Loomstate

The Jean Journey

I start at the Purple Skirt, a trendy, spendy boutique in the middle of a half-filled strip mall in Ahwatukee. I fill the changing room with 14 pairs of jeans and pull the brocade curtain closed behind me.

I know I want dark jeans with a straight-leg cut that'll work for the office and a date. I mean, if I'm spending more than half my car payment, I want to wear them all the time.

I suck in my stomach and slide my right leg into the first pair: Size 30 Epoch jeans.

Staring in the full-length mirror at rolls of exposed hip fat, my thighs constricted like blue balloons, I am nauseated. I realize that my week is going to be a private hell of denim burns and regretted Cooler Ranch Doritos.

I try on the same pair, a size bigger. They look worse.

I switch to the St. Tropez jean by Tag, which sport triangular panels on top of the thighs.

In a smaller size, this would be just another clever styling option. On me, the triangles suggest I've stolen the jeans from a tiny woman and added denim to accommodate my thighs.

But I found two pairs I would buy, both Joe's Jeans. There was the Socialite in a Size 29, and the Lover, in a Size 31, neither of which I could tell the difference between other than the price.

Next at Hub Clothing at Scottsdale Fashion Square, I tried on 10 pairs, the most remarkable being the organic cotton Loomstate by Rogan, $180. I read the tag three times, not believing they were recommending I wash them while wearing them, in the shower, using shampoo.  Read More...