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This is a two-part post that will officially declare that skinny jeans are “out” for guys, and also describe the “perfect” pair of jeans.
I’m making somewhat of an assumption, but I think most people would agree that guys legs, especially in the thigh area, tend to be larger than the average woman’s.
That being said, how can we consider it to be logical to squish male sized legs in a pair of jeans that are built more for the female body type?
And, can we not all agree that the tightness in the crotch area has to be a bad thing for one reason or another?
I’ve always been a fan of 7 For All Mankind (this post isn’t meant as a negative against 7 – just skinny jeans) jeans for both men and women, and in this photo I’m wearing their “Skinny” jean. Take note of how tight they are in the thigh area (literally no excess room) and the tapered (I like this feature) look down through the bottom of the legs.
This photo gives you a better view of how tight the Skinny jeans are in various areas. I can’t imagine having to put something in any of the pockets – there’s simply no room.
I should also mention that I’m wearing a 32 in this photo, which is one size larger than what I normally wear in 7’s. If I put on a 31 the pants probably wouldn’t have made it up beyond the mid-thigh area. If you lowered the waist a bit these would fit exactly like one of 7’s women’s styles – I know from experience.
This is the amount of excess fabric I could pull off my legs after a couple tries – not much at all. I didn’t even try bending over or kneeling down… that could have been tragic.
I’m very curious to hear from our female readers on the skinny jean topic. Specifically, I’d like you to answer two questions:
- Do you like the skinny jean look on guys?
- Do you like guys to be skin and bones (can’t really like one without the other)?
Now, keep in mind that jeans can be fitted, but that’s very different than “skinny” jeans.
Maybe I’m completely wrong and don’t have the least bit of understanding as to what a female finds desirable, but I really feel like it’s not the skin and bones look. With that being said, skinny jeans simply aren’t logical and guys wearing them should do two things: 1) stop doing so and 2) put a little muscle on their legs.
Somewhere along the line someone decided that the extreme fitted look was attractive, but it’s time to reverse course and put some sanity back in men’s jeans and make it known that skinny jeans are “out.”
Tomorrow, we’ll continue the discussion and take a look at what may be the “perfect” cut for guys jeans.
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I never liked skinny jeans on guys. It’s just not a good look for your average build man. They fit the skinny guys just fine, but I’m not into a guy who weighs less than me, especially if they are on the taller side. I get that it might be to advertise the package, but really? I’d rather a man have good hair, a nice chest or good arms on display. Just my $0.02.
Thanks for taking the time to comment Erica! Didn’t think about it from the “package,” standpoint. If anything the opposite might come to mind given how tight they are.
This post made me laugh. (several times)
I do not like skinny jeans on men.( It makes me smile to even type that.) I must say I am a bit partial to the rugged or more relaxed look. Tight anything on a man makes me crinkle my brow a bit. To each it’s own though. I crinkle, but still smile and wonder far more about them then just the clothes.
In regards to the muscles in the thighs….. I pick that.
Glad we could make you laugh a little!
Although you’re not looking for a guy’s opinion on this matter, I’m going to leave mine anyway.. There’s a major difference between ‘slim’ and ‘skinny’ jeans on men. I think, foremost, that it’s important for a guy to know what looks appropriate on his body as well as the proper way to wear the jeans. Skinny jeans with a tiny t-shirt and boxers flying out above the waistline could not be less attractive or any more ridiculous looking. I do, however, have a few pairs of ‘skinnys’ which I break out occasionally. A looser fitting shirt is appropriate (and tighter fitting underwear – almost always briefs) is the best way, in my opinion, for getting away with ‘skinnys’ and making them look appropriate.
A little looser, slim fitting jean with a tapered leg are the best. I live in Levi’s 511s. They’re technically “skinny” but I go up a size and they look much better. They’re still tight enough in certain areas..but hey, it’s not always a bad thing to show off a bit.
Michael, of course your opinion is welcomed! Thanks a bunch for highlighting how you wear the 511’s – good choice.
I’d like to propose the following compromise — we’ll give up the skinny jeans if women officially reject this awful high waisted “mom jean” trend that the fashion industry seems so hell bent on shoving down our throats.
I like slim – not skintight – jeans on men. I really think it’s all about the fit. I’m not a fan of super skinny or excessively wide-legged jeans on guys. A well-made pair of jeans that fits well is what’s going to look best.
xo,
melissa
Melissa, thanks for stopping by! Def agree about the fit.
guys will always look hot in skinny jeans!
I agree with you and guys don’t look good in skinny jeans.
I’d say I don’t like guys to be skin and bones. Just take a look at my husband: (http://scrapandrun.blogspot.com/2011/02/short-track-run-and-february-16.html last picture)
I’ll add that I’ve discussed skinny jeans with women before and none of them have liked them on men.
I agree with you and guys don’t look good in skinny jeans.
I’d say I don’t like guys to be skin and bones. Just take a look at my husband: (http://scrapandrun.blogspot.com/2011/02/short-track-run-and-february-16.html last picture)
I’ll add that I’ve discussed skinny jeans with women before and none of them have liked them on men.
Ok so for me skinny jeans are a total no go for men. My immediate reaction when I see a man with skinny jeans is EMO!
I dunno what it is but skinnies are meant to be worn tucked in boots or with heels and men can do neither. It completely defeats the purpose. I
And for the record a guy always looks better with a wee bit of flesh on them. No boney men please!
