---
title: "Andrei Tan busts the light-wash jeans myth: what actually makes your figure look slimmer"
description: "Ukrainian designer Andrei Tan busted the myth that light-wash jeans make you look bigger. According to him, the silhouette is shaped by the rise, the cut, the weight of the denim, and the placement of the back pockets — not by the color of the trousers."
date: 2026-09-07T09:52:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/andre-tan-light-wash-jeans-dont-make-you-look-bigger-what-actually-slims-you
tags: [jeans, fashion-tips, andre-tan, denim, styling]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Andrei Tan busts the light-wash jeans myth: what actually makes your figure look slimmer

![Three looks in light-colored jeans of different cuts: how white jeans visually slim the figure, per Andre Tan](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/07/andre-tan-svetlye-dzhinsy-ne-polnyat-sovety-po-vyboru/andre-tan-svetlye-dzhinsy-ne-polnyat-sovety-po-vyboru-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Andrei Tan called the claim that light-wash jeans make you look bigger a widespread myth.
- The silhouette is shaped by the rise, the leg shape, and the weight of the denim — not by the color.
- A high rise and a straight cut visually lengthen the legs and create a vertical line.
- The placement and size of the back pockets affect how the hips look, regardless of color.

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.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Andrei Tan busted the main myth about light-wash jeans: what actually adds volume to your figure](https://styler.rbc.ua/ukr/trends/andre-tan-rozviyav-golovniy-mif-svitli-dzhinsi-1788769329.html) - Основной источник: пересказ видео стилиста в Instagram с цитатами и рекомендациями по посадке, крону, плотности денима и карманам.
- [Which jeans to wear in 2023: Andrei Tan showed the 5 most relevant models](https://glavred.info/fashion/kakie-dzhinsy-nosit-v-2023-godu-andre-tan-pokazal-samye-aktualnye-modeli-10492189.html) - Контекстный источник; датирует рекомендации 2023 годом — учтено в разделе о хронологии.
- [They'll lengthen your legs and set you apart from the crowd: which jeans to buy for summer 2025](https://glavred.info/fashion/udlinyat-nogi-i-vydelyat-iz-tolpy-kakie-dzhinsy-kupit-na-leto-2025-10666493.html) - Контекстный источник; датирует рекомендации 2023 годом — учтено в разделе о хронологии.
- [Fashion trends: Andrei Tan named the top-3 jeans of summer 2025](https://focus.ua/moda/707085-modnye-trendy-andre-tan-nazval-top-3-dzhinsov-leta-2025) - Дополнительный контекст по трендам 2025 года; не противоречит основному тезису о приоритете кроя.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Do light-wash jeans make you look bigger, according to Andrei Tan?
**A:** No. The designer called this a myth and explained that volume is added by a poor cut, not by the color of the denim.

### Q: What details should you pay attention to when choosing jeans?
**A:** The rise (a high rise lengthens the legs), the leg shape (a straight cut creates a vertical line), and the weight of the denim (heavier fabric holds its shape better).

### Q: Do back pockets affect the silhouette?
**A:** Yes. Pockets that are too large, positioned too low, or set too far apart visually enlarge the hips, regardless of the color of the jeans.

### Q: Do dark jeans always make you look slimmer?
**A:** No. According to the stylist, overly tight, narrow dark trousers can accentuate the features of your figure even more than straight-cut light-wash models.