Sunday, March 4, 2012

Mom Jeans or Mother Knows Best?

A million years ago, I was in high school and fashion challenged.  Also popularity challenged.  Go figure but Key Club, Marching Band--mellophone no less, and Mock Trial team did not exactly send me rocketing to the top of the social echelon.

I've reconnected in the past couple of years on Facebook with some kids from my high school.  And by kids I mean partners in law firms and such.  One gal in particular is fun to read and I remember her being not at all fashion challenged and extremely popular.  While she had a Marching Band connection, it was as the center of the front line of the Tigerettes, the dance line.  Just a tad cooler than playing the mellophone.

She quipped recently on Facebook about Lee jeans.  I knew immediately I was in deep trouble.  I have no fewer than three pairs of Lee jeans in my closet.  I've liked them since high school (maybe that should have been my first clue).  I felt especially stylish this fall when I ventured into 'skinny' leg Lee Jeans to pair with what I thought was a rockin' pair of maroon red Chinese Laundry high heel boots.  And that lady from the TV show What Not To Wear endorses Lee jeans, so I concluded I was A-OK.

People immediately piled on to the Facebook comment, deriding the Lees.  Uh-oh.  I had to 'fess up.  And I had to find out what I should wear--obviously that know-nothing from What Not To Wear can't be trusted.  

The cool kids guided me gently toward Lucky jeans and even the Gap.  I feel quite certain that this is not the true epitome of cool jean-dom, but I had challenged them with a frugal limit of $40.  Even with sales and promo codes and my trusty Ebates and Plastic Jungle, I still blew past that limit to try the recommended Gap sexy bootcut jean.

Whatever a homeschooling mom of five may be, sexy probably is not the first word or even the hundredth that would cross most peoples' minds.  I'm mostly ok with that.  Still, I'm eager to see what the sexy bootcut jean will do for me.  Will there be swooning in the streets?  People thinking to themselves, "Oh, I bet she was da bomb in high school?"  Do folks even say 'da bomb' anymore?

Secretly, I suspect I'll end up returning those Gap jeans and slouching back into my Lees.  I really do like them, mom jeans though they may be.  And I can buy them at Walmart when I'm out grocery shopping.  For me, this is a plus (and perhaps should have been my second clue).

All is not lost.  I found this online:  Adam Glassman, creative director of O, The Oprah Magazine, has scoured the fashion world to find a budget-conscious jean on which he can put his fashion stamp of approval. 

"I'm always looking for great jeans under $100," he says. "Guess what? I found a pair of jeans under $50. They're totally incredible, they're only $42, and they're by Lee Jeans."

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/style/Adam-Glassmans-Favorite-Affordable-Jeans/1#ixzz1oCyZWRek


Psst, Adam, they're only $18 at Walmart and located directly across from the peanut butter.













3 comments:

  1. Thanks for the smile to start my Monday. :)
    ~Erin

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  2. Hi Holly,
    I live in Naperville and just started homeschooling this year. I love your blog, It is very refreshing. Thanks for all your posts on the Home educators site too.

    Maureen
    http://educatingsarah-maureen.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete