Hanging on the racks, this spring’s distressed jeans, wrinkled shirts and faded peasant blouses look comfortable and appealing. In real life, those same pieces can make a woman look as if she just climbed out of the laundrybasket. But there’s no need to fear the unkempt trend. Tamed with classic looks and put together with a keen eye, messy can come off as stylish and even polished.
The key, fashion experts say, is to think in terms of moderation when adding such pieces to your wardrobe. “Fashion victims look that way because they’re wearing trends head to toe,” says Sandy Horwitz, owner of the Bucktown boutique Clothes Minded. One statement piece at a time, agrees Chicago-based stylist and fashion consultant Elyce Rembos. “Everything can’t be a focal point,” she says.
If you choose to make your statement piece a pair of distressed jeans complete with faded pockets, wrinkle lines known as “whiskers,” tea stains and tattered hems, try teaming them with a more polished top. Gregg Andrews, fashion director for Nordstrom’s eastern region stores, suggests pairing dirty denim with a tailored blazer, a crisp white or striped shirt, and a more closed shoe; for instance, a sandal with wider straps.
For evening, wear the same jeans with a sheer black peasant top and a strappy black sandal, Andrews suggests. “You could wear that out for dinner without looking like you’re trying too hard,” he adds. Hair that he terms “soft and controlled,” say, a loose ponytail or side part and softly waved tresses, sends the same message of stylish abandon.
Horwitz suggests teaming distressed jeans with tops that whisper–but don’t shout–the peasant look. A red-and-white striped T-shirt with eyelet cap sleeves, for example, would look great with worn-out jeans, Horwitz says. “It gives the peasant look without being full-blown peasant, and red and white looks great with jeans.”
Slides or sandals, perhaps with a wedge heel, help tame distressed pants and give a sleek line to the leg as well, Horwitz says. Athletic shoes or bowling-style shoes give the jeans a grunge look. “That’s adorable, but limited as to where you can wear it,” she says.
Less-than-tailored tops work best when paired with a well-cut classic pant. For work, Rembos suggests wearing tailored pants of a lighter-weight material (tropical- weight wool or a linen-cotton blend) with a peasant blouse, perhaps belting the blouse at the waist if your figure permits, and leaving your jacket at home. If you must wear a jacket, top the pants with a ruffled-front white shirt, a coordinating shirt in a tiny flowered print or a blouse with a high, lacy neck.
Pants that are too neat or classic, however, can spoil the look. Horwitz recalls seeing a woman dressed in a trendy wrinkled white cotton blouse and classic beige khakis, the kind best teamed with Topsiders and a polo shirt. “They were two totally unrelated looks,” Horwitz says of the combination. A better choice would have been cropped, slightly flared khakis or capris.
Which leads us to the final point. If your talent lies in admiring trends on other people rather than wearing them yourself, update your wardrobe with one item that sports a single trendy detail. Fringed belts, terrific with slacks and a sleeveless black turtleneck, do the trick, as do handbags edged in fringe or outfitted with a leather strap and a slouchy look. Dangling earrings and shorter necklaces can help achieve the same carefree effect.
