Posts about Fashion
Do you feel stale? Is your wardrobe a little tired? Are the fashionable styles increasingly different from your own wardrobe? Is the last time you went shopping 10 years ago? Do you find yourself uttering the phrase “cold dead hands” in the same sentence as “skinny jeans”?
You might be a Millennial with an outdated wardrobe.
It’s not a sin - if you still feel fun, fresh, and comfortable in your wardrobe, that’s cool, and feel free to click away. No one’s taking away your skinny jeans.
If, however, you’re wondering how to update your wardrobe, make it feel a little fresher, and look more current, then you’re in the right place.
The important thing to know is that a wardrobe update doesn’t mean that you need to throw away all your clothes and start over - unless that’s what you desire. You can update some key pieces and restyle some old ones in order to refresh your wardrobe and keep up with the times.
The other thing to keep in mind is that wanting to be more current, and updating your wardrobe doesn’t mean you need to dress like a teenager. Nor does wanting a current wardrobe mean you’re desperately trying to look 20. It’s about being interested in style and wanting to remain current, stylish, and even - god forbid - trendy. Being interested in fashion and wanting to look modern isn’t just for the kids.
We all know why you’re here, skinny jeans and your cold dead hands. Skinny jeans have become somewhat of a security blanket for a lot of people. It was the dominant silhouette for so long, and a lot of our wardrobes have been created around that. However, just like your college boyfriend, just because it’s comfortable and you met them when you were 20, it doesn’t mean you’re married to them until you die.
Of course, no one is forcing anyone to give up their skinny jeans. Contrary to popular belief, the trend police will not break into your house to take them away, and your cold dead hands are safe, they needn’t be deployed. If you’re not going to replace them, then you can use a different styling approach. Styling them the same way you have been for 15 years will inevitably feel stale and old-fashioned. But that can be remedied by making some changes and tweaking other elements in your wardrobe.
If you’re wearing skinny jeans,
These are examples that together create looks that can feel a little stale, old-fashioned, and less than fresh. Just like skinny jeans, it doesn’t mean that you have to throw away these things, but maybe don’t style them together, in the exact same way you did in 2010.
Example: low rise look
Well, what’s wrong with low/mid-rise? And wait, isn’t low rise coming back in style? Yes, it is. Just not in skinny jeans. When the pants style changes (every 15 to 20 years), that usually brings a change in silhouette. In this case, we have moved from skinny bottom, oversized top, to skinny top, oversized bottom.
In that case, wearing a slim, cropped shirt and low-rise, wide-leg pants is an outfit with a nice balance, that is meant to emphasize the midriff. Wearing the same cropped outfit with low-rise skinny jeans throws off the visual balance and just ends up looking like you’ve outgrown your clothes because both elements are tight.
Seeing as tucking a shirt in or wearing a more cropped, boxy top is currently in style, that also poses a problem with mid or low rises, because they are very awkward to tuck into.
Once again, it disrupts the proportions and the visual balance. Tucking into low or mid rise skinny pants forces a 50/50 proportion that is both unnatural and not out of left field enough to be avant-garde. It’s just awkward.
Example: tunic top look
Again, an issue of silhouette. Wearing skinny jeans with a tunic is probably your comfort zone, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s not going to read as modern or stylish. If that’s your goal, then I’d avoid pairing skinnies with any kind of long top.
“Skinny jeans and a nice top” can still be your go-to, but consider updating the style of the top. A top with more structure and more waist emphasis will read more modern than a long, loose, shapeless top. If you’re still keen on covering the derriere, then a boxy, oversized sweater or top with structure is a fresher alternative.
Example: look with long cardigan
Cardigans made out of thin materials have never been especially flattering, because they tend to cling. It also makes it difficult to layer underneath them. The slimmer and thinner the cardigan, the bulkier the layers under it. A long, unstructured cardigan over skinny jeans is also an outdated silhouette. There are still duster cardigans out there, but they’re heavier, chunkier, and a little more oversized, occasionally with a tie waist. They allow layering and look more structured and less boho.
