The Holy Grail

There are few things on Earth that are coveted by almost every woman. Diamonds. The Dream House. A Miracle Anti Cellulite/Wrinkle/PMS Pill. At this particular moment I’m coveting the perfect pair of jeans. That go-to pair that always looks great and can be dressed up & down at the drop of a hat. If I find these magic jeans all my wardrobe problems will be solved. But alas....I have not been so lucky in the jean department. I have a love/hate relationship with jeans. Eh...it's more like a hate relationship. I've tried countless brands, fits, price ranges etc. No one pair has ever completely satisfied me. As soon as I think I’ve found the perfect pair, something always goes wrong. Like I'll realize the elasticity sucks and they're stretched & baggy out after one wear. Or the color of the rinse considerably fades after only a month's worth of washes. Shopping for a new pair gives me ADDD (Attention Denim Deficit Disorder). Trying to focus on which brands to try on can be overwhelming and frustrating. But no matter how much I hate it, it's a purchase I need to make. So I’m on a mission to find the Holy Grail of Jeans. Every woman should have the perfect jean pictured in her head. Mine is as follows:

#1 Straight leg, Medium or dark blue rinse

#2 The Goldilocks Rise – the rise isn't too low or too high....but just right!

#3 Make my tushie look like a million bucks

#4 Doesn’t cost a million bucks (Within the $100 range)

All other aspects of fit such as waist gaping or length can be easily tweaked by a tailor. As a petite and curvy girl I’ve come to depend on my tailor to create a more flattering fit on many pieces I buy, especially jeans. If you find a good, affordable tailor never let them go!

So does such a pair of jeans exist? Where do I start? I originally planned to narrow my search down to specific retailers/brands that had decent customer reviews & magazine write-ups. I decided instead to just attack the Cherry Hill Mall, picking stores at random. After visiting many stores and trying on dozens of pairs, I found THEM! And at two retailers I never frequent: Banana Republic and New York & Company.

Banana Republic straight leg, mid-rise $80

New York & Company, straight leg mid-rise $39.95

Both fit me wonderfully and both are well under 100 bucks...jackpot! I left the mall without buying either pair, but after thinking it over I may just buy both. That way I can see which pair stands the test of time. Nothing wrong with a little friendly competition ;)