I have been on a mission since last November to track down and buy a new pair of jeans: it was until recently seemingly mission impossible.
I am not as old as the Pharaohs, but I am of a certain age, so therefore old enough to remember a time when there were not too many styles or brands of jeans to choose from. All you had to do, when you wanted new ones, was to pitch up at a shop that sold them, struggle in and out of a few pairs and buy the pair that fitted best. Jeans shopping was much simpler back in the day.
Fast forward to the second decade of the twenty-first century and the landscape of jean retailing has changed beyond recognition. These days jeans come in: a multitude of styles by disparate brands and designers; a kaleidoscope of colours; and many different types of denim. Not only is there a bewildering array to choose from, there is also a plethora of prices points. I had an open mind on the price issue, and if the right pair in a designer brand had turned up I would have bought them. On the other options, my mind was as closed as a clam because I was looking for something akin to what I thought of as a traditional jean.
I was in and out of so many shops in Dublin, so many times, that I am sure the staff in these shops thought I was planning a major denim heist. In the end, I found the pair that suited me best, leastways I think they do, and that were closest to the vision I had of an archetypal jean, in Topshop. My new jeans are a pair of Moto Girlfriend Jeans: I don’t pretend any expertise but I think Girlfriend Jeans are a less slouchy version of the Boyfriend style of jeans that have dominated the denim market in recent times.
I like that my new jeans are made of soft denim, that they are a muted shade of grey, that they are high-waisted, and that they cost an affordable sixty-one euro.
Just Add Attitude 
Jeans are a difficult purchase now days. I like your choice they look comfy and sensible and stylish. Mission accomplished.
Yes, shopping for a pair of jeans is tricky these days as there is so much choice.
I was reflecting that I probably spent more time looking for a new pair of jeans than I did for my new house! 😉
shopping is best done early and after a lot of coffee 😉
bravo for the new jeans, lady.
*wavingfromlosangeles*
_tg xx
I like your lots of coffee advise. 😉
I am so pleased to have finally found a pair of jeans I am happy with.
*waving towards LA from Ireland* and this time I checked that I am facing the right way! #wondersofanIphone
B xx
so clever!
hadn’t occurred to us to do an actual Compass Test.
*amazed_impressed_look*
_tg xx
Thank you. *waving* B xx
They look great and I love the grey – in fact I might check out a pair myself. I’ve just reached my 5th decade and find it hard to find the right jean nowadays…
Topshop have a super selection, it’s not somewhere I normally shop but I will for defo go back next time I need new jeans. Belated Happy 50th! 😉
Good for you. It is indeed hard to find a pair of jeans that fit properly, especially if you want them to not hang on the edge of your hips with back pockets down on your thighs. 😀
Thanks Karen. I love your vivid description of an ill-fitting pair of jeans. And your use of the new emoticon, I haven’t mastered the art yet, so I am still using the old ones. 😉
Sounds like you got a steal of a deal! It’s always a challenge shopping for jeans. Between finding the right style, color, and size it can easily be an all day event! So glad to hear you found a nice pair you like.
Thanks Heather. I don’t know why but in my experience shopping for jeans always take longer than shopping for any other item of clothing. I am glad I found the right (for me) pair. 😉
Buying jeans is very challenging but I’m glad you found a pair that you liked. Nice going!
Thanks Meg, I am glad I found them. 😉
I remember those days! Picking jeans was much easier … maybe because I was skinnier? 😉 Anyway, I still cannot spend 200 euro for a pair of jeans. I think it’s total madness! 🙂
Picking anything was, or at least seemed, easier back in the day when there were fewer choices.
I agree the price of some of some brands of jeans are mad, but I was getting ‘desperate’ so if I had found the right pair in an expensive brand chances are I would have bought them. 😉
I hate jeans shopping. Actually, I hate clothes shopping. But you’ve reminded me, it’s time. Definitely needing a new pair of jeans.
Thanks to you, I’ll think of it is a kind of comparison cultural adventure. I’ll take my good old sweet time, and enjoy it.
I actually like shopping but I was starting to get fed up with my search for a new pair of jeans, so I am glad it’s sorted.
Good luck with your search I hope you find what’s right for you. 😉
I think I’d enjoy shopping in the shops you take pictures of. I haven’t found the right shops, I fear.
Although now I’m remembering a perfect little place in Mystic, Connecticut. I’ll have to go back there and find out whether it’s still there. I like tasteful boutiques of quality that cater to fashion-minded women of a certain age and sensibility.
I am so sorry Tracy that I didn’t reply to this comment earlier, it somehow slipped through the net. Hopefully when you get back to Mystic that perfect little place will still be there … 😉
I suppose it was hard to find one with a higher waist?
I have given up really. I do have a moto jeans that’s low-cut which is rubbish and a PITA: the bloody garment keeps creeping downwards, and whoever drives behind me, has a fantastic view of my underwear…
however, the one bespoke jeans I own has a higher waist in the back, and so the fit is rather amazing.
Yes it was, as most jeans I looked at didn’t have a high-waist.
*Smiling* as I read your description of your creeping-downawards-jeans!
It’s great that you have a pair of jeans with an amazing fit, I know I often end up between sizes and usually go for the bigger size instead of the fractionally too-tight pair. And then I am always conscious that they are a tad too loose. 😉
yup, it seems “modern” to either have a muffin top or to constantly fish for your waistband like one of those nonsense hip hop teenagers…
“Modern” but not exactly chic. Love your descriptions … 😉
I sympathize with your jean-shopping plight and fully understand as I have tried to find a new pair of shorts for several years now and haven’t found one that works yet. By the way I love the title of your blog!
Thanks for your comment and I hope you manage to track down the right pair of shorts.
Thanks for saying you love the blot title. I now, after three years blogging, cannot remember exactly why I choose it!