Saturday, January 30, 2010

The knees have it

No, this isn't a post about fitness and knees. It's a post about women's fashion — specifically, pants.
I was standing in my walk-in closet this morning trying to figure out why a pair of Eddie Bauer corduroy pants I bought two years ago look great, and why a pair I bought four years ago (same corduroy, same size) look dorky.
They have the same fit at the waist and hips, and the hems are the same width. But the newer pair looks hip and trendy and the older pair -- they're not quite "mom jeans," but definitely dumpy.
Finally I figured it out. It's the knees.
Current fashion includes both skinny jeans (tight everywhere, including the ankles) and flared jeans (wide at the ankles). But both styles are slim at the knees. Older pants, which were straight from thigh down to ankle, now look like something you'd see on a gardener or someone cleaning out their basement.
Weird, but enlightening.
I packed the older pair away. The style will be back in two or three years and, somehow, they'll look just right. And I'm not just being snarky: Last week I had people raving about a pair of flat black leather riding boots I was wearing with an A-line skirt. Where did I get them? Well, 10 years ago, the last time flat boots were in style, I bought them from Santana of Canada. I nearly took them to a consignment shop five years ago when pointy toed boots were the rage, and two years ago when strange-looking heels and rounded toes were the thing. Fortunately, I held on to them. My fashion secret is a large closet and two attics.

1 comment:

Kelly said...

This is the great thing about fashionable workout apparel, I no longer wear anything but and don't have to worry about the cut!