Because standard sizing does not work on pants.
Because they don't allow a full range of movement.
Because I do not believe in tolerating clothes that squeeze and pinch you, anymore than I believe in tolerating people who squeeze and pinch you (and that's what 98% of jeans do, pinch either my belly or my thighs).
I have concluded that jeans do not deserve the time and energy it requires for me to find a non-abusive pair. And I believe in giving no more time and energy to a given concern than rightly belong to it.
So I mostly wear skirts. And the funny thing is that I really don't worship at the Altar of Femininity. But in my life, given my body type, they actually are to be the more practical garment choices.
And giving up jeans aligns well for me with the spirit of minimalist practice: A pair of jeans may carry more of a connotation or appearance of simplicity than a floral skirt does, but the skirt means I get more time, I get to be more comfortable, and I get to think less about clothes. And that is very nice.
" the skirt means I get more time, I get to be more comfortable, and I get to think less about clothes." Funny - I feel that way about skirts! I love jeans, I love the way they hold me in, I love the way they are fitted and warm and covering. I feel so vulnerable in skirts - a gust of wind, a need to crawl under my car to get my keys, a see-thru balcony - these are no worry with jeans! I love to dress femininely, but unfortunately it leaves me feeling uncomfortable and over-exposed a lot of the time.
ReplyDeletePS: I like the way you dress. I love that you know your body so well.
I love this post. It made me smile :)
ReplyDeleteHEHEHEHEHEHE... I don't own jeans either! Tights are nice, since they're form-fitting and allow for fluctuations, and FLUCTUATIONS IS THE NAME OF [MY] GAME, MY FRIENDS.
ReplyDeleteHehe, a non-abusive pair.
I do have a pair of pants that are not tight and form-fitting like jeans are, and they are very nice, and I love them a lot, though I often don't wear them since I own like two shirts that I mainly wear to lounge around in. Haha.
Dresses! Dresses! Dresses! Fuck the altar of femininity, I never wore dresses to be feminine. :D Yay!
Ah, with me, it's the opposite--it's really difficult for me to find skirts that don't pinch and are comfortable, for some reason. Comfort-wise, dresses are tops for me. Definitely. But I did find a pair of jeans recently that for once are actually really comfortable--they're high waisted (shock) and almost a jeggings-material (stretchy) even though they look like a normal pair of skinny jeans. So those do. Comfortable shorts don't tend to be really difficult for me to find, either; I have a couple pairs.
ReplyDeleteAlso sometimes I just wear leggings and long t-shirts, because it's way comfortable, plus I don't care, plus and anyway I'M IN SO-CAL EVERYONE DOES IT
So true! Jeans shopping used to be like watching chick-flicks for me: pure torture! My Mom and I would drive all over town getting jeans in several different cuts, styles, brands and sizes; sometimes even ranging between juniors, petites and women's sizes too. And the onslaught of terrors would begin: too tight in the butt, can't zip them up, too tight in the thighs, too loose in the waist, too high at the waist, too low at the butt? And of course they are ALWAYS too long unless I buy capris and wear them as regular pants.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do like jeans, the process to find a good pair means that I usually have to try on about 50 pairs of bad ones first, so I can sympathize completely. And even then, to get them to stay on me they have to fit snugly, which makes me appreciate the flowing looseness available with most skirts and especially dresses. Dresses are the way to go, as long as I can find one to fit my not anorexic or model tall body!
I love this post. I love that you stand so squarely in the middle of your choice. And that you are kind to your body. And that you said 'belly' (because it's not a word that women are encouraged to own or delight in).
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