Shopping for jeans is complicated enough, but if you add in worries about what’s “in” or “out,” you can end up back in your yoga pants every day. To get help with our denim fits and trends, we enlisted Vince Theodore, premium denim expert and Personal Shopper at Bloomingdales Old Orchard. And for fun, we also invited Ann Marie Scheidler, a great friend of ours who writes the blog: Ann Marie on the Shore. You can find her on Insta @annmarieontheshore.
Fall Trends
“With Fall approaching, it’s all about the high waisted, straight leg, ‘mom’ jean,” says Vince. “But just because it’s trendy, it doesn’t mean you should wear it.” The style works well for women with some height and a straighter body type, he says. It’s not so great for curvy or short waisted women.
Here we are wearing one of Vince’s favorite mom jeans, the Paige Cindy Raw Hem Straight jeans in this season’s trendy light wash. They definitely work better on one of us than the other.
“The second most popular style this season is the crop flare, which I totally love,” says Vince. “Mother is the best, but Paige and DL1961 also make a good crop flare. Here we are with Ann Marie trying out this style:
Style Classics
Good news for women over 40: skinny jeans aren’t going anywhere. The 20 year-old TikTok crowd can sneer at our side parts and use of the laugh-cry emoji, but they can’t take away our beloved skinnies. “The skinny jean is always going to be a staple in the denim world,” says Vince. “It fits so many body types—short, tall, really curvy, super thin.” And bonus, skinny jeans work with every type of shoe as well—sneakers, flats, tall boots (they’re back!) and booties—which other styles do not. We moms all felt great in these flattering skinnies.
Boyfriend jeans are another classic style you’ll find in stores this season. “Boyfriend jeans are great for straight or pear shaped girls who don’t want a skinny jean,” says Vince.
Vince’s Fave Brands, Fit Tips and Denim Care
Vince is a fan of Mother, Paige and DL1961 brands, all of which “fit well, wear very well and are comfortable.” One of his all-time favorite styles is the DL1961 Florence. “It’s a midrise, cigarette leg skinny and it’s phenomenal how it keeps its shape,” he says.
To find the right fit, there’s no substitute for trying on jeans in the dressing room with the help of a denim expert. You can’t just rely on a particular size, because they vary so much and some brands hold their shape and others stretch out with wear. Vince’s personal shopping services require an appointment but are absolutely free, so if you’re in the Chicago area, give him a call.
Once you find your perfect jeans, it’s important to care for them correctly. Vince advises us to wash our jeans as seldom as possible, inside out and in cold water, and never, ever put them in the dryer. Oops. Apparently we’ve been doing this all wrong. Also, says Vince, dark washed jeans should be washed with a quarter cup of distilled white vinegar before wearing to avoid the color rubbing off on light colored fabrics. (But wash them a second time with detergent so they don’t smell bad!)
After trying on a bunch of different styles and sizes, here are the jeans we each chose.
Laura’s Style
Laura’s pick is the on-trend Paige Collette Crop Flare jeans. Vince shares why they are perfect for her long and lean figure in this 30-second video.
Marjie’s Style
Marjie chose the AG Prima Mid Rise Skinny Ankle jeans. Vince describes why the classic style suits her curvy, petite frame.
Ann Marie’s Style
Ann Marie chose the Mother High Waist Looker jeans which, Vince says, are ideal for her taller, curvy figure. It was so fun to have you join us, Ann Marie!
Good luck finding your own perfect pair of jeans! If you have any good tips, please share them with us.
Style Challengers 
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