Tall Fashion How Tos: Wearing Jeans to Work

Despite the fact that fashion magazines regularly tout the stylishness of workplace denim, not every office is amenable to employees donning jeans at work. Before trying this fashion trend, make sure you check your office dress code to ensure proper adherence. The issue that often arises with jeans in the workplace is that jeans are one of those clothing items that can look professional and classy or beat-up and shabby. When choosing a pair of jeans for the office, always opt for more conservative styles and darker washes to avoid looking like a perpetual college student. Try these tall fashion how tos for wearing jeans to work:

1. Two types of denim work best at the office: trouser-style jeans and straight-legged jeans. Avoid bell bottoms, boot cut, boyfriend-fit or other styles of denim that tend to look more casual.
2. Choose jeans that are perfectly tailored for the shoes you're wearing. If you're wearing heels, you want your jeans to graze the floor or stop approximately one-inch above the floor. If you're wearing flats, you want the jeans to just barely brush the floor. If you're wearing ankle-length jeans like Charlize Theron, opt for strappy heels - other shoe styles will make this type of jean look awkward or too casual. 
3. Never wear low-rise jeans to the office. Mid- or high-rise jeans will allow you to move around without worrying about showing off your underwear when you sit or bend down.
4. Look for jeans in a dark wash with matching stitching. Light-colored jeans and traditional-colored gold stitching instantly make your wardrobe look less professional.
5. Pair your denim with dressier tops, blazers and shoes. It's all about creating balance - if your pants are casual, you need to give your look a boost by making the rest of your outfit more professional.
6. Avoid wearing jeans that are too tight. While you can wear body-hugging or body-skimming denim, avoid body-squeezing jeggings or jeans that you have to tug at every time you stand up and walk around.
7. Set aside jeans that have started to fade. Once your jeans have been through the wash a number of times, chances are that the dark wash will begin to fade and "whisker" around your hips and knees. When this happens, it's time to retire your workplace jeans to your weekend wardrobe and purchase a new pair of darker denim for the office. The crisper, cleaner and newer your denim looks, the more professional it will appear. 

Be aware that tall women have a tougher time with workplace denim than shorter women. It's harder to find jeans that are long enough and that fit correctly through the waist and hips. Do your research and find jeans that fit you perfectly before you try to wear them to work.