ShopGirl bucks the jean trend

My mother always told me I had good jeans. Oh, wait, I think she meant genes.

Either way, she was right. When it comes to jeans, there are two types of people: those who live in them and those who loathe them. I am the former. I have spent the better part of my shopping life searching for the perfect pair. And let me tell you, it hasn’t always been easy.

First, there was the colored denim phase. In sixth grade, I had a pair of pink Lee jeans that were just the coolest thing. The second coolest thing was the same style in gray. In eighth grade, I paid a whopping $60 for a pair of coveted “flip-top” jeans from Express, which had a waist that flipped over to reveal red, green and yellow denim. So trendy. So expensive. So wrong.

There was that unfortunate acid-wash trend in the late ’80s (yes, to those of you who still insist on wearing them, I did say ’80s.) I was just a teenager, so I’ll blame my poor judgment on youth and lack of experience. The idea of denim splattered in acid seemed so edgy. In retrospect, it just looked dorky.

In high school, I still pegged the bottom of my pants, so imagine my thrill when I found jeans that rolled up at the ankle to reveal a rose print that matched a sweater I just bought at the mall. Add a pair of pink penny loafers and you’ve got an outfit.

If E! had been around then, I would’ve been rounded up for an episode of “Fashion Emergency” long ago. Fortunately I changed my evil ways, but the quest for divine denim hasn’t ended.

In college, it was, without fail, the Gap for day-to-day denim, Express for sexy jeans. Mainly because they both flattered my beer-and-chips hips. Nowadays I have more options, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

A couple of months ago, a friend of mine showed up wearing the best pair of jeans. They were Sevens, which cost about as much as my student loan payment, but she managed to score them on eBay. Then I went down to D.C. and another friend greeted me at the airport wearing the same jeans. I loved them. I wanted them so badly. They were the real deal, and my favorite Old Navy jeans seemed amateur in comparison.

But alas, I am on a budget. I wear Gap jeans when I’m feeling flush, and Old Navy when I’m not. The last pair of jeans I bought cost $14.99 at T.J. Maxx ‘n More. And besides, what would people think if ShopGirl spent $130 on a pair of jeans? I would lose serious credibility.

I was just starting to get over the Seven thing when a friend sent me an e-mail about Blue Cult’s “butt-lifter” jeans. Apparently they’re all the rage with Kelly Osbourne and Britney Spears. And if Britney needs a boost, God knows I do. So I checked them out online at www.shopbop.com.

The lift isn’t rocket science by any means. Nor is this an engineering feat. They place the pockets higher to give the illusion of bubble butt. Big deal. Certainly not worth $121.

By this point, though, I was feeling contemptuous toward my Old Navy standbys. I needed something new. The Tyte jeans I bought at T.J.s were aptly named, which didn’t make them suitable for everyday wear. I needed something practical yet fabulous.

Last week, during a brief stop at Old Navy in Augusta, I found just the thing. I had gone in to find a replacement for my favorite jeans, which had shrunk in length but not in width, leaving them in that awkward space between full and capri. But then a pair of faded, creased, perfectly broken-in jeans called my name from afar. They were positively Sevenesque. And when I tried them on it was love. All for $32.50.

As always, mom was right – I do have good genes, after all. And my jeans aren’t bad, either.

Reader question

Last weekend at the Bangor Home Show, Natalie McFarland of Bucksport stopped by the Bangor Daily News booth to ask where she could find driving gloves with leather palms and crochet tops. She’s been searching for years. This week, I found a pair online at www.leatherglovesonline.com for $38.95. The cream-colored gloves are made of unlined deerskin with a lightweight crochet back designed for summer driving. They can be ordered online at www.leatherglovesonline.com – click on “women’s gloves” – or by calling (877) 584-7458. Happy shopping!

ShopGirl would love to hear from you. Send questions, comments or suggestions by mail to: Kristen Andresen, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329; by e-mail to kandresen@bangordailynews.net or by fax to 941-9476.