5 Denim styles: Consumers looking for a choice in the matter

April is a blue month at FashionUnited. With denim making its comeback in time for Spring/Summer 2015, thanks to catwalk collections from fashion houses such as Burberry Prorsum, Gucci and Stella McCartney and the increasing number of denim driven events occurring this month, such as Amsterdam Denim Days and Kingpins and InDIGO Asia, the Asia's only denim dedicated exposition, the blue fabric seems to be on everyone's minds. In the run-up to all the denim commotion, FashionUnited has listed the five women’s jeans styles for the coming season.

1. Flared jeans

They’re back! The flared jeans have been resurrected in a big way, if we are to believe the fashion magazines and the catwalk shows. Everyone from Saint Laurent Paris to Tom Ford, Victoria Beckham and Louis Vuitton has embraced the seventies style pant that the average consumer regards with slight trepidation. The last time that flared jeans were de riguer was back in the noughties, when the style was worn low on the hips. Luckily the true seventies style has been revived, with a high waist. The advantages of flared jeans: when worn with a pair of heels, they create the illusion of endlessly long legs. Plus the style is considered to be extremely feminine, thanks to its silhouette - wider at the hips, narrow at the knee and then wider again - celebrating curves.

2. Mom jeans

This style is similar to the boyfriend fit, but is somewhat more feminine. The fit around the leg is tighter, especially around the ankles, and the waist is higher. This style is currently so popular, that Topshop offers it in twelve different colours. As of last summer, it has been a runaway hit with bloggers.

3. Embroidery and patchwork

Now that the fit is more relaxed, more detailing has been allowed. Veronica Heilbrunner, style editor of German Harper’s Bazaar, told the Financial Times last month that she could not resist embroidered jeans. A photo featured in the paper shows her wearing a pair by Christopher Kane. A very boho look, according to the stylist, which incidentally fits in perfectly with two other trends: the festival look and the seventies vibe. Tommy Hilfiger, ahead of the curve, already featured patchwork jeans in his show in New York last year.

4. Levi’s 501 CT

Levi’s saw the trend for less stretch coming long before any of us did and decided to reintroduce its classic 501 style a year and a half ago. Although it was a success, the American label made some adjustments to the cut in order to address the needs of its female clientele. It came up with the Levi’s 501 CT, which stands for customised & tapered. The difference? The waistband on the new version is roomier, resulting in a more relaxed fit, and the the legs are tapered. This style is available in four different finishes.

5. Forever skinny

Skinny jeans have dominated street style for years. But the crisis has passed and consumers want to be able to choose their own style. This does not mean that women should ritually burn their skinny jeans now, so no need to ban this style from stores. Although it might be wise to revisit the buying policy and invest in styles with a higher waist.

Text: Yasmine Esser for FashionUnited.nl
Translation: Wendela van den Broek