Sara CornellSome people judge you when you use bad grammar. I judge people based on the jeans they are wearing. You can tell a lot about a person based on their denim selection; sporty, earthy, practical, sloppy, trendy, trying too hard, not trying hard enough, fashionable, fastidious…all these personality traits can be reflected in the jeans that a person chooses to wear. Then there are different variations on the theme: slim cut, boot cut, skinny, boyfriend, cropped, hemmed, pressed (eww…) high rise, low rise…the list goes on. And then there are Mom Jeans. The ugly step-sister of the denim family. Mom Jeans are the hobgoblin of teenagers everywhere, the kiss of social death lest your mom be caught in Mom Jeans. And don’t get me started on Dad Jeans…even worse… But back to Mom Jeans.
I’m not sure when the term Mom Jeans entered the sartorial lexicon, but it was elevated to the vernacular back in Britney Spears’ hey-day. Who can forget that infamous thong shot:
Poor girl, we collectively sighed. If only she had an appropriate pair of Mom Jeans to cover her audacious pink thong. Not to mention her C-Section scar and the ensuing flap of annoying skin. (A shirt would have been nice too, but perhaps that’s asking too much from one harried mother.) But her look said it all, and reminded all of us that there is a point of no return when you consider how low rise you can go. Yet nobody with any fashion sense wants to cop to the Mom Jean. It’s akin to admitting defeat. But in recent years the denim choices have been slim (pun intended) and if it weren’t for the advent of Lululemon and the perfect pair of yoga pants, we may all have been wearing Mom Jeans and hanging our heads in shame.
Thankfully, Mom Jeans have come a long way since SNL spoofed them a decade or so ago. Now companies like Urban Outfitters and TopShop are marketing Mom Jeans to the fashionista crowd. Replete with higher rises and a bit of room in the hips, it is now actually possible to find well fitting, flattering jeans that don’t require a bikini wax just to leave the house. For a few years Not Your Daughter’s Jeans brand ruled the Mom Jean roost, offering slimmer cut, higher rise jeans that didn’t make you look like a teenager – or worse – Britney Spears. Now the choices, while not endless, are certainly improved, and it is possible to find your style in a higher rise pant.
This pair from Urban Outfitters closely resembles a boyfriend cut:
$59.00 from Urban Outfitters
While these aptly named MOTHER Brand look comfortable and adorable and perfect for a backyard barbeque:
$138.00 from REVOLVEclothing
If you prefer a more classic cut, this pair with a light wash gives you a well worn- well loved feeling that is flattering, form fitting and allows you to sit, bend and twist without worrying about flashing anything:
$33.50 from GoJane
I’m secretly thrilled for both myself as well as my daughters that rises are rising this year, but since my girls have a penchant for my shoes and sweaters, now I’ll have to guard my jeans as well, lest they disappear into someone else’s closet…