With 2 weeks behind us, we are already on week 3 of Denim Tidbits.  Here are our tips for this week:

1) When buying jeans with super stretch, buy them firm but not overly tight.  If you have ‘seam strain’ down the legs, they are possibly too tight and this could damage the stretch.

Goldsign Misfit in Motif

2) Pear-shaped or curvy ladies who like skinny jeans should look at high-waisted styles – it elongates the leg and slims down the hip.

DL1961 Grace “High Rise Slim Straight Leg” in Twilight

3)  Boyish shapes can wear most styles. Add some shape and interest with zips and details on back pockets.

J Brand Zoey Triple Zip Skinny Jeans

4) Don’t be afraid to hem cropped jeans.  People often think that if cropped jeans aren’t the right length then they’re not the jeans for them, but cropped jeans should be hemmed to fit properly, just like a bootleg or straight leg.

Paige Kylie Crop in Deco Rose

For other Denim Tidbits, check out Week 1 & Week 2.

Does the idea of laying by the beach with a margarita or piňa colada in your hand sound like heaven to you?  It sure does to us, but unfortunately the idea of not fitting into our jeans by the end of summer sounds more like a nightmare!  As each piňa colada can have up to 700 calories, it’s probably not the best idea to go overboard.  We know that vodka/sodas and light beer can get old after a while, so here are some yummy alternatives that won’t send your jeans for a six:

1) Tiramisu Cocktail

• 1 oz vodka
• 2 oz coffee
• 3 oz almond, soy or low-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cocoa powder for garnish

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker.  Shake, then serve over ice.  Garnish with cocoa powder.

2) Skinny Piňa Colada

• 2 oz Coconut rum (e.g. Malibu)
• 4 oz  Coconut water
• 1 oz pineapple juice

Add rum, coconut water & pineapple juice to shaker filled with ice, cover and shake vigorously.  Strain into a chilled glass.

3) The Gin Breeze

• 2 oz pineapple juice
• 1 oz gin
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon honey

Combine the pineapple juice, gin, lime juice and honey in a glass or cocktail shaker.  Shake until the honey is dissolved. Pour over ice, and garnish with a fresh pineapple.  Serve immediately

4) Skinny Sangria

• 750ml bottle red wine
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur such as Triple Sec or Grand Marnier
• 1 orange (unpeeled), thinly sliced
• 1 lime (unpeeled), thinly sliced
• 1 8 oz can pineapple chunks packed in 100% juice, with juice
• 2 cups naturally flavored lime or lemon-lime seltzer or club soda
• Sliced citrus fruit, for garnish

1. Combine the wine, orange liqueur, orange and lime slices, and the entire can of pineapple (including the juice) in a large pitcher.  Stir and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
2. Prior to serving, pour the chilled seltzer/soda into a pitcher and mix in the wine and soaked fruit.
3. Serve over ice, and garnish with the freshly sliced fruit

What’s your favorite summertime drink?

Jeans are a wardrobe staple but did you know that their use extends beyond a piece of clothing?  Car manufacturer Ford is proof that denim, even once they are worn out, never goes to waste.  Buyers of the 2012 Ford Focus will receive 2 pairs of blue jeans in the deal.  The jeans are recycled into the car’s carpet backing and sound-absorption materials, saving 4 pounds of virgin cotton with each vehicle.

Thanks to this new initiative, denim waste will not end up in a landfill, nor  will water, fertilizer, or land be used to grow (new) cotton.  Instead of being post-consumer waste, the denim used by Ford is post-industrial.  In other words, it the denim which was never sold in stores or worn is being re-purposed as opposed to scrapped.  Al0ng with denim, the company also incorporates recycled soda bottles and milk jugs into plastics used in its cars, as well as post-consumer recycled carpeting that is turned into automotive parts.

With Ford saving 3.4 million pounds of denim from landfill in a year, it’s great to see the company doing their bit for the environment.  It’s also great to see that our jeans are more versatile than we ever imagined!

We’re on week 2 of Denim Tidbits!  For new readers, this installment of Denim Diary shares denim tips & tidbits which you should always keep in mind when buying a pair of jeans.  Let’s get to it:

1) When buying jeans with super stretch, look for good quality denim that has great memory.  The ‘memory’ is how quickly the denim springs back after wear.