Denim Diaries: How to Avoid "Mom Jeans"

By Heather Chaet My name isHeather and I have a confession. I wear momjeans. I'm not quitechanneling Tina Fey in that "Saturday Night Live" sketch. And my denimisn't as scary as those Pajama Jeans advertised on TV. Yet, in my jeans, I'msloppy, dowdy, and frowzy? Yes, rejected Smurf names could describe how I look.I know I have a problem, but I have no clue how to fix it. Paralyzed by so manychoices when shopping, I get stuck. Stuck while wearing mom jeans. Not good, people.Not. Good. At. All. Enter BeckieKlein and Martina Gordon, a.k.a. my Fairy Godmodels. When I metNew YorkFamily's resident style mavens for drinks, it ohsoquickly turned into ajean-tervention. "Jeans are part of your closet's foundation, just like the little black dress or the white shirt," they told me. "Once you have the rightfoundation, everything else falls into place." My days ofwearing mom jeans had to stop. With Beckie and Martina as my guides, I now havethat elusive perfect pair of jeans (actually three of them). Sure, it took ninestores and five hours, but you can do it too-by following Beckie and Martina'sfive laws for finding the best pair of jeans for your bod. Law #1:Meet Slim, everyone's BFF. "The only jean you really need is a slim, fitted jean in the dark wash,"Martina says. Also called skinny or straight, "all of our clients-sizes 0 to14-rock in this style of jeans. It follows the simple rule that if it fits andis body-hugging, it's more flattering than when you try to hide your figure,"Beckie adds. Other must-haves: a white pair and a grey pair or a pair in adark, but more casual wash. Law #2: It'sgoing to take time. "Think of jeans shopping as a mission," Beckie reminds me. "Go to stores whereyou can try many different brands at one time," Martina says. And forget thenumber on the tag ? try on your regular size, as well as a size up and a sizedown. The process may be frustrating, but it is one worth doing. "You areinvesting this time tosavetime later ? after you find the perfectjeans, your daily dressing will be so much easier," Martina adds. Law #3:Price doesn't matter. Beckie and Martina swear by a pair of jeans that costs $40. So, why should Ibuy one that costs $189? "You don't need to ? if you find the perfect jean for$59, buy a couple of pairs and call it a day," Beckie says. If you find a pairthat screams "I will change your life!" and costs a bit more than you usuallyspend, Martina says to think about how many times you will wear them. If youlive in jeans like I do, the "cost per wear" is pennies, even for a $150 pair. To read the full article at New York Family Magazine click here.