I tend to find something that works for me, then stick with it. I realize this doesn't make me unique in all the world, nor is it super mind-bending, but it's something I've noticed about myself. The other thing I've noticed is that when circumstance forces me to break my own mold, it's usually a really good thing. Like recently, I switched brands of jeans.

Yes, all this navel-gazing over a pair of pants. But jeans are important! At least to me. I live in my jeans, and getting the right fit/style/length/wash is unreasonably difficult. They're the hardest thing to shop for. It took me less time to find my wedding gown than it took me to find a reliable brand of jeans. Which I then stuck with for about seven years, give or take. That was Lucky Brand Jeans, which I still enjoy (although I feel like I might be getting a little old for them--super low-rider, flared jeans aren't all that comfy to me anymore.)

On my recent trip to Palm Springs, however, I had a crisis. I don't pack well, as a rule, and this trip was no exception. I packed a swim coverup, two cashmere sweaters (for the desert in California!), two tank tops, and one t-shirt. I wore a pair of (Lucky, of course) jeans on the plane. This is the pair I've been wearing practically every day, with pauses for washing, since summer. Unbeknownst to me, I'd been wearing holes in them, near the personal region. When I discovered the ventilation, I nearly panicked. In an unknown city, one more known for golf carts on the freeway and prime rib dinner early bird specials than fashion! And I had no idea where the Lucky Brand store might be. El Paseo, the Palm Springs equivalent of Rodeo Drive/Fifth Ave/Michigan Ave, seemed like a good place to start.

Didn't find Lucky, but did find Saks, so I dragged Nick in, and then sent him off to the men's section so I could hunt up some denim in peace. I don't know how y'all feel about it, but I positively can't shop for jeans in the presence of my husband. It's too inhibiting. Once he was gone, I pigeon-holed a sales girl who, happily, knew her stuff, and got a few pairs to try on. Now, I'm not really into the whole embroidered ass pockets thing, or glitter, or weird washes or any of that, and my Saks girl, astute as she was, no doubt intuited as much from my outfit of cardigan, jeans (the holey ones, I know--they were all I had!) and incredibly preppy plaid ballet flats. So all she gave me were classic styles, with maybe just a hint of fun here and there. And the brand she recommended (the one I'm probably going to stick with for the next decade or so) was Joe's Jeans. Evidently they're popular; I wouldn't know, having been blithely buying one single brand for the last seven years, thus avoiding the need to follow these trends. All I can tell you is, they're comfortable and they look hot. I even bought one pair with subtle quilting on the back pockets, just for fun.

So what's your jeans brand of choice?

Posted by Louisa Edwards at 1:57 PM