In search of the ‘boyfriend jean’
Oxford Eagle
12 June 2009
It’s summer, and it’s hot, yet I just can’t seem to give up wearing my jeans.
I’ve made previous mention that denim is a staple in my closet or, better yet, part of my daily uniform. My history with jeans goes way back. The dress code at my high school only allowed us to wear jeans on “special occasions,” possibly adding fuel to my fire to wear them every other chance I was given.
As a child of the ‘80s, my jean selection at the time consisted of men’s Levi’s-bleached, holey, and often tight-rolled. The styles have changed, but my dedication to denim has remained.
They’re comfortable. They go with almost anything and come in so many different styles that anyone who makes an effort can find a pair to suit them.
Imagine how excited I was when jeans made their formal debut — when some genius designer said I’m going to pair these jeans with that sequin top, and now you can wear them to a cocktail party.
Nowadays, there are very few occasions that I don’t at least pose the question, “Can I wear jeans?” They are my “old faithful,” and if I can get away with it, I’m probably going to wear them even in the summer.
Not the best fashion rule to follow, but it’s mine.
Comfy style
It seems there’s a resurgence of women wearing men’s jeans, and this time around, they’ve even given them a name — “the boyfriend jean.”
Oversized, cuffed, and most likely distressed, not completely flattering but super comfortable, these are the same jeans I had in high school, just styled a bit differently.
Now they’re being paired with fitted tees to offset the bagginess or feminine tops to offset the boyishness. But make no mistake: These jeans may look like you stole them from your significant other’s closet, yet they are selling for top dollar.
It is no secret that over the past 10 years, the trademark of the hard-working man has become a luxury item for us ladies, and I have been guilty of paying the price.
I have my ways of justifying the expense, such as the “price-per-wear” formula, but this time the equation doesn’t add up. Buying a pair of ripped-up men’s jeans for more than I spend on a couple of weeks’ worth of groceries is where I’m drawing the line. But still, I want the look.
So I checked my closet: I’ve got the distressed part covered. I have worn my favorite jeans until they are practically thread barren; they just don’t have that roomy menswear look I was trying to get.
Thrift-store finds
Being somewhat resourceful, I felt certain could find myself a pair of old jeans. I first went through my boxes in storage to see if, by some miracle, my Levi’s of days gone by had been spared. No such luck.
But as I continued to ponder my options, this image of neatly aligned blue jeans prominently displayed in the window of Carol’s Thrift Store kept popping into my head.
Carol’s, located at the four-way stop right across from the Three-Way Grocery, was the answer. So this morning, I went in to see what I could find.
I literally looked through every pair — they were so organized. I pulled out the ones that looked promising and headed for the fitting room.
I ended up with two pairs of jeans that fit the bill quite nicely. The Levi’s were a little more pricey at a whopping $12, but worth it for the name — after all, Mr. Stauss did invent the blue jean.
The best part of it is, if I get them home and decide they look ridiculous (or the trend only lasts five minutes) I’m only out $22.98.
And if I just can’t stand the heat this summer, I can always turn them into the even hipper “boyfriend short” — better known to us down here in Mississippi as “cut-offs.”