DENIM-ISM: JEANS FAUX PAS

Welcome to the second to the last entry of DENIM-ISM.

To err is human. It is an inevitable part of life. You pick the wrong ones before you finally get the right one. It is a confusing journey, but bliss and valuable lessons are the rewards in the end.

You would encounter a dozen or more of the wrong jeans for you before you get the right pair. They look so good on the racks, but when you pay for 'em and bring 'em home, you'll realize that they just look good on the racks, but not on you. It's comparable to finding a partner. Sometimes, they put their best foot forward at the start. And in the end, you'll also realize that their foot is better off on their face.

Here are some Jeans faux pas that we always encounter every time we go shopping for the perfect pair of jeans. And after reading the entry, keep everything in mind, and you're now set in finding the perfect jeans for you.

TORN

- Yes, these jeans are TORN. They're not ripped. In jeans terminology, ripped jeans means those with tattered and frilly designs. But TORN jeans like this is damn fugly, even if they're hella expensive. If you have bad taste, brands won't save you. So before splurgingfor a pair of TORN jeans, learn from Brandy's huge mistake.

A BAG-LOAD OF CRAP

- Baggy jeans can be pulled off. But Baggy jeans like these are so ugly, that even a super hot and popular rapper or hip- hop artist can't look good in these jeans! Baggy jeans makes you look fat, and much worse, you look like a fashion victim. Boyfriend jeans, which is becoming a trend nowadays for women are just slightly loose, which makes it perfect for a casual look. But oh please, NOT these jeans.

DUCT TAPES

- The skinny jeans have become a staple fashion piece for women. And as the years went by, they've gotten skinnier! I call 'em DUCT TAPES. Skinny jeans that are so tight, that you'll develop a blood clot just by wearing 'em! Some might like the fit, but let me tell you why you should steer clear of these jeans. Super tight jeans blocks ventilation, which is essential in keeping vaginal bacteria at bay. Secondly, it puts so much pressure on your abdomen and leg muscles. And lastly, it creates "Muffin tops", and it can make your cramps worse during your menstruation days. And oh, if you fart, it's easier to find out that you're the culprit behind the gas release because the fit is so tight, it compresses the air, making your fart echo like a trumpet. If you can endure the shame, then be my guest.

MUFFIN TOPS

- Muffin tops are hell ugly. It makes all your unwanted bulge out in all the wrong places. Super tight jeans result to this fashion fail. If you want to hide your size, then choose the right cuts.

FOLDED AND--- HUH?

- Jeans folding. That's a no- no. Unless you're supermodel tall, then you can do this. But if you're short or your height is average, steer clear from this practice. It makes your legs look short and weird. Case in point: Rachel Bilson. Everything was perfect from her head until her shirt. And when I laid my eyes on her jeans, I thought to myself that it would be better if the photo was cropped.

There you have it! Now that you know the common jeans faux pas, keep them in mind and you're on your way to buying the perfect pair even if it's cheap or expensive.

WATCH OUT FOR THE LAST ENTRY OF DENIM- ISM!

FASHION HAUL: MOONLIT BAZAAR

The Yuletide season is just around the corner. And that means "Bazaar Season" in the Philippines.

Bazaars overlap everywhere in Manila from mid- October to the latter part of January. It is a venue for aspiring entrepreneurs who sees every Holiday season as an earning opportunity, and also, a haven for shoppers who want to score unique finds that you won't see in a department store.

Rockwell's Moonlit Bazaar has a tie- up with Multiply's The Marketplace. It holds an event called the "Multiply Bazaar", which features all the best stores in Multiply. The Moonlit Bazaar is comprised by a majority of sellers who have a multiply boutique, so in my opinion, it also caters to a lot of multiply sellers as well.

Quite frankly, I didn't enjoy the bazaar. I see very identical and common stuff. Frilly clothes, blazers, oxford shoes, leather bags, copper wire accessories, and mineral make- up, which made the Bazaar too familiar for my taste. Flame me if you must, but you can see all of these in a mall, sans the 100 bucks entrance. The essence of a bazaar is somehow lost. A bazaar trip for me is joy every time I'll pay a visit because I know that all that I'll get are certified unique, and I won't be able to see them anywhere else. If I would, it would be rarely.

At least it was good to see Otterbox, a popular (and expensive) brand of safety cases for phones and mp3 playes, and Fab Manila (?), a store that sells cute embellished office supplies.

And these are some of the unique (?) finds I got.

An underwear organizer. Ha! Finally, I've found one! That's what I call the "joy" in visiting a bazaar.

A haul from The White Shirt, one of the stalls in the bazaar.

