks for enhancing their own wardrobe choices in the "How to be a Best Dressed Real Man" section of Esquire's website. With topics for how to dress like a million bucks regardless of your less than a million budget, how to choose a dress shirt, and an introductory how-to on pattern choices, this site could be a useful tool for all the men in our lives!

Ever Wonder How Designer Jeans Are Made?

Ever wonder how your favorite designer jeans are made? Nylon TV, a division of Nylon Magazine, gets to the bottom of this question in this YouTube video segment.

For the August Denim Issue, Dani Stahl visited the 7 For All Mankind factory and learned what goes into making the perfect pair of denim jeans. This video also illustrates all the steps it takes to make a pair of 7 For All Mankind jeans.  Many of the steps are done by hand which is one of the things that factors into the higher cost of premium denim jeans.   

Jeans and Boots for Men???

 

 

 

Last week, Jonathan Rhys Meyers visited MTV's TRL to promote his new movie, August Rush.  Meyers and co-start Kerri Russel chatted about learning to sing and play instruments for the movie. 

Meyers also rocked a pair of skinny jeans tucked into boots.  This boot-iful look is something that I chatted about last week as a great trend of the season for women. 

How do you feel about men rocking this look?  Can't wait to hear your opinions!

Sick of Taking Your Clothes to the Cleaners?

I am always on the lookout for cool products that will help save me time or money.  This new product that I have come across helps save both.

I dread taking my clothes to the dry cleaner's.  It is such a long process of gathering everything together, dropping them off, and then somehow remembering to pick them up three days later.  It can also become quite expensive. 

A friend of mine knew just how much I dreaded this chore that she introduced my to Dry Cleaner’s Secret.  To use, simply throw one sheet in the dryer with up to four items of clothing and tumble on medium heat for twenty minutes. 

I tried this out on a couple of my shirts and they came out smelling fresh and looking crisp. 

These sheets are a great way to save time and money while cleaning all those dry-clean only items you have (except for fur, suede, and leather).  Not sure if you want to dish out the cash to try this out?  Check out the manufacturer’s site for a free sample and see for yourself how this product works. 

Julie: Is it OK to Cuff my Jeans if They're Too Long?

Hi Dee!

I wouldn't be shy about cuffing your jeans until you get them hemmed.  Try to make it look like the cuffing is done on purpose. Suppose you want to show off your fabulous shoes!  Just be careful of cuffing too much that it looks bulky.  Keep in mind if you love AG jeans, Goldsign jeans are amazing fit and feel; designed by Adriano Goldschmeid, that formally created AG jeans. 

Have fun!

Julie

 

Pine IV is Creating a Buzz

 

Pine IV has created quite a buzz around the green community lately.  It is hard to escape the eco-awareness craze and this is one trend that I hope is long lasting. 

The Green Girl Guide, a blog dedicated to eco-friendly beauty, fashion and lifestyle trends, recently featured Pine IV in one of its posts.  This post is great because it mentions how Pine IV is planning on launching a line made from organic cotton and bamboo in 2008.  In the mean time, Pine IV continues to do its part to help the environment by planting a tree for every pair of jeans they sell. 

Katherine McPhee wearing 7 For All Mankind

Katherine McPhee’s style has certainly come a long way since her first auditions for ‘America Idol.’ The 'American Idol' Season Four Runner Up has become a fashionistas and a stand out at red carpet events.  Katherine, who recently opened up about her struggles with eating disorders, landed herself on the cover of Self Magazine’s April 2007 issue. 

Go behind the scenes in Cabo San Lucas at the cover shoot for the April issue of SELF and see Katherine wearing a pair of 7 For All Mankind Shorts.

Kim Kardashian's New Denim Line

It seems like every week there is yet another celebrity introducing a clothing line. Celebs like Justin Timberlake, Paris Hilton, Victoria Beckham and Sara Jessica Parker are all cashing in on their lucrative clothing lines and celebrities everywhere are looking to follow in their footsteps. 

The latest celebrity turned designer making news is celebutante Kim Kardashian.   The socialite and star of new E! reality show Keeping Up With the Kardashians became famous for being friends with Paris Hilton (among other things).

