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They're jeans. They're leggings. They're Jeggings
Super high-stretch denim makes for comfy, lean silhouette
"It's breathed new life into the silhouette," says Janine Chilton-Faust of Levi's new jeggings.
Courtesy
By JASON ASHLEY WRIGHT World Scene Writer
Published: 11/24/2009 2:19 AM
Last Modified: 11/24/2009 8:13 AM
We know when to admit we're wrong.
A few years ago, when leggings started stepping out, we arched an eyebrow a la Vanessa Williams on "Ugly Betty." What is this, the '80s? No thanks.
Alas, as we've chatted ad nauseam about fashion being cyclical (you know, that whole what-goes-around-comes-around thing — whether we want it to or not), it was only a matter of time that the '80s came back to the future.
Such has been the case with leggings, which — pass the crow, please — look better this go around after stripping away the heavy blue eyeshadow and ratted-out perms with mall bangs.
Making the look even fresher is the addition of denim to leggings — or, as some folks are calling them, jeggings.
"This really is a breaking trend as we speak," said Janine Chilton-Faust, vice president of women's design at Levi Strauss. We caught up with her recently by phone from her office in San Francisco.
Calling them both jean leggings and jeggings, Levi's began offering them this fall, a blend of super high-stretch denim not used in the market before this season, Faust said. The stretchability, at least twice as much as the average stretch jean available in stores now, retains its shape well.
"It's breathed new life into the silhouette," Faust said. It allows for a tight fit but is comfy, too.
Leggings, in general, have been selling "like crazy" at Terri's in the Plaza, 81st Street and Lewis Avenue, said the store's namesake, Terri Cline. Among those have been denim leggings, done by such labels as Vince and J Brand.
They pair well with the looser, more comfortable tops available, belted or not, said Cline, whose customers are really liking the look — so much, in fact, that they're having to order more.
Cline didn't refer to them as jeggings, though. Not to venture too far from the point, but we had to contact the police.
"Seriously, why do denim leggings need to be referred to as jeggings?" the online gurus at TheFashionPolice.net asked rhetorically. "And, while we're on the subject, why are jeggings (shudder) singled out for special attention? Where will it all end? Will we be forced to start referring to black leggings as 'bleggings,' red ones as 'reggings' and those shiny, Latex ones that've been everywhere lately as 'sheggings'?"
OK, maybe the whole 'bleggings' thing was a smidgen melodramatic (but we're glad someone else brought it up first). Whatever you call them, we found more online, like the BDG pull-on denim legging in a cotton/Spandex — described more like "stretchy jeans cut in a seriously skinny fit" — at $39; Vince's scrunched denim leggings in stretch denim with scrunched ankles ($195); and the juniors' mid-calf denim leggings by Xhilaration at Target ($9.99-$14.99).
As of now, the Levi's jeggings aren't available in Tulsa, a source with the company told us, adding, "It's such a hot new trend that they haven't arrived yet in Tulsa." You can, however, find their five-pocket denim leggings online at
tulsaworld.com/levisjeggings
.
How to wear them once you've found them, though?
Faust has seen them worn many different ways, but she recommends a heel to elongate the leg, like a high boot with the jeans tucked in; or a low boot. Pair them pumps or a strappy sandle heel. Younger girls have been wearing them with flats, even tennis shoes and Uggs.
Cline echoed the ankle to knee-length boots advice, suggested a ballet shoe for a dressier look.
Several months from now, you'll probably see them with flipflops. Levi's, for example, will offer them in spring in different washes and stylings, including a cropped length.
So give thanks this holiday season that mall bangs and bad perms aren't in the spring forecast. But, just in case, keep those fingers crossed.
Jason Ashley Wright 581-8483
jason.wright@tulsaworld.com
By JASON ASHLEY WRIGHT World Scene Writer
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