Current Crush: Crop Flares

There’s a lot of debate swirling around right now about skinny jeans being “out of style” and, though I personally believe them to be a classic that will always be popular, I also think now is the perfect time to explore more relaxed silhouettes.

If you can’t quite bring yourself to test out mom jeans or the wide leg trend, cropped flares are a good way to ease yourself into a new style of denim other than a skinny cut.  I recently found a pair that I love so I’m showing you two different spring outfits featuring them, along with my personal style tips for pulling off this fashion trend.

TIP #1: As always, fit is everything!  For this style, you want to aim for a pair that fits like a skinny jean through the waist, hip & upper thigh and then relaxes at the knee and flares slightly below the calf.  The perfect length is right above the ankle – you want to make sure it exposes the smallest part of your ankle…but any shorter than that & you’re veering into capri territory.

TIP #2: Pick the right shoes.  The great thing about this silhouette is that it works with all kinds of spring shoes – mules, flat sandals, sneakers block heels, wedges, etc.  My only caution here is to avoid shoes that have a wide strap across the ankle, as this will compete with the hem of the pant & make your legs look shorter – keeping the ankle bone exposed is the key.

TIP #3: Tuck your shirt in.  Even if you just do a front tuck, this is so important for creating a long leg line and maintaining a flattering silhouette so your shape isn’t lost.  You can definitely pull off layers with this style of pant, but make sure the base layer is fitted or that you tuck it in (as I did here).

I love the fit & feel of these so much that I got them in two colors (I’ll be sharing an outfit later this week with the dark blue denim pair).  The ones I’m wearing here have a little less stretch to them, which I actually prefer for white jeans.  These are a nice thick denim that isn’t sheer + I wore them all day & they held their shape/didn’t stretch out.  They also come in petite sizing for those of you who need a shorter inseam & they’re less than $20 right now!

Even though the focus is on the jeans, I have to highlight this cute quilted jacket because it’s such a great layering piece for spring.  This sage green hue is so on-trend this season – plus it’s under $25 & comes in petite, tall & plus sizing too!  I found this to run true to size – but, if you’re unsure or in between, I recommend sizing up so you can comfortably layer underneath.

What I’m wearing:
c/o a.n.a Quilted Jacket (also in petite, tall & plus), c/o a.n.a Tank Top,
c/o St. John’s Bay Jeans, c/o Worthington Mules, c/o MixIt Hoops

I can never resist neutrals because they’re so versatile and easy to mix and match.  I’ve been adding more of this beigey hue to my wardrobe lately and I especially love how chic it looks when paired with crisp whites.  I couldn’t resist this 100% cotton poplin top – this is the perfect example of a style that’s both casual but elevated (those sleeves!).  This also comes in white and, even though it’s excluded from the current promo code, it’s still on sale (recommend sizing down on this one as it’s a roomy fit).

Everything I’m wearing in today’s post is marked down as part of JCPenney‘s latest sale – just use code YOUSHOP8 at checkout for extra savings (ends March 31st).  If you haven’t shopped there in a while, it’s definitely worth taking a look because they have so many great new arrivals for spring!  I also picked up these mid-length denim shorts, this little black top & this striped dress (comes with a matching face mask).  See more of my top picks in the scrolling bar below!

What I’m wearing:
c/o Levi’s Shirt, c/o St. John’s Bay Jeans, c/o Unisa Sandals, c/o MixIt Hoops

MY JCP SALE PICKS