How to buy the best jeans, with Jean Stories

the-womens-room-blog-linda-rodinOh, Jeans Stories, you are a clever idea, I wish I’d thought of you.

Instead two clever American girls, Jane Herman Bishop and Florence Kane got there before me. Both Jane and Florence are denim experts who have practically invented a new way to buy jeans. Like all good ideas its very simple, they have created a website where they profile stylish women (and a few men) of all ages talking about their favourite jeans passed and present, photograph them looking coolly aspirational and then link you through to buy what’s being discussed. It’s not even a new idea, but it’s really very well done and it focusses on a subject that, for most of us, is hard to buy -the perfect pair of denims.

Great web design, engaging editorial and lovely photos means you’re hooked fast, or at least I was.  Just as well it’s an American site or I’d be writing this while trying to justify why I’d just ordered 17 pairs of jeans…..

It’s cross generational too, as it should be because of course everyone wears jeans. One of our girl-crushes Linda Rodin (above) discusses how she started wearing jeans at six years old and her current denim-love, her Derek Lam wide legs. She even shot Bob Dylan while wearing jeans, he was too.

maria-cornjio-the-womes-roomAnd then’s there’s the designer Maria Cornejo – remember her? She is now New York based with her label Zero+ Mario Cornejo and discusses denim with her daughter Bibi. She raises issues about age-appropriate styles – she doesn’t wear super-skinnies because she wore them ‘the first time round’ – and reminisces about Lee and Fiorucci jeans. There are great images of Maria’s apartment (not jealous. At all) and her looking good in denim-y clothes.

The site is clever because it has found women you might actually want to look like/ admire the style of and it feels very genuine. It’s refreshingly light on ubiquitous celebrities too, choosing more off beat style fans.

maria and daughterThe fantastically named stylist Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele (WHY wasn’t I named this exotically?) is another inspiration, and if you haven’t seen her bonkers Youtube site, then hold onto your hat and click here. She’s crazy, but fashion crazy, which of course is totally acceptable.

the-womens-room-blog-carolyn-And look at how she wears colour….scuse me while I quickly search that link for  a pair of Vegas yellow cotton jeans….

the-womens-room-blog-yellow jeansThere’s even help for Middleagedad, although TBH I can’t let my own MAD wear patchwork jeans as I’m still wearing mine. And Boro fans (looking at you Mason Dixon Knitting), you might like to read this post featuring Jeff Ricker, indigo dyer and proprietor of Ricker Handmade (below).

the-womens-room-jeans-01So lucky TWR American readers, as I think Jeans Stories might be a real help in narrowing down what you want from jeans, even if you still have to align what you like the look of with what actually suits you. But it’s a very engaging start. Meanwhile us Brits will just have to book mark it and use it for inspiration and research; lots of the styles mentioned are findable here anyway. It’s a clever idea though, don’t you think?

4 Comments

  • Sue says:

    I can feel my bank account emptying. Again. Having sworn that I would never buy a pair of jeans fancier than Gap, I now have 2 pairs of Mih Phoebes. And, I can’t help feeling that your persuasive posts are the reason for this, as I would not have needed them ( & immediately! ) otherwise. I love the idea of considering real people’s choices – I always enjoy these sort of posts when you do them, too. Xs

  • Hilary says:

    Lovely site. But – they’re all thin. Would love to see larger women wearing jeans well.

  • amanda says:

    Sue, sorry to hear we’re draining your bank account! But I guess that also makes me feel good (and love MiH) and good point Hilary, where are the bigger bums? After all most people on the planet have bigger backsides than this lot…Ax

  • Harriet says:

    Great images, very aspirational……..but all skinny girls, where is muffin top reality?!

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