Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Lesson Learned: Never Shop for Jeans on Your Lunch Hour

Lesson Learned: Never shop and find the perfect pair of jeans on your lunch hour.

So here's what happened: Last Saturday, as I was pulling a 10 hour shift at work, I decided I would go out during my lunch hour and look for a pair of jeans.

Why I don't know. I just felt I'd had enough of The Teen making fun of my "Mom Pants." I want to explain the "Mom Pants." Moms wear "Mom pants" because as women we all know that whether you're a size 0 or a size 28, trying to find a pair of jeans that fit well is a journey to frustration. Once you find that perfect pair of jeans, you buy as many pairs as you can afford because you're likely never to find them again. So "Mom pants" are the perfect pair of jeans that have gone out of style.

Problem is, they've gone out of style. So it doesn't matter they fit, it's time to update. Otherwise, I look "old."

But, how am I going to know what kind of jeans to buy? I need good advice. Where do I get it?

I'm a huge fan of TLC's What Not to Wear. I've watched my fair share of episodes giving advice on how to dress.



I love WNTW because they dress real women who aren't models and can be hard to fit like me. Besides, I love the snarky, sarcastic comments all made in good fun - in the end, they always make the person look good.

So on Saturday, I felt armed with the proper advice and ready to face the jeans rack!

I started my search at Macy's. I looked around and finally settled on trying on a pair of DKNY jeans in my size. I didn't read the tag hanging from the side of the jeans describing exactly what they were - I was looking for particular features and by looking at the jeans, they had all of them.

Tried them on and they fit like a dream!

I read the tag: "slim fit."

LOL! Slim fit? You got to be kidding me! That couldn't be right, I'm not slim!

I had to be wrong so I went out and picked up a few other jeans based on the tag description.

None of them fit right.

I tried on the DKNY slim fit again. I wasn't dreaming, they did fit perfectly.

Hmmmm....I guess I don't know what "slim fit" means. If I had read that tag, I would never have picked up those jeans to try on.

Anyways, I picked up two pair of the jeans and decided to look at my cell phone to find out how much time I had left.

It was 5 minutes.

I had no other choice but to drop the jeans and run back to work.

I knew once I did that, the elusive perfect jeans would never be found in a store again.

I went back, I was right - they were gone! Some other woman had found my perfect jeans and snatched them up!

Sigh.

Do you feel my pain?

Lesson learned. Never shop for the perfect pair of jeans on your lunch hour - unless you're paying attention to the time! :-)

On a bead related note, let me give you a good look at the lovely chain I picked up last week at the Rings n Things Bead Tour.




I love those hammered links and rollo chain in the antiqued finish. What I'm really stuck on now is the gold and gunmetal chain. I love the gold links - I'm grooving on the narrow ovals and the happy sunshine-y quality of the gold. The gunmetal chain has a sparkle to it you can't see in this picture but it's there!

I've realized though I don't have any clasps in plated gold for the gold chain. ARghhh - I always overlook something when I go shopping!

So share a jean story with me or how you'd use the chain and it will enter you into the drawing for Glyph Inspired beads.

15 comments:

Age said...

totally feel for you. my husband won't even leave the house with me if i mention i'll be looking at clothing. I'm stuck in the no woman's zone between Misses and Women's. The Misses 18 makes me look like and over-stuffed sausage in pants and the Woman's 18 is also saggy in the butt.

Cindy Gimbrone said...

Hi Age!

As I was talking to couple of The Teen's friends who are girls and happen to be a size 0 and 2, we all agreed that ALL women had problems finding clothes that fit. One suggested that the clothing companies find the size that no woman is and make all the clothes in that size! LOL!

Cindy

angelinabeadalina said...

Yep, whether I'm in a fat phase or a normal phase, I'm stuck in some no woman's zone or another. Blech. I especially detest the great big gap between young women's and old-old women's clothes. Sheesh, just because I'm over 40 now, do I have to wear the same clothes as my mother?

Katie said...

Age - I totally understand where you're coming from! I actually found some decent fitting jeans at Lane Bryant (their sizes are SO weird, but they are about the equivalent of an 18 women's anywhere else...)...Anyway, I got 2 pair that fit really well...Then, I decided I needed another and bought one the same size without trying them on...They are bigger than the others - go figure...same company, same size...but 2 completely different fits...

Maybe they are in cahoots with the ice cream industry...Cause doesn't a depressing day of clothes shopping make you want ice cream???

rosebud101 said...

Oh, Cindy, I feel your pain, totally! I hope those jeans reemerge for you.

Cindy Gimbrone said...

Hear hear, Ang! Right, just cuz one is over 40 why all of a sudden does the style seem to disappear?

Gets me to thinking, maybe our Moms didn't want to wear those awful clothes, it was just the only choice the clothing companies gave them?

Cindy

Cindy Gimbrone said...

LOL! Right Katie! Maybe the ice cream companies ARE in cahoots with the clothing companies :-)

Cindy

Cindy Gimbrone said...

Thanks, Mallory!

They did re-appear - on line! I went to the internet and searched them down! I was so amazed they had fit, I memorized the description and sku number :-) I've got two pair on their way!

Cindy

Anonymous said...

Ah, where to start... 'Over 40' clothing, wow, it seems to start younger these days. I, too, am a "no woman" size... I still don't buy jeans. Ice cream makes EVERYTHING better, just ask Ben & Jerry. And, not least, Cindy; GOOD FOR YOU for tracking down your perfect jeans!! You are my new hero!

Cindy Gimbrone said...

Hi Anonymous,

Yeah, it's like women die after age 40 - all of a sudden there's no style, there's no size, there's nothing! Statistics show over 40 women have alot more disposable income than someone in their 20's and 30's. You'd think marketers would want to capture that market!

I started buying More magazine, at least the models are 40+ and there's actually some style in it. (Not sure I'd fit some of the clothes but at least they're talking to my age group!)

I'm not hatin' on the under 40 ladies - just don't want to be treated as being invisible just because I'm not a size 2!

:-) Cindy

Shai Williams said...

I am not even in a between size as I wear a 10 or 12. But I am over 40 & y'all are right. There are no cute clothes for our age :(

And congrats on finding your jeans Cindy!

Gail W said...

I never,ever shop for jeans,and I'm so durn lucky and grateful!Both of my daughters wear the same size as I do,so when they go shopping,I'll say"pick me up some new Levis or whatever you're getting.Here's some money"Sure enough,they bring home the perfect size jeans!They tell me horror stories of how many pairs they had to try on,etc.,and I say,yeah,yeah,I know!The strange thing is with the shirts,we are small,med.,and a large.I'm the medium.I love my daughters very much and this just gives me another reason to love them more!

Juliette said...

I really like some of the work I've seen lately using large chain links interspersed with beautiful and unusual beads. I'd love to try to work on some pieces using that large chain. Am new to your blog, and really liking it! :)

Jeannie said...

Finding the right fit is a never ending quest. Cindy, maybe you have to make a belt with the chain first before you find the perfect jeans.

It's like that age old question, what came first the chicken or the egg?

The chain belt keep simple so it can go throught the loops with ease. No dangles. Maybe buttons and leather.

Sunny Day said...

I am 75 years old and find that measurements have changed since I was young. Even bought patterns have changed. It seems that females now have less difference between their hips and waist than formerly. If my pants fit in the hips they are too big in the waist and gape in the back. i am 5'9" tall and weigh 130 lbs