I was drawn into the plain- looking shirt primarily because of the photos of the Hollywood stars sporting the good ol' plain white tee that surround the hanging tee. A killer pair of shoes or a perfect pair of jeans will definitely make this shirt standout, if you're gonna take a cue from the Hollywood celebs. But honestly, P395 is waaay too steep for a plain tee that you can find in a department store if you scour hard enough.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BAZAARS? ARE YOU A BAZAAR HOPPER? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS!

DENIM-ISM: SPECIFIC JEANS FOR SPECIFIC BODILY CONCERNS

Finding the perfect jeans is like finding the perfect man. So for this series of entries about one of my favorite piece of clothing, which is denim, I will present to you ways on how to find your dream jeans.

Comparing your jeans to men makes jeans much important and significant. Not only it will save you money, but it will also make you feel good and confident, just like how your perfect man will make you feel.

To start this series of entries, let me show you techniques in finding the specific jeans for a specific body concern. We all know the different types of jeans: bootcut, skinny, straight, flare, wide leg, capri, cargo. Let's just focus on it's sole purpose. And that is to make you look good and fabulous. Jeans is one of your most versatile fashion item, so make sure that it's perfect for you.

PERFECT JEANS= DIVINITY :)

SPAGHETTI LEGS

- If you have thin or skinny legs, you can opt to wear light colored jeans. Or if you prefer the dark colored ones, try choosing cuts in wide leg, full flare, or straight cuts. Skinny jeans will just make your legs look more, well--- SKINNY.

THE THIGHS OF MOTHER EARTH

- Big thighs are a result of genes and fat concentration. One way to keep it slim is to tone it. But if you're not the type who likes exercising (but I still encourage you to do so), then know how to hide them with the right kind of jeans.

As much as possible, steer clear from light colored jeans or jeans with light washes. Light colors emphasizes thighs, making them look bigger and puts them on the spotlight. Opt for dark colored jeans. They make your legs look slimmer. Also, ditch the notion that you should wear loose to make you look slimmer. I'm here to tell you that no, it just makes you look bigger, and much worse, you might look like a fashion victim. Go for slim fit styles, but not the too skinny ones! Straight cuts defines a line, hiding all the curves away.

SHORT BUT SWEET

- Short- legged girls should not only rely on heels to make them look big. Jeans can also make you look slender and long! Stay away from capris. The awkward cut just emphasizes the length of your legs. Choose cuts that slightly flare at them bottom. Try slim bootcuts and semi- flare jeans. You can also wear high- waist jeans. It gives the illusion of longer legs.

MUFFIN IN THE MIDDLE

- This used to be my problem before. Hide your bulging belly by avoiding jeans that give you a "muffin top" (waistlines that squeeze your belly, making them bulge). Opt for low- rise and hipster jeans. That way, it helps de- emphasize your bulging belly. You can also wear semi- loose or empire tops to help disguise your tummy.

J.LO'S GENES

- If you have a booty that calls attention, don't wear jeans that have embroidery or design at the bum area. It just draws attention to your butt more. Opt for jeans that don't have back pockets. If you can't sacrifice the extra pockets, then go for jeans with back pockets that don't have design.

WATCH OUT FOR MORE "OF DENIM AND MEN ENTRIES"!

FASHION HAUL: FINALLY! SEVEN JEANS FOR ALL MANKIND

Here's my hottest purchase for today, and it's also a gift for myself for the Holiday season.

Recently, I've been hibernating on make- up hauling, and my shopping habits have turned to clothes/shoes/accessories/bags shopping. I've realized that my closet needs a revamp, and I already have make- up that will last me a lifetime. But make- up will always be my first love. It's just time to rediscover my second love, which is fashion.

They say that a woman should own at least a good pair of jeans. So the term "designer" or "branded" automatically comes into mind. Some might say that you can find a good pair sans the labels and the hefty price tags, but I can definitely attest that good jeans makes a big difference in terms of appearance and with the way it sits on your waist.

Seven Jeans for All Mankind (which is also popularly know as "Seven Jeans" or "7FAM") belongs to the roster of luxurious jeans/denim brands in the market. It is a favorite of Hollywood celebrities and commoners alike, and it has come a long way since its inception in 2000. When it comes to luxurious jeans, 7FAM is definitely one of the iconic names you'll expect to hear or read. Recently, it has teamed up with Marc Jacobs for financial backing (as per Wikipedia.org).

Seven Jeans for all Mankind was founded by Michael Glasser, Jerome Dahan, and Peter Koral in Los Angeles. The three have been working for quite some time in the jeans industry before they founded 7FAM.

7FAM was the response of Koral, Glasser, and Dahan to what's lacking in the jeans industry. It paid attention to details so that each and every woman will find the "PERFECT PAIR OF JEANS". 7FAM boasts of their intricate details, excellent fit and stitching, and luxuriously soft fabric, and unique washes. It's short of saying that every pair is tailor- made to suit every customer. 7FAM claims that each pair is handcrafted so each style is unique than the others.