Kim stated, "It's definitely going to happen but we're just meeting with manufacturers at the minute so it's still in the early stages...We want to start with jeans. Like a denim line. And then we want to do some really cute dresses and stuff that we would wear."

Kim already owns and runs the L.A. boutique Dash with sisters Kourtney and Khloe.  Dash specializes in designer labels and Kim states that "pretty much my whole wardrobe is from there.My life and my world is fashion."

 

Jennifer Garner Loves Her 7 For All Mankind Jeans

Jennifer Garner loves her 7 For All Mankind jeans so much!  This lovely lady practically lives in these jeans, wearing them to run errands, attend meetings, sign autographs and even while playing with daughter, Violet.   Jennifer seems to favor the "A" Pocket style but has also been spotted wearing the signature bootcut. 

Patricia Fields for Payless

Patricia Field, the style mastermind behind the costumes of Sex and the City and The Devil Wears Prada, has teamed up with mega shoe retailer Payless to launch a collection of her stylish shoes.

Field recently wore a pair of 'one of a kind' shoes to the Oscars which will be remade as part of the range. 

The collection is expected to hit Payless stores some time this holiday season and will retail for $45.00 and under. I am hoping Patricia's collection will be perfect to pair with some of my favorite jeans for all my holiday parties this year!

Target Goes Model-less

With all the talk about model’s being too skinny lately, Target has ditch models for its latest showing of fashion and have enlisted the help of animated holograms to debut its newest fall fashions.  The 3-D projections were created by Musion Systems Limited, who also helped created the holograms used during the Gorillaz’s live performance for the MTV Europe Awards.  This show was the first virtual model-less fashion show of its kind.  

Target's show took place last week on November 6th and 7th at Vanderbilt Hall in New York’s Grand Central Station.  Streaming projections were broadcast several times each hour throughout the two day event.  The show featured men's, women's, bridal and maternity collections from Bowie by Keanan Duffty for Target®, Erin Fetherston™ for Target, Isaac Mizrahi for Target®, Liz Lange for Target® and Mossimo for Target™ as well as jewelry, handbags and shoes from Dominique Cohen for Target® and HOLLYWOULD for Target®.

What do you think of Target’s innovative fashion show?  Is it a strike of genius or should they have stuck with traditional real life models to show their new live of fashion?

 

Boot-iful

There is no denying that skinny jeans are continuing to rule the denim scene this fall. One of the biggest trends this fall and winters is jeans and boots. Skinny jeans paired with boots are the perfect stylish duo to step out in as the leaves fall and temperatures drop.

Join us in Welcoming Paige Premium Denim

How to De-Clutter Your Closet

It may be a little early to start thinking about Spring cleaning but now is as good a time as any to begin cleaning out your closets and organizing your wardrobe. 

Most people are probably familiar with the golden rule of closet cleaning:  If you haven’t worn it in six months, get rid of it.  For many of us, however, this rule is easier said than done; that is until now! 

I just came across this great tip from Lifehacker.com that will help easy the painful task of de-cluttering your closet.  Lifehacker.com suggests turning all the hangers of your clothing away from you and marking a calendar reminder to go off about six months later.

Then, “When your six months have passed, and your calendar reminds you that it's time, open your closet and remove every piece of clothing on a backward hanger; the chances are good you can give it away without the slightest pain, because you just clearly demonstrated that you don't wear it.”

Happy Cleaning!

"Love, Life, and Sneakers"

Have the past few posts sparked your interested in the sneaker culture?  If so, I suggest reading “Life, Love and Sneakers” from The Boston Phoenix.  The article was written over a year ago but is filled with timeless stories about the sneaker culture.

According to The Phoenix, the sneakerhead culture “isn’t just confined to online forums and brick-and-mortar high-end stores; it’s also creeping into the mainstream.”  The infiltration of the sneaker culture can be seen by watching the ESPN2 series It’s the Shoes, “a late-night sneaker-centric summer-series featuring interviews with the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Spike Lee, and Missy Elliott.” 

The hip hop culture has and continues to greatly influence the appeal of the sneaker culture.  Legendary MC and DJ, Biz Markie, shares his passion for sneakers in this clip from ESPN2's series It’s the Shoes.  Check out his old school 1970’s Puma’s and Super Pro Ked’s.  

