shopping with the fam

This weekend my brother asked me if I wanted to go shopping. “You mean like, clothes shopping?” I
squeeled with excitement and of course said yes when he confirmed that is definitely what he meant.
My hubby had recently mentioned needing new clothes so he (who usually hates to shop) was also
invited along.


Little did I know this shopping trip was in no way about me. I became the personal shopper to two boys
who knew they could trick me into coming by remaining in the jeans section at Nordstrom Rack and
faking stupidity when it came to finding their sizes. I, at first oblivious, began yanking out my favorite
brands and they graciously accepted. While there, I got about 5 minutes to sneak over to the women’s
section after suggesting I needed to run to the bathroom (which I did but the bathroom also happens
to be near the women’s jeans). I found a pair of Laurel Canyon Paige jeans (in one size smaller than my
normal size which is apparently necessary now that the jeans have more stretch than a pair of panty
hose) and Roxanne Sevens (the straight leg jean). I victoriously emerged from the fitting room after
both pairs fit only to find that my hubby had $400 worth of clothing in his arms.


Being the good wife I am (or more the keeper of the checkbook), I put back my jeans and followed my
hubby to the check stand. The truth is, I didn’t NEED anything and he did. Well, except the pea coat.
You see, he travels to London for work and decided a pea coat would be a great way to fit in among the
English. He looks adorable so I can’t fault him for upgrading from his usual ski jacket.

My husband has a tendency to get new jeans and then wear them daily and forget the rest of his jeans.
This usually results in worn out jeans. I have been encouraging him to adopt a rotation schedule but he
says he can’t unless he has more to rotate. Enter a new pair of Seven A-Pocket jeans which replace his
old Standard Sevens. He ripped those ones and as punishment did not get a new pair of Seven jeans for
many months. Poor little boy, I’m sure he really noticed he was suffering…Let’s just admit it was me who was mourning the loss of those jeans.

My brother Gabe is in dental school and spends a lot of time sitting and studying. His go-to jeans used to
be Big Star or True Religion jeans with butt flaps but he has now realized what a literal pain in the you-
know-what it is to be sitting on big buttons all day. Thus, I led him to his first pair of standard Sevens and
some grey Joes cords.

work jeans

Today I looked in my closet and decided I need new jeans. Now before you tell me there are starving children in Africa who have no jeans at all, just hear me out. Well first of all, I love those starving children and do my best support them and have a hopeful trip in the near future that involves feeding and helping them. But that’s not the point.
The point is, I need work jeans. I work at a high school so dressing up is not something I am super interested in doing as I like to connect with the kids and can actually use my age as a favorable way to get them to relate to me. Trust me, that combined with a bowl of candy and a comfy Poang chair make my office a haven for the teenaged.

Octavia Fidelity                             Denim                                                                        Mackenzie Raven

So while casual is in, I still need to look professional, and at least a few years older than them. Enter trouser jeans, dark denim and clean fits. I’m thinking something that can be worn with heels or boots and a cardigan.


My old fall back was a park of dark Paige Laurel Canyon jeans. They were the best. Unfortunately I never hemmed them (read about my fear of hemming here) and the bottoms started to fray. The color also faded and they become a weekend jean. Last week I put them on and left the house for a Costco run only to look down and find a hold forming on the inside thigh (THE number one spot for jeans holes I believe). Distressed I took them off when I got home and promise not to wear them again until I do
some patching. Unfortunately the Laurel Canyon jeans don’t seem to fit the same anymore (Dear Paige, what happened?) so I need something new.

Photos from Designs By Stephene