Increasingly these days I look at myself and feel like I'm seeing my mother. I'll be sitting in the car when the mere sight of my hands—with their slightly pudgy fingers, their sprinkling of freckles, and their confident grip on the wheel—carries me back to the countless afternoons mom spent squiring me to my childhood music lessons. Similarly, when I riffle through my wardrobe, I might as well be perusing the closet of a twenty-something Tammy Sage. It's the boxy sweaters and slouchy blazers; it's the worn-out sneakers and bottomless totes; but most of all it's the jeans.
Because sometime in the last couple years, 'mom' jeans became all the rage. And as it turns out, if you give me permission to wear what are essentially denim pajamas, I'll never take them off. Sure I still have skinnies that I wear when the occasion calls for a bit more polish, but on the whole I live in high waisted jeans that sit low on the hips, sag in the butt, and frankly do nothing for my figure. It's frumpy chic to the extreme.
As with any cut of jeans, different labels suit different gals. I'm partial to a pair by Acne (the denim is heavy but slouchy-soft, and I can tell myself I look like an off-duty Swedish supermodel when I wear them to the neighborhood coffee shop). When it comes to finding your perfect pair, my best advice is to ask yourself, 'How do these me feel?' If the answer is, "Like a UC Davis grad student circa 1985,' then you're definitely on the right track.
Shopping Guide: 1. J Brand Sonny Jeans 2. AG Drew Boyfriend Jeans 3. Acne Pop Cropped Boyfriend Jeans 4. MIH Phoebe Jeans 5. Mango Boyfriend Jeans Images: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.