Because you can't have depths without surfaces.
Linda Grant, thinking about clothes, books and other matters.
Pure Collection Ltd.
Net-a-porter UK

Thursday 26 June 2008

Jeans and the Older Male




Should they or shouldn't they?
It's a question that others have asked.
I actually don't think it's an age thing. But rather a 'looking ok' thing.
Some chaps have never looked anything but a bit baggy or disheveled in jeans. Arguably they were ill-advised to have ever worn them in the first place. But as we ourselves get baggier that's an awkward look to live with. Because it accentuates loss of youth, when scruffy was perhaps the order of the day, or even a post-modern signifier of something. But if you once looked ok in jeans there is a fair chance you still might.
Apologies to 'The Thoughtful Dresser' readers for another music reference, but I saw Bruce Springsteen ( soon to be 59) recently. He has shown no desire to change the way he looks, with denim much in evidence. And he looked entirely sound. Well, sound enough to have a fair number of considerably younger women swooning ( as shown on the giant video screens). But if he hadn't been so energetic, skipping ( yes, skipping) about the stage for two and a half hours, and been quite so trim, then arguably he wouldn't have looked so good.
Small but crucial detail: his jeans fitted.
They don't always . My last two pairs of Levis have been highly unsatisfactory in that department. I bought them whilst in blokeish mode- find the right size, and then a cursory try on, because sometimes a bloke feels too inhibited to be parading around the store being , for want of a better word, vain. Mistake.
As you get older the fit becomes  both more problematic and more important. So to get it right you may actually have to apply yourself. And do that thing called shopping.
More on that anon.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Try A.P.C. jeans. I've just discovered them and I wish I had years ago - they are the epitome of what a pair of jeans should be.
(And the Satorialisst likes them, too.)

Anonymous said...

As my dear ol' departed and lamented Dad always said: Fit is everything.

Sapphire said...

I have NEVER been a big fan of Levi Jeans. I'm really tall so my selection on jeans has been limited, but I just found a new line that I LOVE.....Miss Me Jeans. I told my friends about them and they love them also. They make you look so slim ;-)

Anonymous said...

Maybe you'll have to do what many women have to do to get a good fit with jeans. It's not just shopping.

Find a style you like and a pretty good fit, then take them to a tailor!

-- desertwind

Badaude said...

Sorry to ask the question, but what the hell else are they meant to wear?

Anonymous said...

Someone dear to me has a sweet little bum (unlike Donna Karan and me - cycling a lot firms up your bum but doesn't make it small if you haven't got the genes - bad pun). He looks great in jeans and favours black ones at the age of 59.

Many stays in Italy have made me notice that there are more forgiving jeans for slightly rounder gentlemen - they are cut more like regular trousers, but without being overly baggy.

I have never seen either APC or Miss Me in Europe or North America - where are they from?

Anonymous said...

A.P.C. are french jeans (http://www.apc.fr - I hope the link is okay), you can check on the website where you can find them, they should be available in Europe and in the USA.
They are really quite perfect - they fit, they are not washed/distressed/bleached or any of that, no big logos anywhere and a classic cut. I have searched for years to find something simple, yet classic. Plus, they make me feel tres chic.

Disneyrollergirl.net said...

APC jeans are quite complicated though, you have shrinkage to deal with so there are all sorts of rules about sizing up etc. They discuss this in great detail on Superfuture.com. It makes the mind boggle!

Anonymous said...

Just spend an hour reading on superfuture about the jeans.
Amazing.
One can actually turn the wearing of denim in some sort of religion.
Do people really clean their pants with febreze?!

Anonymous said...

I am in the process of shopping for jeans and it is painful. I found a pair of levis swank jeans for $25 and thought they fit great. I wanted another pair but at $160+ they are too much. I was then going to go with my second choice Ann Taylor Loft jeans as a cheaper option but they've decided not to do anything but white denim for summer. If anyone has ideas for slim fit low rise jeans that come in Su size 14-16 let me know

Miss Cavendish said...

My husband has discovered raw selvedge Japanese jeans. One purchases them two sizes two large and they shrink to a perfect fit. Too much of a leap of faith for me, but Mr. C loves them.