Long-torso or balanced-torso and skinny jeans?

by Vanessa
(New York)

Can girls with a long-torso or balanced-torso wear skinny jeans? :)

Jane's answer...The short answer is that a girl (or boy, for that matter) with a long torso should avoid skinny jeans, since they will make it more obvious that her legs are shorter than her torso.

In a similar way, someone with a short body, and therefore, proportionally longer legs should also avoid skinny jeans, since they will emphasize the relative shortness of the body.

A girl with a balanced body is most likely to look good in skinny jeans.

However, the longer answer is that it will also depend on the girl's horizontal shape, weight and on how heavy her legs are and how big or small her bottom is.

The aim is to create the illusion of a moderately tall, vertically balanced, hourglass figure. For example, if the girl has large hips, in proportion to her top half, skinny jeans will emphasize her curvy hips, which may not be a good look for her.

If the girl has a more boyish, rectangle shape, is reasonably slim with a bottom that's not too big or too flat, then skinny jeans will make her hips look curvier, which will be a good thing.

One tip I share my clients to work out if the balance of an outfit is right for them is the "blink test": stand in front of a full length mirror and close your eyes, then open them again. What do you notice first? Then second? Are these areas that you want to draw attention to? Does the outfit create a good balance for your body?

Dressing for your body type is easier if you know exactly what styles to wear, taking account of all your body proportions. That's why I recommend the online personalized Style ePortfolio.