Ukrainian designer and stylist Andrei Tan, in an Instagram video referenced by the entertainment project Styler (RBC-Ukraine), broke down one of the most persistent myths in the women's wardrobe: the belief that light-wash jeans automatically "add weight" and should be avoided by anyone who wants to look slimmer. According to the designer, the color of the denim is not the main factor, and blaming the shade of the trousers for your silhouette is a mistake that prevents you from choosing a model that truly works.
The myth of light denim
"Light-wash jeans make you look bigger. No, they don't," Andrei Tan emphasized, calling the claim that light denim inevitably adds volume one of the most widespread misconceptions. In his logic, it is not the shade of the fabric that adds extra volume to the silhouette, but a poor cut. That is why the designer urges you not to rush to set aside light-wash models simply because of their color, but to evaluate them based on the overall set of construction details that genuinely affect how the figure is perceived.
Three features you should look at
Andrei Tan highlighted at least three parameters that determine how jeans will sit on your figure: the rise, the leg shape, and the weight of the denim. A high rise, he says, visually lengthens the legs and makes the proportions more harmonious. As for the cut, the stylist advises paying attention to straight-leg models: they create a vertical line and do not cling to the legs along their entire length. He also singled out the material — heavyweight denim that holds its shape well does not hug the body and helps create a clean silhouette, whereas a fabric that is too thin or soft follows the contours of the figure and emphasizes what you would prefer to keep less noticeable.
The detail everyone overlooks: back pockets
A separate part of the designer's advice is devoted to the back pockets — a detail that many people do not even pay attention to. According to Andrei Tan, their placement and size significantly affect how the hips look visually: pockets that are too large, positioned too low, or set too far apart from each other create the effect of fuller hips. At the same time, this nuance does not depend on color: a poorly placed pocket ruins the silhouette even on black jeans. The designer also reminded us that the rule "black slimming, white fattening" does not always hold true — overly tight, narrow dark trousers can accentuate the features of your figure even more than straight-cut light-wash jeans.
Contradictory data
The body of verified sources contains a chronological inconsistency: accompanying materials from different publications date Andrei Tan's advice on jeans to 2023 and 2025, whereas the main Styler piece on which this article is based is not marked with a specific year. This is not a contradiction in the substance of the advice (it is cyclical and timeless in nature), but it indicates that the stylist's public statements on the topic of denim have appeared in different seasons and in different editorial contexts. The conclusion itself — that cut takes priority over color — is not disputed in the main sources.
The stylist's main takeaway
Andrei Tan's final position boils down to a simple rule: it is not light-wash jeans that make you look bigger, but a poorly chosen model. If you pick the right rise, cut, fabric weight, and pocket placement, light denim can look stylish and harmonious. Before buying, the stylist advises not only to judge the color in the mirror, but also to see exactly how the fabric sits on your figure — it is this, not the shade, that determines the final silhouette.
