In Spades

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Top 5 Favorites – February 2022

Flannel Trousers and Flare Leg JeansI know, I know.  I just posted a Top 5 Favorites.  What can I say?  February is a short month!

Your February Top 5 was all about pants.  Jeans specifically.  The best part?  All of these jeans and trousers are at least 40% off!

Here’s what made the list.

Straight Leg Jeans

This brand is one of my favorites for jeans.  Their washes are superb and most of their styles are 100% cotton.  This pair has a super flattering cut and comes in tons of washes.

My Most Worn Straight Leg Jeans 

These jeans are in my top 3 for most worn.  I’ve owned them for years and they just keep getting better with age.  Adore them.

Flare Leg Jeans

The 90s are back and show no signs of slowing down.  These flare leg jeans are so fun, comfortable and look great with tons of shoe options.

Flannel Trousers

I feel so polished in these trousers.  They can be worn dressed up or casually (try a band tee, cardigan and sneakers).  Plus, they’re 60% off.

Loafers

These loafers were one of my best purchases of 2021.  They’re super comfortable, versatile and garner compliments every time I wear them.

Top 5 Favorites – October 2021

Flare Leg JeansOctober always feels like the longest month ever.  (Maybe because Halloween isn’t until the very last day?)  While we saw our fair share of very hot, sunny days in SoCal, we also got a decent amount of rain and fall weather.  And with that, a piqued interest in jeans.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’m a denim addict, so jeans on In Spades isn’t anything new.  But your interest in fall’s denim trends was higher than ever.

Here are your Top 5 Favorites from October 2021.

Flare Leg Jeans

I adore the 70’s vibe of these jeans (and so did you).  Ultra flattering for ladies with curves, they also give definition to athletic builds.  If you’re short, not to worry – they look great hemmed too.

Wide Leg Cropped Jeans

These jeans tick all the boxes – cropped, not-too-high rise, 100% cotton and the wider leg makes them a perfect fall pair of jeans because they can be worn with tons of different boots.

Straight Leg Jeans

These jeans are one of my all-time favorite pairs.  The ankle-length cropped silhouette is super flattering.

Loafers

I adore these loafers. Super comfortable, the lug sole gives them an edgy vibe.

Perfume

I can tell holiday season is upon us because sales for this perfume skyrocketed in October.  Check out my full review of this fragrance here.

Fall’s Biggest Denim Trend: Wide Leg Jeans

Wide Leg Jeans Wide Leg Jeans Wide Leg JeansTop c/o Oak + Fort // Jeans // Boots (similar) // Bag // Lipstick

Let me just say that when it comes to fall’s biggest denim trend – wide leg jeans – I’m here for it.

I’ve never been a huge fan of skinny jeans and after purging all my jeans with stretch (go team 100% cotton!), the wide leg jean trend couldn’t be more welcomed.

There are two key differences between the wide leg jeans of the 90s/00s and the wide leg jeans today – rise and leg taper.

Rise

Obviously, most jeans nowadays are high rise (thank goodness).  While I love a high rise, I kind of feel like we’re getting a bit out of control.  A 12-inch rise just isn’t comfortable to sit down in.  But alas, the higher rise elongates the leg even more, and looks great on all body types.

The good news is that as the trend has evolved, so has the footwear.  You don’t need to wear super high heels with wide leg jeans anymore.  The higher rise gives you a lot more versatility with the shoes you pair with them.  I wear a 3-inch heel MAX nowadays.

Which brings me to the next point.

Leg taper

Remember Aliyah in her Tommy Hilfiger?  While that was a total vibe, the wide leg jeans of the 90s/00s really didn’t have much variation in leg opening from waist to hem.  It was basically just a column of denim.  Today we have the advantage of a leg taper that shapes the hips and thighs (a throwback to 70s flares).  Another fabulous feature that flatters all body types.

Here are some of my favorite wide leg jeans right now (including the ones I’m wearing).

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Would I Still Wear That?

For today’s Fashion Friday, we’re traveling back 6 years to March 2015.  Three outfits of yesteryear that beg the question…

Would I still wear that?

Skinny jeansSimilar Jeans // Pumps // Shirt // Clutch

First up is this business chic denim look.  Yes, I realize denim is not “business” but with the button-down shirt, power pumps and pink clutch, it feels like a casual Friday at the office.

Verdict?  I still own and wear everything but the clutch.

White jeansSimilar Jeans // Top // Shoes // Sunglasses

Next up is another business chic denim look, but this time with a spring staple – white jeans.

While I no longer wear white jeans, back in the day I had a few pairs.  I absolutely think they are a closet staple (if you like white jeans) and can be worn year-round if styled right.  Here are some of my favorites.

Fun fact – these pumps are YSL.  They were one of my first (maybe even THE first!) designer shoe purchases.  I scored them after scouring the aisles of Nordstrom Rack.  I wore them so much the heel snapped off twice.  I kept repairing them until they became too far gone.

White jeans

Verdict? I still wear the top and the shoes rest safely in my closet.  The jeans and sunnies are no more.

Flare leg jeansSimilar Jeans // Top // Shoes

Finally, this flare leg denim look was a big one for me.  I hate showing my mid-drift, but absolutely fell in love with this top and had to have it.  Six years ago jeans were very much in the mid-rise phase.  Thankfully when I wear this top today, my jeans cover my mid-drift and this shirt is no longer a crop top.

Verdict?  Still own and wear everything.

Fashion Friday

If you haven’t seen The New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears, it’s a must-watch.  It uncovers some very real, very heartbreaking facts about a woman who has given the world SO MUCH.

Let’s keep the momentum alive.

#FREEBRITNEY

From a fashion perspective, Britney gave the world a lot.  Her outfits from the late ’90s and early ’00s set the trends.  Today I thought I’d unpack these trends to see how much they’ve influenced what we wear today.

Crop Tops

Britney rocked crop tops.  Her closet seemingly had an endless supply.  Some were tube tops, some metallic, some with crazy embellishments.

How does this translate today?

Younger aimed brands like Urban Outfitters and Free People are still heavily relying on this trend.

Even athleticwear has embraced the mid-drift.  I myself have several of these longline bras/crop tops to workout in.

Flare Leg jeans

Britney almost always paired her crop tops with flared jeans.  The proportion makes sense – fitted on top, voluminous on the bottom keeps the eye moving.

While I love a 70s inspired wide leg, I can’t say I’m in love with flare leg jeans.

What about you?  Did you wear them?  Do you still?

Bucket/Floppy/Cowboy Hats

Britney wore a ton of hats (literally and figuratively).  You probably remember her feathered fedoras or hot pink cowboy hats.  The ones I associate most with Britney are bucket hats.  They have absolutely made a comeback in the past couple of years.  Do you own one?

Unpopular fashion opinion – you will never catch me wearing one.

Bug-eyed Sunglasses

Britney wore either Elton John round, colored lenses or huge, bug-eyed frames in the ’90s and early ’00s.  Big sunglasses are still absolutely on trend (and the tiny lenses had their moment in recent seasons!) but have gotten more rectangular.  I for one, love a big pair of dramatic sunnies.

Uggs

Britney’s most infamous outfit was probably Uggs with a denim mini skirt.  You probably wore that exact look in the late 90s but don’t care to admit it.

What she did was set the trend for comfy, Dad shoes, or normcore.  Crocs became a thing soon after and Birkenstocks resurged in popularity (although one could argue they never went away).

Ah, Britney.  You gave us so much.  Here’s to your freedom.

#FREEBRITNEY