Join us in Welcoming 7 For All Mankind to Our True Fits

True Jeans is pleased to announce the addition of 7 For All Mankind to our rapidly growing list of premium denim brands. 7 For All Mankind, also known as Seven Jeans or "Sevens", is one of the most popular and successful designer jeans brands and practically defines the premium denim category. Seven Jeans was instantly popularized by Hollywood’s elite when they launched in Fall 2000. Their flattering fits and unique washes continue to be a wardrobe staple of Liv Tyler, Jennifer Garner and Cameron Diaz.

How To Wash Your Designer Jeans

A recent article posted on EzineArticles.com entitled “How to Wash Your Seven Jeans” got me thinking about the best practices in caring for your designer jeans.  The article outlines the proper precautions to take when washing a pair of Seven Jeans. Given the garment’s level of quality and durable but delicate fabric, it is important to take care when washing to ensure a longer life of the jean and to maintain the great quality that the denim had at the time of purchase.

According to this particular article, “The ideal way to wash your seven jeans is to wash it upside down (inside out). Doing this will help you in two ways. First it will keep the color and the variations made in the shade of the jeans intact. Secondly the friction that develops while you wash several denim clothes together in a washing machine; gets reduced to a great extent.”  

This is sound advice but True Jeans also has a few additional tips to help you extend the life of your jeans, keep them from fading, and keep them from shrinking:

• Pay attention to any special wash and care instructions that may be listed on the tags.

• Turn jeans inside out prior to washing to reduce fading.

• Keep water temperature below 110 degrees.

• Use a mild detergent.

• Never put more than four pairs of jeans in the washing machine at once.

• Avoid the dryer.  Let jeans air dry.   

You can also check out this video from Nudie Jeans to see how they recommend caring for your denim.

So just how huge has the sneaker culture become?

So just how huge has the sneaker culture become?  American’s obsession with sneaker has grown so big that ABC’s Nightly News team covered the story. The segment is great because it touches on the fact that sneakers are a form of nostalgia that many people are willing to pay a pretty penny for.   

Click here to check out this segment.  The segment features clips from HBO’s hit series “Entourage” and Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing. 

Sneakers: The Complete Collectors' Guide

I know I am not the only one who has already begun their Christmas shopping!  If you are looking for a great gift to give to that super fashionable guy or gal in your life, I have a great idea for you. 

Check out Sneakers: The Complete Collectors' Guide.   This book is the ultimate guide to the very best and most collectible sneakers out there. This book is neatly organized like an encyclopedia and has some great photos.

Books not your type of gift?  A True Jeans gift card is a gift that always fits! 

Change your Jeans not your Genes-- find a pair that fits the TRUE you.

It is with great pleasure that I am able to introduce our True Life readers to our first official guest blogger.  Addie Smith works for Boston College as a Research Coordinator in the Women's Resource Center. Boston College is currently in the midst of their "Love Your Body" week long campaign to raise students' awareness about body image issues. Please read on the find out more about this campaign and how you too can get involved to promote healthier body image.

 

Change your Jeans not your Genes--
find a pair that fits the TRUE you.

 

 

 

Standing in front of the mirror squeezing, stuffing, and shimmying into jeans left over from my senior year in high school I realized—I’m not a size 2 anymore—not even close. I looked in the mirror, sighed, and like any other woman scrutinized-- hated.

For me, this scrutiny is particularly shameful. I run a research study looking at the biological (and genetic) correlates of anorexia nervosa - a serious psychiatric disorder where the fear of fat and weight gain is so over powering that individuals fast, exercise, and purge to points of severe malnutrition and life threatening medical complications.  So, shouldn’t I, the scientist, understand how ridiculous it is to try and make my body do and be things it simply can’t? And shouldn’t I, who sees women each day who have lost themselves in the pursuit of thin, lead by example and love all of me? Well, it would help if I could find a pair of jeans that fit.

Inspired by the National Eating Disorders Association and in conjunction with the Boston College Love Your Body week the Eating Disorders Research Team in the Boston College School of Nursing has partnered with TrueJeans to encourage college age women (and men!) to change their JEANS not their GENES.

The lifetime prevalence of full blown anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in women are .9% /1.5% respectively and .3%/.5% respectively in men (Hudson et al. 2007). These numbers still surprise me and they barely touch on the amount of healthy individuals who struggle with poor body image and disordered eating patterns—especially in college!

