I hate shopping for jeans. Since I'm short and a little curvy, I have trouble finding a pair that fits really well. And since I also shudder at paying more than $100 for jeans, I haven't ventured into the realm of Citizens of Humanity or any other pricey denim brands like that.
Over the past several years, I've been to Old Navy and The Gap numerous times, looking for something that not only fits but also looks somewhat hip. Sadly, I haven't had much luck and my closet is littered with various denim cuts, styles and colors. I bought the pair that I wear the most frequently at Uniqlo in New York, but I'm not completely happy with those jeans, either. My Uniqlo jeans, which are a dark rinse boot cut-ish style, look great when I'm in an upright position. After I get up from sitting down, though, I have to discreetly hitch the waistband up, which is oh-so-attractive and oh-so-annoying.
I became intrigued by Lee Jeans as I wrote this week's feature about the Merriam-based company. Before I started writing about Lee, I often dismissed the company's jeans as cheap-looking and not very stylish. I don't know why, considering I hadn't bought or seen Lees in years. After hearing about how Lee does all these fit test and how the company has a more trendy line of jeans (called One True Fit), I wanted to try them on.
On the Sunday after Black Friday, I went to the Kohl's near 119th Street and Metcalf Avenue. The Lee section, just a few racks and shelves, was next to Levi's and Dockers. I immediately started looking for the One True Fit jeans, which I hoped had its own display. Unfortunately, the racks were all jumbled and the One True Fit jeans were mixed in with the rest. I could only find a few pairs.
I tried one on (pictured at the far right). I liked the color, the shape of the pocket and the buttons, which looked like small, slightly bowl-shaped pennies. But it was the wrong size; it was too long and a little loose in the butt area.
I also tried on jeans with the comfort waist, which is a strip of elastic sewn on the inside of the waistband that prevents gapping. It was pretty comfortable. The waistband came to just below my navel. I also liked the cut, color and soft material, too. The only problem was that this pair was also a little loose in the butt area. I decided to buy this pair anyway -- it cost around $30 -- and think about it some more.
I also needed some other opinions, so I brought my new jeans to work and modeled them for a few of my coworkers. They liked the cut and the color, but they weren't very enthused about the fit -- especially the looseness in the butt.
"It doesn't have any butt-scooping action," Nadia said.
"I'd get them to wear to the store, but not to wear out," Lorna said. And Crystal concurred that it was something to wear to work but not for a night out. So, I might the jeans for that cube-sitting purpose. I'm thinking that I'll probably check out another store that sells Lee, in hopes of finding more of a selection.
In writing the story, I also found out some cool things that I couldn't fit into the article. Like the fact that Suede, the blue-mowhawked guy on last season's Project Runway, used to design the Lee juniors' line. I neglected to ask whether he referred to himself in the third person while during his stint at Lee.
Also, next spring, Lee will debut a new Web site, which trend manager Rachelle Moley described as "very Banana Republic, very J. Crew-looking ... fun and flirty and not so stiff."
I'll keep watching. -- Jen Chen
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