Example: ballet flat outfit
Grab your tutus, ballet flats are actually coming back into fashion. But paired with skinny jeans, the look is straight out of 2010. Thin soles and light, “nothing”-type shoes are definitely not the freshest style (yes, that includes Rothys, but that’s a conversation for next time), but they can still be passable with a more modern pants cut - preferably something straight or wide leg, and cropped. The new ballet flats are also more dance-inspired, with specific detailing, so the round toe Tory Burch flats from 2008 are not exactly cutting edge.
Example: low ankle boots outfit
Like ballet flats, the time of low ankle boots has come and gone. Once, skinny jeans and ankle boots were the power couple of the early 2010s, now it’s just what middle-aged moms wear out to date night at Cheesecake Factory. And there’s nothing wrong with any of that! But the ankle boot has also had a makeover - the shaft is higher, the heel is thicker, and the sole is chunkier. The Cheesecake Factory regulars won’t know what hit them.
Example: OTK boots look
I know skinny jeans and slim over the knee boots go together like peanut butter and jelly. And they did - for years and years. Which is precisely why that particular combination will read as dated. You can still keep both, just change up the styling, and don’t pair them together. Knee high boots are back in style, but instead of a 2010s slim riding boot, it’s a wider, more generous cut with a chunkier sole. The OTK boots can also still be worn, but rather with a mini skirt/dress, a slim midi skirt, or a pair of winter-weight shorts, like leather or tweed.
Example: graphic t-shirt look
If anything in your house or wardrobe says “Live, Laugh, Love”, I urge you to get rid of it immediately. Same with any saying related to coffee or the word “vibe”. You’ll thank me later.
Now, I’m not saying you can’t wear graphic t-shirts with skinny jeans. I’m saying the type of graphic t-shirt has changed a lot over the last 15 years. The slim fit, tiny sleeve crew neck t-shirts with flowery Etsy font is dead, you can downgrade it to the shirts you wear when you’re cleaning or painting. So is the thin, loose, cropped, 80s t-shirt that says “Bridesmaid”.
Instead, an oversized and boxy, OR straight fit t-shirt is the more modern and current option. Neither long nor short, neither wide nor tight, a comfortably loose t-shirt with a regular short sleeve is a perfect basic, non-offensive choice for any woman of any age. If it has to have a graphic, make it a band tee. Not something that says “Namaste”.
Example: big purse outfit
The LV Neverfull is a practical bag, I know, but wearing it with cropped skinny jeans and ballet flats looks like you’re cosplaying Christian Girl Autumn 10 years too late. A canvas tote bag is a more modern choice, or a sleek leather backpack. You’ve got both the comfort and the style. For smaller bags and needs, an uncertain-shaped cross-body is also going to date your outfit. Try to be more intentional with the bag choice and shape. Something more structured, with a top handle (as well as a cross body strap) is a fresher choice. Or a small, perhaps embellished, backpack.
I would like to first preface this by saying that you do not have to do ALL of these. These are also not mandates. They’re options. I picked a few different categories where updating other elements of your outfit can make skinny jeans feel less stale in 2023, something for everyone.
Example: [high-waisted look] (https://media.theeverygirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/the-everygirl-skinny-jeans-900-1200.jpg)
Updating the rise is the easiest way to bring your skinnies into 2023. A higher rise gives you some new and modern styling options, including tucking tops into your jeans or wearing tops that are more cropped - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, hoodies, jackets - they all look better with a higher rise to balance out the silhouette. High waisted jeans make your legs look longer, they emphasize the waist, and are comfortable to sit in, since the waist should hit at your natural waist, above your stomach, and not cutting into it.
