Western Fashion: HonesTEE

The western fashion style scene is teeming with those swooning over fringe, crushing on turquoise and proclaiming bells are life (guilty!). But, can I get real honest for a minute? In the sea of boho inspired wardrobe staples I’ve pinned and posted, I’m just girl, living on a ranch, toting an almost toddler, simply trying to get dressed for my day. #OOTD Jeans and Tee.

All joking aside, jeans and tees ARE life.

Thus, my sincere number one fashion tip is this: invest in a few pair of great fitting, high quality jeans and a plethora of comfy, stylish tees. If you follow this single wardrobe rule you will forever be prepared for every day life. When it comes to jeans, as with any wardrobe investment, go with quality material and classic silhouettes. Don’t get too caught up in the trend of the moment - be it blingy pockets, bell flares, or Brittney-esque rises. Or, do. The beauty of a great pair of jeans, both classic and on trend varieties, is that they’ll faithfully serve as the cornerstone of your look regardless. If you slip into those denim beauties and feel like a million bucks, you’ve chosen wisely. If you’re a bit limited by the constraints of your pocketbook though, stick with my original suggestion and choose a few pairs of classic jeans that flatter your body. You can always spring for the trendy bits later. Two areas that are non negotiable during your jean purchasing pursuits are: (1) Fit, and (2) Quality.

Simply put, buy jeans that fit. You’ll avoid all potential wardrobe malfunctions, needless stress on seams and zippers, embarrassing wrinkles and muffin tops, or droopy looking tushes.  Bonus, you’ll be COMFORTABLE, which means you’ll be CONFIDENT. Seriously, regardless of size, a good fitting pair of jeans is the sweetest gift you can give your selfconfidence. Choose a waist size that comfortably fits, neither too restricting nor sliding down in tribute to the proverbial plumber. As far as length, it’s really a personal choice, I prefer the crossed leg test: when I sit with my legs crossed (you know, like a nice girl) that the inseam is long enough to let the bottom hem skim around the middle of my boot heel. This isn’t scientific, it just works for me.Next, refuse to compromise on quality. You want to look for a great pair of jeans that is sized consistently and cut to flatter across styles. The denim should feel good in your hand and have a little weight to it. Seams, pockets and zippers should be well stitched. Again, it’s not rocket science, just take a closer look and it’s easy to spot the top picks from the pairs where corners have obviously been cut in the name of trends, production times and cheaper prices. Another point of quality that I personally consider is the degree of stretch in the denim. A little give in the fabric adds to comfort and movement, too much and you’re all stretched out and saggy from a couple short hours of everyday calethstenics - not to mention, riding or mucking out stalls.

Now that I’m really thinking about it … finding the right pair of jeans is very much a Goldilocks type of quest. However, once you find those little suckers that are *just* right, you’ll be set.

Okay, on to the tees.

Tees are the accessory of actual apparel. There are SO many options to change up your look and communicate your personal style. Be on trend or go classic or do both. Plus, they’re generally pretty affordable. Go nuts. A couple of personal suggestions from me. Don’t forget that fit rule from jean choosing I mentioned a couple of paragraphs above. The same is true for tees (well, for ALL clothing). Great fit equals looking good and feeling good. End of story. Buy clothes that fit. There are about six million tee shirt companies in the western fashion niche alone at the moment. While that may be a bit of an exaggeration, it’s not by much. Point being, you’ve got choices. As far as what I personally like in a tee right now … soft fabrics, roomier cuts, vintage inspired. I’m a toucher when it comes to my tees. I like to scrunch them up in my hand and feel how soft they are. HUGE selling point for me. I’m also really digging the roomier cuts right now. Think boyfriend, boxy or flowy. A little extra room flows well over any figure and is super flattering. I’m NOT advocating for “oversized” here, just to clarify. Body skimming over body hugging is my jam. I’m digging the vintage inspired prints, colors and cuts. Think old school concert tees and washed out ring necks. I love a plain tee as much as a graphic tee. Pocket tees, deep V-necks, boat necks, cut-outs … just choose something you love. When it comes to styling your tee friendly outfit, my personal favorite looks are partially tucked in the front or side, or tied in the back to fit snuggly around the waist. I feel like these two styling options can easily flatter any figure.

Just my opinion. But, really, we live in jeans and tees. Choose wisely. Be comfy. Be confident.

Thea Larson