Boyfriend Jeans
My sixteen-year-old daughter went to her first day of school in her boyfriend jeans.
How’s this for the start a YA novel: “I went to my first day of eleventh grade in my boyfriend jeans. I don’t have a boyfriend, but I’m betting these jeans will get me one.”
Boyfriend jeans are a thing: loose, worn jeans that could be a boy’s, except they’re tailored for a girl. Vanessa’s pair are high-waisted, like ‘80s jeans you couldn’t pay me to wear again. She likes them high so she can wear skimpy tops without revealing her midriff, as per the school dress code. Clever; also lucky: She can wear any kind of jean, high, low, wherever. Me, I like jeans that just fit over my belly, providing gentle girdle support. Too high, and they squeeze uncomfortably. Too low—well, forget it.
Vanessa loves leggings, too. All girls seem to, these days. Remember the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? The first book came out thirteen years ago. Yes, that long ago! If it were written today, it might be named the Sisterhood of the Traveling Leggings.
Or maybe the traveling yoga pants. I happened to find an AP story, released just today, reporting that sales of jeans fell six percent this past year, while sales of yoga pants and other “active wear” rose seven percent. The story quotes a Scottsdale, Arizona high-school senior: “Yoga pants have replaced jeans in my wardrobe. You can make it as sexy as skinny jeans and it’s more comfortable.”
More comfortable, sure. I don’t know about sexy, or even….attractive. A site called girlsaskguys.com has posted a vigorous exchange of opinion on the subject. “Jeans hand down,” wrote one guy. “Unless they are being worn in a gym or in the privacy of ones [sic] home, yoga pants are god’s bitch slap to anyone with a fashion sense.” I agree, even though I don’t know what a bitch slap is. (I like the sound of it!). Another guy wrote, “Denim is too course [sic]. I like a girl to be smooth and soft including their clothes. Not that I go around feeling random girls’ pants or anything.” A third offered, “For sheer sexiness, yoga pants are fantastic. I don’t know why but it makes their butt so sexy.”
I hope my daughter ends up with a boyfriend who likes the boyfriend jeans. And knows grammar.
alexandra alger 