Alba
http://www.fashionistaontour.com
Great Post! I can’t stand a fitted jean on a guy, Yuk! Women aren’t suppose to see the shape of a mans thigh. Or, at least thats how I feel. And I’m really not a fan of skin and bones either, but the right size jean will hide that. So men should stick to what they know when it comes to denim, in my opinion.
http://www.lifesobsessions.com
xo
Tee
i never liked skinny jeans on guys…unless they’re jared leto during a concert or while filming a video clip 😛
great jeans!
I like skinny jeans on scrawny, bony, artsy men — a type I have an occasional partiality for, yes, but to whom I am not exclusively attracted.
You, sir, are not a skinny jeans type of man (as I am not a skinny jeans type of woman, though at least I have the option of inadequately disguising the fact through long tunic tops). You’re curvy — a meso-endomorph, I’m guessing. Sadly, at least half of current fashion is not designed for the individual of either sex with sturdy thighs and a booty. Props to you for recognising the fact — but to declare that skinny jeans are therefore a no-go for the entire sex is the same thing as me bitterly proclaiming that little summer dresses with spaghetti straps are a no-go for every woman, simply because I have the kind of physique that can’t go braless.
Do you honestly think we can read black fonts on a dark grey background?
To answer your questions, skinny guys turn me off and so do skinny jeans on men.
Being somewhat sarcastic, do you think we’d honestly make the site look bad on purpose? You are using the new version of Internet Explorer and it causes a bug in the design… and the problem hasn’t been corrected just yet.
I don’t find skinny jeans particularly attractive on men, but all the things you’ve said about them applies to women too–who more often than not have bigger thighs, proportionately speaking, than men. I think in general it’s an unforgiving style, but there are members of both genders who look great in them. : )
Emily, thanks for stopping by! In general, women’s jeans are made differently and in general, more fitted than the average men’s cut. For any man to fit in skinny jeans, generally speaking, they have to be skin and bones… and that’s not ordinary. I think we’d both agree that slim fit is probably a better option.
I hate skinny jeans on men. I prefer straight-cut jeans. Actually, I don’t like seeing men using any piece of clothing too tightly, with a few exceptions. I think the areas of the male body that need to have an accent are shoulders and hips, not thighs NOR legs or ankles.
Of course that is just my opinion based on my taste for men. A lot of people would disagree with me, but I just think skinny clothing on men are not fair for their figure.
And I laughed a lot at some points of this post. Thank you!
Glad you got a good laugh!
hahah! Okay, while I disagree about the size of women’s and men’s thighs (proportionally, women’s thighs are bigger), I laughed aloud when I saw the side view of you in 7 jeans, because I’m wearing my first pair of 7s now myself, and they fit my thighs EXACTLY like the pair you are sporting. That’s a riot, I had no idea.
And I’m with you, the skinny trend seems to have been a bit overdone. I actually tend to assume that a guy in skinnies is young, to tell you the truth (I’m 30, working on my dissertation, so I mostly see this look on undergrads – read: my students). My husband’s pretty slim; I just started buying him j crew slim cut cords, and they look great, but I wouldn’t want him to wear anything tighter.
While we’re at it, can we actually end the skinny jean tyranny for women, too? The look leaves nothing to the imagination on either gender, and while I’m not saying let’s swim down the street in ponchos or tents, I do sometimes wonder where the concept of mystique has gone in our culture, eh?
Great comment! You hit the nail on the head with slim fit, and not skinny fit. I do think there’s a slight diff in men’s and women’s skinny jeans, primarily because women’s jeans have more of a stretch – not that that makes things much better.
While I like a nice straight lean cut on jeans/trousers I don’t tend to like skinnies on guys. I know some guys sort of pull them off… I say “sort of” because it ties with their indie overall look, but in terms of “liking what I see” it doesn’t happen with super skinny jeans. There are so many flattering styles out there but the super skinny, tight, almost second skin type is not my thing.
Great article, Ryan, I really enjoyed it and I’m so glad someone is addressing this jeans issue.
I generally do not like the look of a skinny jean on men (and DEF not on women) unless you are a Ramone. The fashion trends right now can be summed up in the phrase “most unflattering cuts ever” and I’m biding my time and holding my tongue until style comes back.
I like a cut of jean that fits one’s body type. Some people look better with a bootcut to balance out a wide hip. Some people have straighter body types and can rock a straight leg slim cut. For men, a slimmer fit is nice, I appreciate a guy who likes his clothes to fit correctly.
As far as the skinny guy preference goes, I don’t really have a preference for build, but no, I can’t get with the skin and bones build.
Thanks for such a great comment Liz!
There needs to be a happy medium, somewhere in between too tight and too baggy. It’s embarrassing if in the heat of the moment you can’t get your pants off without the jaws of life. As for the saggy jeans us ladies want to have a little idea of what we are dealing with. When they are bagging off your bum you (s) look like your 12 and (b) probably act like it too.
When it comes to jeans, it comes down to fit, and if that means tailoring then that’s just how it is fellas. Find what works best for your body, and run with it
🙂
Thank you for such an amazingly funny comment. Not getting the pants off was a laugh out loud statement for sure.
I definitely agree about the happy medium and kind of covered that in this follow-up post, http://fashables.com/7-for-all-mankind-austyn/.
Thanks for stopping by!
A guy needs the right body type for skinny jeans. Ie. he needs to be skinny. If you’re even the slightest bit overweight, skinny jeans should have never been ‘in’ for you to begin with.
That may be a bit harsh don’t you think? You seem to have gone from skinny to over weight; there’s definitely an in between. I’m not overweight, but skinny jeans simply aren’t made for me. You could also read that s follows, “Skinny jeans aren’t made for guys with any muscle mass.