Although exercise and healthy eating are important, we now know that the size and shape of your body is greatly determined by genetic factors—which are hard to change, but with a site like TrueJeans finding a pair of jeans that fits everyBODY isn’t so hard.

Just For Kicks

Are you interested in learning more about how the vintage sneaker collection got its start?  If so, I recommend watching Just For Kicks.

Just For Kicks is the first film of its kind to present the underlying drivers and players that fueled the global sneakers revolution and its $26 Billion global market. Just For Kicks offers an insider’s history of hip hop’s most treasured fashion item; revealing behind the scene stories with exclusive testimonies.  You are sure to gain appreciation for the influence sneakers have had the hip hop culture. 

Check out the short clip of the film below and go to www.justforkicksmovie.com to learn more. 

Sneakerpimps

For years now, Sneakerpimps has been on a revolutionary traveling sneaker tour that represents the sneaker culture through out the entire world.

Sneakerpimps is a lifestyle showcase with more than 1,500 shoes on display as well as sneakers crafted by artists and inspired by photography. Most sneaker events only have Air Jordan or Nike displayed and a couple more brands that have blown up the last couple years. However, Sneakerpimps has a wide variety of limited edition kicks that are hard to find anywhere else.

This show is a lot different from others traveling exhibits. The show takes an innovative look at not just the colors but also the artistic vision that goes into creating every pair. Most of the shoes that travel with Sneakerpimps were custom painted or custom created. The Aragon hallways were filled with sneakers.

If you are a sneakerhead, I definitely suggesting check out this show when it comes to a city near you!

Continue reading "Sneakerpimps" »

Fight Club - The Place for Sneakerhead

My quest to find the perfect sneakers is taking me to New York City this weekend.  After learning more and more about the sneaker culture, I decided that I cannot just settle for any old shoe.  Instead, I will be venturing to Fight Club, located in Manhattan. 

Fight Club is the ultimate sneakerhead destination.  A friend of mind insisted that I check out this store because it is unlike any other.  According to The New York Times, "the people who frequent Flight Club are sneaker freaks, mostly men who are addicted to buying limited-edition vintage athletic footwear. They speak in highly technical language, tossing around terms like 'tongue graphic' and "toe boxes" with the gravity of men discussing tractor engines or team sports."

If you are in the New York City area, check out Fight Club  at , 120 Nassau St (between Beekman and Ann).

The store also has a second location in Los Angeles at 503 N Fairfax Ave (between Beverly and Melrose.)

Jeans and Sneakers - The Ultimate Duo

America is truly becoming a denim culture.  Jeans are no longer reserved for casual weekend wear; instead they have become a staple in our daily wardrobe.  What better to pair with your jeans than a great pair of sneakers.  Not only are they totally comfortable, but a great pair of sneakers can also be the ultimate fashion statement.

I went on the hunt for the perfect pair of sneakers recently and during my search I learned a tremendous amount about the growing sneaker culture that is making sneakers one of the hottest commodities on the market.

My knowledge of this growing sneaker culture was pretty limited.  Besides the fact that I love the way a great pair of sneakers looked when paired with awesome fitting jeans, I did not know much about how the sneaker culture got its start and slowly invaded main stream America.

In order to begin learning about this social culture and find my perfect pair of kicks, I checked out Hypebeast.com, an online magazine for all things relating to the sneaker culture.  This site is a great resource for anyone interested in learning about the latest sneakers to hit the market and is also great for those looking to learn about the many vintage styles that are out there. 

Hypebeast.com also has a forum with topics relating to specific sneaker brands, custom sneakers, where to buy sneakers, and street fashion.  The conversations that are contained in these threads certainly show the passion for sneakers that is growing.    

From there, I checked out a site called Sneakerhead.com.  Sneakerhead is a term describing the newest generation of sneaker collectors, those in search of  the coolest, rarest sneaker on the market, whether it be Adidas, Nike or Reebok.  If you are at all interested in learning about anything from the history of sneakers to where to get the best selection of sneakers, Sneakerhead.com's Sneaker Academy is the place for you.

Check back all week for more about what I learned about the sneaker culture!!!