Example: full length skinnies outfit
Another style element that betrays the age of your skinny jeans is that outdated, scrunched or cropped look. This may very well be a matter of opinion, but cropped skinny jeans don’t work as well as other cropped styles. Because they’re so tight, it visually strangles your calf instead of highlighting the ankle and has the opposite effect. The overly long, scrunched look is not just outdated, it’s a sign your jeans don’t fit well. Petites, hem your skinny jeans - or buy the cropped ones as full length). Full length skinnies have a more streamlined look and work better with any type of shoe.
Example: belted skinnies look
A high rise goes great with a belt, both to highlight your waist - if that’s the look you’re after - and to serve as an extra accessory and styling device. Belting your jeans can tie in your shoes or bag in a nice way, or it can visually break up a fit that needs a little extra something-something. Be advised that belting a pair of pants that do not sit at your waist will emphasize your hips or stomach, so if you’re not keen on making that area seem wider, then avoid belting and/or tucking into mid or low rise bottoms.
Example: boxy cardi look
It’s time to let go of this weird notion that a cropped silhouette is only for 15 year-olds. A cropped top, shirt, cardigan, jacket, etc. is simply a change in silhouette and proportion and it does not - I repeat, it does not mean that you’re necessarily showing off your midriff or that it’s a strictly “youthful” style.
The key to incorporating a cropped element is to pair it with high rise bottoms - in this case, your skinnies. Styling them with an opposite style cardigan - short and bulky, instead of long and thin - automatically freshens up the look and brings them into 2023. High rise + crop shirt is an excellent way to emphasize the waist or create an hourglass or pear silhouette. Like a belt, the “break” in the outfit can be a much needed styling element to take the outfit from basic to stylish.
Example: oversized blazer outfit
Raise your hand if you wore skinny jeans, low cut ankle boots and a blazer in 2010. I’m not knocking it, it’s a good look, but when worn all together, it dates you. But you can update the look by swapping out the blazer with a more current, oversized style. An oversized blazer vs. a shorter, slimmer fit one from the 2010s makes great contrast with the tightness of the pants and it gives the outfit a cooler, slightly masculine edge. While an all-tight outfit can look a little try-hard, an oversized element makes it a little cooler and more modern.
Example: tucked in look
Tucking is one of my favorite styling choices and I can’t find much fault with it. In fact, it may very well make skinny jeans look modern. Like belts and crop tops, tucking in a shirt achieves the same waist emphasis we’re going for and it pulls away from the outdated lowrise + muffin top + long shirt look of the 2010s.
Example: platform boots look
Shoes can totally transform an outfit, including taking it from 2013 to 2023. No one’s trying to take away your heeled ankle boots, but consider pairing those with a cropped straight leg instead, and swap them out for a pair of chunky loafers or platform boot in a skinny jean outfit. Same with ballet flats, let’s mix and match trends and decades instead of doing The Greatest Hits of 2011 from head to toe.
Example: voluminous top outfit
So we said no long tops - what do we do for “nice” tops, instead? There are a few different details that make for a modern top. Volume is one of the key words, so a top that is short and boxy OR that has voluminous sleeves OR a voluminous collar, etc. Very feminine corset tops are also very popular, with or without sleeves or straps. Square necklines are extremely flattering on everyone and can be the one feature on an otherwise completely basic top that can have long sleeves or be tucked into the pants, etc. As for sweaters, bulky wins over slim fitting for a modern look.
If you’re ready to move on and see what else is out there, then a world of new styles awaits you. You’ll be surprised at how much variety and excitement you can add to your wardrobe with one simple jean style swap. The beautiful thing about transitional periods in fashion is that there’s something for everybody. There is no primary cut or style, so you can find anything. Slim, baggy, wide leg, bell bottoms, bootcuts, high rise, low, or mid, it’s all out there, and you can make any of them work for you.
A good alternative are straight leg jeans and pants - the shape is not a huge departure from your usual, while still being more modern. Straight leg jeans still allow for some of your longer tops to be worn without looking baggy from top to bottom, you can still wear them with higher boots if you want, and they’re not very adventurous, which means they’re never the focus of the outfit itself.
