Jeans, Jeans, They're Good for Your Heart

Last night Cheapy Junior's nursery school had a kids-and-dads party, which meant I had one hour to myself. I made a list of possible ways to make use of those precious 60 minutes: watch TV, read a book, iron, do a little closet editing, give myself a facial, sit on the couch and stare at the wall...finally I decided to go to The Mall.

I really love wondering around The Mall on a weeknight. It's so empty, so warm, so full of stuff! There were a mere handful of fellow shoppers at the Gap, where I tried on dresses, tops, and several pair of jeans. I have to say I'm not that into what the Gap's got going on for fall--there was a definite lumberjack-with-ruffles theme, and the basics were boring (tweed and puffer jackets?).

But I was there for denim. My favorite pair of jeans ever is getting a tad threadbare. There are holes and fraying and all the stuff that makes worn-in jeans cool. But I'm afraid in a few more weekends there may be new holes surfacing near the cheeks and lady bits--and that's never cool.

I tried on the Essential (bad), the Straight (badder), the Curvy (baddest) and I ended up with my old favorite. The Long and Lean is my jean (which is funny because I am neither). The mid-rise is just right, the slight flair offers a good balance, the bit of stretch makes them as comfy as sweats, and the Ankle version is just the right length (and at least a full inch longer than my old pair. Since the Gap introduced Petite, Ankle's inseam has increased.)


I got one pair in the lightest wash because that was the only one in stock in my size. I'd really like some dark jeans for evenings and wearing to work, but my new super soft, perfect fitting pair are now my official Saturday pants.

Power Shopping with Cheapy

For the last week or so, Cheapy had been saying he's in need of a new pair of dungarees. He owns just two pairs of jeans and the one ones he likes best are getting pretty frayed and icky, so I agreed with him. And Material Girl will never pass up an opportunity to go to The Mall with Cheapy's wallet.

with me and pay for the list of Benefit products I need to replenish. I was hoping for a leisurely stroll around the shopping center on Saturday night. The Mall would be empty. We had a babysitter. If Cheapy had enough wine before we go, I thought, maybe I could even get him to go to Sephora and pay for the list of Benefit products I need to replenish. Hah!

He called me at 5 on Sunday afternoon on his way home from work and said he was ready to shop. The Mall closed at 6. It takes him approximately 17 minutes to get home from work. Cheapy Jr. and I put on our shoes and coats and waited by the door. We drove, we parked, we hit the Gap. The entire excursion, which included a stop in the toy store, took less than 20 minutes. And somehow Cheapy managed to find the only pair of jeans in the whole men's wall of denim that were on clearance, and they were his size. I think he has some sort of Cheapy radar. He walked out with a red-for-the-holidays Gap bag in hand for under $13.

I hate this kind of rush rush shopping. It's stressful. Shopping should be leisurely and fun. There should be browsing. There should be aimless wandering. There should be serendipity. There should be no (sober) Cheapy.