It had to happen sometime. After a month and a half of working from home, I finally ventured into denim territory.
I've
been very firm in my adherence to soft clothes during the extent of my
quarantine—I've basically lived in stretch leggings, flowy wide-leg
trousers, and the occasional skirt. But not only am I bored sick of
those options (side note: this fall, I was just beginning a love affair
with leggings and tunics, never imagining that they'd be my uniform for
the entirety of April. The affair was probably the most short-lived of
all my fashion fixations. Now if I never have to wear another tunic, I
think I'll do a jig), but they're also very limited in their pairing
potential.
Leggings
can only be worn with tops that cover my crotch; wide-leg pants can
only be worn with short, tight shirts (I mean, unless you want to appear slovenly, which you're certainly entitled to do while sheltering in
place, but it's not my first choice of look). If you want to wear a
moderately fitted and mid-length top, neither of those options are a
great choice. If said top happens to be red-and-white striped, your
options are even fewer, because there aren't many colors or patterns
that won't clash. The best option by far is blue jeans.
But
what about the lack of flexibility? The pinching and constricting and
all the other downsides to wearing denim? Was I willing to take on those
hazards? Yes, with the greatest compromise ever: mom jeans!
Mom
jeans: what are they? Generally high-waisted, roomy pants with plenty
of room for child-bearing hips, famous for their popularity among busy
mothers who can't be bothered with fashion. To contrast them from
"boyfriend jeans," which are straight-legged and baggy all around, mom
jeans tend to be tapered toward the bottom to emphasize a more feminine
figure. Most importantly, they have a relaxed fit, perfect for retaining
the leg mobility I prize so much in my WFH outfits.
This
is my first pair of mom jeans, and the first time I've worn them in
this blog. I'm a little late to the party (who's surprised?). Mom jeans
first took off around 2014,
much to my initial dislike. They fast became a favorite among fashion
bloggers, but it took several years before they really went mainstream,
or before I was willing to invest in a pair. I finally decided to try
and bring some into my collection early last year.
These
mom jeans are the real thing—purchased at the thrift store at my "I'm
not sure if I'll ever wear it, so I'm not paying more than 4 dollars for
it" price point, and proudly bearing the Sonoma brand name. No
high-street knockoffs for me!
I
never found many occasions to wear them. When I did, I always felt
frumpy and not at all like the trend-setting fashionista I wanted to be.
Eventually I realized it was because the cut was wrong. At the time,
above-the-ankle was the only fit worth sporting, and these jeans reached as far as my foot. I tried cuffing them,
but they still didn't look right, so eventually I cut a few inches off
the bottom, leaving what I hoped was an edgy raw edge. Just in time for
hemlines to start creeping downwards, I'll have you know—I'll always be
behind the curve!
Though
I don't think mom jeans will ever be my first choice of legwear, I do
think they work with this outfit. The top is new to me, and I couldn't
love it more (it's almost a fair substitute for the much-missed
black-and-white top that even its replacement could never quite match); the Chinese slippers are the ideal addition
to the outfit, perfectly comfy indoor shoes, and yet another first wear
since quarantine times.
Stripes alert! Excellent.
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