I Bought Skinny Jeans

I have worn boot cut jeans for most of my adult life, whether in fashion or not. Fortunately, they’ve tended to be, if not the cusp of cool, at least presentable. And I do even wear boots on occasion. But I’d realized they’d become a bit slouchy looking as I’ve been losing weight, especially in the thighs. Thus my search began.

H&M’s slim fit and straight leg jeans were all far too small for me. Because I’m tall but not skinny, I tend to need around a 36-inch waist with a 34-inch inseam. Most designers, especially in New York, presume that if you have a 36-inch waist you must just be fat. 36/30s are easy to come by, but even a 36/32 is a treat. Plus all the H&M jeans that fit in the calf were too tight in the thigh; I’ve still got a little meat up there. Which is to say: fat.

Old Navy, who makes horrible jeans in general, was right next door, so in I went. Their straight-leg jeans are actually cut with a giant thigh, slimming down to a tiny cuff. I didn’t even bother trying them on.

I decided to check out UNIQLO last night after we posted about their PANTONE cashmere sweaters. (Which are nice, but I wasn’t quite ready to pull the trigger.) The Japanese store had a lovely pair of straight-leg 36/34s that just fit; they actually had a “skinny fit” cut that would have been even tighter.

The point to this “I bought some jeans” post is this: I have joined the skinny jeans regime, the very same that I have called “hipster twats” in the recent past as they sidled past with hot girlfriends. And except for the way they highlight the muffin top fat that is smooshed out of the waistband under my t-shirt, I kind of like them! They make my sneakers look very cool.