Brit Fashion Blogger Katherine Ormerod On How To Wear Skinny Jeans And Look Utterly Chic | InStyle.co.uk
Video and interview published on InStyle.co.uk, 19th May 2017
‘At the peak of my skinny jean mania, I had about 30 pairs. I’ve now whittled them down to the best pairs per wash because actually no one needs that many,’ laughs Katherine Ormerod as she folds a pair of grey skinnies and adds them to a neat pile on her bed. A writer, brand consultant, editor of her own website Work Work Work and digital influencer, for Katherine no day is ever the same, but when it comes to her wardrobe one element is always consistent, a skinny jean. A quick scroll through her own Instagram and you’ll see why she has amassed 29K followers and counting. If there was one word to sum up her style is would be ‘chic’, aptly her doorbell label is a sticker that says exactly that. All high heels, pretty feminine tops paired with of course those aforementioned skinny jeans when it comes to her feed it’s very easy to end up on a bit of an Insta binge emerging hours later with a lengthy shopping wish-list. It’s also refreshing to see someone rocking a skinny jean on Insta, putting to bed the notion that they’re not cool. ‘A cropped flare looks great on a petit woman but there is no doubt a skinny jean are the most flattering,’ says Katherine. ‘Sometimes you’re happy to compromise how flattering something is because maybe it’s a bit cooler and you feel a bit more relevant but on a Friday night when you want to look really hot, nothing beats a skinny jean. It makes your ass look great, your legs look long. They’re just really great!’
Here she talks through her jean addiction and denim do’s and don’ts. Plus watch the video above where Katherine breaks down her skinny jeans styling formula.
‘Most of my skinny jeans are from Paige or J Brand. I really like the J Brand Carolina especially the high-waisted version. I love a grey wash. I think it’s a really good neutral that can kind of go with everything. And a great blue skinny jean for me is a proper weekend staple.’
‘Being 5ft 3 I don’t alter skinny jeans but I do wear ankle crops as full length. Also, if the hem is raw already, I’ll take two inches of it and then give them a wash to make sure that the fray comes back, otherwise it looks too clean.’
‘The raw hem trend has been a major bonus for any girl under 5ft 4 because you don’t have to take them to the tailors anymore. The problem with altering them is the tailor doesn’t stitch it with the same types of machinery you would find in a denim house, so the gauge of the thread just doesn’t look the same and it never sits quite right. Length is really important. Don’t just think ‘Oh they are four inches too long but I’m going to get them anyway,’ you have to have a plan.’
‘Frame’s Le Skinny de Jeanne is really good for a Friday night. They are super elastic but don’t look like a jegging. That’s a really fine line. I think for years we discussed how comfort was key but you don’t want your jeans to feel like fabric. If a really good skinny jean fits really well it won’t be entirely comfortable around the knee, it’s not a pair of leggings, I think we went too far in the realms of comfort, they are still denim and denim is a hard wearing fabric so at the points of contact it isn’t going to be silky smooth.’
‘I would always buy something that makes me feel a little restricted in the leg but I won’t go down a size around the waist. That area isn’t going to stretch. The key area for me is that it fits not uncomfortably but in a way that makes you feel supported. I want to still be able to eat dinner in them. It’s really important how a jean cups you and it’s about that cup seam, it’s called the hook, that’s what you need to get right. Often you find brands use the same hook so once you find the one that works for you, you can buy the same size and then just play around with different cuts.’
‘I’’ve got loads of high-street jeans too. I wear Topshop a lot. But I find Zara jeans way too long for a woman of my stature. Ultimately, high-street jeans are great for a season or two but that’s not really what I want denim for. If I find a perfect pair of jeans I want them for five or six years minimum. I want to wear them until they fall apart. So for me it’s worth making the investment. Denim and coats are what I spend my money on.’
‘My ultimate denim don’t is not to go too tight. You can cover too tight around the waist with a bigger top. But you can always tell with the leg especially from behind. You get those horrible horizontal lines. Just go up a size. Don’t be vain. No one is going to know the number on the back of your jeans.’
‘If you’re short and want to wear flats, go for a pointy, elegant pair. Or something with even a centimetre of a heel, just to lift you. It does feel very dead if it’s tight at the ankle and then you just have a lot of foot or a clumpy trainer.’
‘I’ve done the rips and distressing trends and they were fun but ultimately if you’re going to make an investment choose black, grey or dark blue classics. Because you are going to wear them forever.’
‘If you buy a pair of skinny jeans and they look good but then two weeks later they don’t, sell them. If they lose they’re shape or you just got it wrong, or the mirror in the store made them look different, don’t keep them. Sell them and try again. It’s so easy to compile a whole collection, half of which you won’t wear and half of which will look terrible on you. They have to make you feel confident.’
