Most men have at least one pair of jeans in their closet, and they have a vague idea of what to wear them with. But looking good in denim goes above and beyond pairing it with a T-shirt and sneakers. Here Carson Kressley, the fashion guru of the hit series Queer Eye gives guys five fashionable ways to incorporate denim into their lives.
Denim Jacket
So many cuts, washes, fits and quality ranges that it can be quite confusing territory. Go classic here. Novelty denim is almost always the wrong answer. The perfect denim jacket is a vintage Levi's number. Don't worry if it's a little ragged. One person's "tattered" can be another person's "character."
Layer but Don't Match
Mixing denim is good. Matching the same shade of denim is not. Don't look like a color-coordinated farmer.
Think about Length
For casual jeans, a little longer is okay ‑- if the ends fray a bit it will add to the rustic charm. For a neater look, get a size that works for the shoes you'll be wearing. Denim can be altered, but do not lose the original hem, which carries a lot of the unique stitching and character of the jeans. To shorten, have your tailor save and reattach the original hem.
Dress It Up Top
When paired with a cashmere sweater or a nice blazer, classic five-pocket denim that's medium to dark is the way to go. Dressing up denim isn't about going with fancy new fashionable styles; it's about keeping it simple and classic.
Dress It Down Low
White sneakers? Sure, thoroughly appropriate for Beta's kegger bash. Otherwise, try mixing the ultra-casual look of denim with a more sophisticated, adult accent on the feet: Classic wingtips or loafers are perfect. Especially without socks. Dean-licious!
From Queer Eye for the Straight Guy by Ted Allen, Kyan Douglas, Thom Filicia, Carson Kressley and Jai Rodriguez, © 2004 by Scout Productions, Inc., and Bravo Company. Used by permission of Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc.
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