They can play it safe and be quietly understated to support other, more interesting design elements, whether it’s a big sleeve, a bold color, a collar, a ruffle, interesting buttons, or other detailing on your top, coat, or accessories. This style can still be successfully worn with a boxier or longer sweater, for example, without looking outdated.
Example:
Mom jeans are the cut that largely replaced skinny jeans back in 2015-2016. Favored because they’re very high waisted, with more room in the hips, and a flattering, conical shape, they are as comfortable as they are durable, owing to their rigid, 100% cotton fabric. However, because of the lack of elastane in their composition, mom jeans are trickier to size, so a few shopping trips may be necessary.
For skinny jeans wearers, the familiar thing with mom jeans is that they retain the high waist, and you’re still showing off your shoes, as they’re closely cut around the ankle, and usually a little cropped. Like straight leg jeans, an oversized, untucked top can still look good and fresh with this cut because of the conical shape. They slim down towards the ankle, giving the leg a little shape that contrasts with the baggy top, if you don’t want to go for a loose-on-loose silhouette.
Example:
1. mom jeans 1
2. mom jeans 2
3. mom jeans 3
4. mom jeans 4
5. mom jeans 5
The other prominent cut that arose in the meantime are wide leg jeans, which are very much a total departure from skinny jeans, in terms of shape and style. However, they have become extremely popular, even among older Millennials, because they’re very comfortable.
High waisted, with a lot of room in the hips and leg, wide leg jeans allow for free movement and completely eliminate the constricted feeling skinny jeans can sometimes be guilty of. Usually cropped, they still allow you to show off your shoes, and are surprisingly versatile. They can be successfully worn with boots, sandals, loafers, birks, heels, or flats - they go with pretty much anything. Personally, I prefer them with boots.
Example:
However, you can also obtain some of the same effects as skinnies with bootcut or flared pants. When you think about it, flared pants aren’t all that different. Yes, the flare at the bottom is a change in silhouette and it’s more visual interest than you’re used to having with pants. However, the top is very much still the same fit as skinny jeans, if what you’re concerned about is losing a “flattering” shape around your waist/butt/thighs. Flares tend to be the same skinny shape on top, and still have elastane.
The only thing you’re trading in is the way you’re pairing your shoes. The longer hems visually elongate the legs, but they do usually cover the shoes, so more thought will need to be put into that. Heels work best paired with flared pants, but with the chunky, platform styles of today, flats can also be worn successfully with bootcut and flared, and wide leg pants, even without dragging and stepping on your hems.
Example:
I’d also like to make a note that hair, makeup, and general styling (like jewelry) also make a big impact in the way outfits are perceived. With a modern, intentional haircut, any outfit automatically reads are more stylish, instead of just the first thing you grabbed that looked like pants.
Makeup plays an equally big role. Overplucked eyebrows made an entire generation of women look like they were stuck in the past, as does harsh contouring, and other major elements of hair and makeup, like thick, blocky eyebrows. The Kate Gosselin haircut, the too-light blonde hair curled with a 2-inch barrel curling iron that every single woman on Pinterest has, the ring finger painted in a different color than all the others.
Think of those ladies who wore permed hair and blue eyeshadow into the 90s and 00s. You don’t want to be the 2023 version of that lady - unless you do it extremely well and intentional for the camp factor.
If you found this helpful, I’m interested in creating more spotlight posts on specific items that can be updated. We could just do bigger categories - shoes, outerwear, dresses, etc. or we could focus on one specific item people are finding particularly difficult to part with, but would like to freshen up. If you have any ideas or requests, please let me know.
You can read part 2 about office wear here: https://www.reddit.com/r/femalefashionadvice/comments/11m7yxr/updating_an_outdated_wardrobe_part_2_office_wear/