The swooping logo is the original trademark logo of 7FAM. The A logo, which gave birth to the A- Pocket jeans, and the 7 logo were also additional trademarks of the brand.

A pair of 7FAM will definitely cost you an arm and limb. Each pair can cost at a hefty premium of 10- 18kphp. But if you're the type who invests, then a good pair of jeans is definitely a wise investment.

Here are some Hollywood stars who absolutely adore 7FAM:

Jessica Alba in her Ginger

Miley Cyrus in her Roxanne

Cameron Diaz in her Josefina

Local celebrities like Kris Aquino, Richard Gutierrez (who also adores True Religion), and Anne Curtis are also fans of the brand.

7FAM is on a Denim Nation 5k jeans sale as of the moment. The promo runs until Nov. 30, 2010. So if you want to snag a sassy pair from the iconic 7FAM, now is your chance. Various styles in bootleg, classic skinny, straight cut, flair for men and women are up for grabs at 5k only.

I only own three pairs of jeans. This, an Adriano Goldschmied (which I totally adore as well), and a Dorothy Perkins jeans. I'm not the type who would collect, but if I buy something, it'll be of good and excellent quality. My big dilemma is, I can't find a local branded jeans that fits me perfectly well. I always fit in branded jeans because of the shape of my body. I'm lean and muscular with a bit of womanly curves. So it's really hard to find a perfect pair in Asian sizes, which are all patterned after skinny and thin girls/women.

I got this from the Denim Nation sale. It's 5k, and the original price of the pair that I got is around 12k, then it was brought down to 8k, then it's already part of the Denim Nation sale.

Yes, 5k is pretty steep for a pair of jeans. But since we're talking about good investments, let me tell you why buying this 7FAM jeans on impulse and declaring it as a Holiday gift to justify the purchase is all worth the bleeding of my atm card.

The style is called Roxanne. Cut is classic skinny. Quite frankly, the sizing of 7FAM is huge. Normally, I would fit in a size 29 in asian/local brands, and 28 in US/Euro brands. I fit in a size 28 in my Adriano Goldschmied. But surprisingly, I fit in a size 26 in 7FAM. And it still has an allowance on the waist. I don't want to go for a 25 because it might feel too tight already 'cos 26 feels just right. Cotton shrinks after a couple of washes anyway so I went ahead and paid for a size 26.

The color of the denim is dark blue, and it has a slight light blue wash in front that doesn't stand out in a weird kind of way. The wash kinda' fades from light to dark blue.

The small right patch at the right side is the logo stitched on the jeans. Quite low profile for a huge brand. Usually, big brands also put big logos on their jeans (e.g. True Religion, Christian Audigier, Rock and Republic).

Here's a shot of the inside part of the jeans.

Okay, let me now justify to you why you should consider 7FAM if you're planning to treat yourself to a good pair in the near future.

When I slipped my right foot inside the right leg opening, my leg just went through, which goes to show that the material is soft and comfortable. The reason why I hated jeans before is because every fitting is a battle that I should win by trying to get my two legs in the leg openings. But this one allowed my legs to perfectly rest in it. The material of the denim is stretchable cotton.

When I was wearing it already, it just felt like heaven on my waist! It's so soft, fits snuggly. And even if the fit is skinny, it didn't cling like duct tape on my legs (which is the case for some skinny jeans).

Another great thing, it didn't give me a "muffin top", where the fatty areas of your abdomen are squeezing right out of the jean's waistline.

Overall, the jeans flattered my figure. And the jeans also looked dayum pretty on its own when I was looking at myself in the mirror.

Convinced? Then go ahead. Treat yourself.

My two prized possessions as of the moment: My Adriano Goldschmied in THE ANGEL and Seven Jeans for all Mankind in Roxanne. :)

7FAM is comparatively cheap when compared to other luxurious brands such as True Religon, Citizens of Humanity, J Brand, Antik Denim, Rock and Republic, Taverniti, Valentino, Just Cavalli, etc.

Simplicity. Elegance. Uniqueness. That's what 7FAM is all about. If you can, make 7FAM a staple in your closet. And if you want to invest, then make 7FAM the number one brand in your list. I would also recommend Adriano Goldschmied, but it's not available locally. These jeans are so good, that it'll call attention to its self (just like my friend's 7FAM with a price tag of 15k)!

FASHION HAUL: DETAILS AND TOPSHOP

Haul time!

Went home with nice basic clothes from my Powerplant Mall visit yesterday.

Super comfy rompers from Details.

Basic tanks from Topshop.