Today I am participating in Works For Me Wednesday.  Since I found a pair of jeans that work for me, I thought I would share!

If you are a fan of Lazy Moms on Facebook, then you know that last week LML and I went jean shopping.  Now, for me, shopping for jeans is about as excruciatingly painful as shopping for a swimsuit.  I want to get those cute jeans in the magazine that the celebrities are wearing, but am quickly reminded that I am an average Mom with an average body and those jeans don’t look great on me.  I also want to avoid getting the “mom jeans” while at the same time trying not to get the same style as the teeny boppers are wearing.  After all, I can’t have my granny panties showing when I bend over to get something.

So after taking my anti-anxiety medicine LML and I headed “in to town” to a darling little boutique on our quest for the perfect pair of jeans.  We asked for the resident jean expert and were quickly introduced to Rachel. Here is a pic of the cute jean queen:

Rachel loads us up with several different brands and styles and we get to work.  The first thing Rachel tells us is that if is snug in the dressing room, it will fit great later.  Jeans have lycra in them that will stretch later.  You don’t want to get jeans that have room or are too comfy in the store.  Otherwise, you will constantly be drying your jeans to get them to shrink up.  However, if they are so snug that the zipper is exposed and pulling. they are too tight. The zipper should lay neatly and be flat.  (Sorry I don’t have a zipper picture for you!)

Here is the first pair I put on.  These are the Joe’s Jeans Muse:

Rachel and LML told me I looked cute in these.  They felt comfy, but I didn’t feel great in them.  If I am going to spend this kind of money on jeans, I want to feel like a million bucks, ya know?  I finally realize what’s bothering me.  These jeans accentuate my thighs.  I feel like a giant thigh!  (Remember that cold commercial where the person’s face was a giant nose? This is what I feel like except I am a thigh!)  Rachel says, “Oh, it’s the wash you don’t like.  Let me bring you a different pair.”  Well, isn’t she smart?!  If I was shopping on my own I would ascertain that I don’t like the Joe’s Jeans in the Muse style, when in reality, it’s the wash I don’t like.  Here I am in the same pair of jeans in a different wash:

These have some fading on the thigh that gives a narrowing effect.  Whew!  I am no longer a giant thigh!

While I was trying those on, LML was trying this pair on:

I can’t for the life of me remember what brand or style this jean is.  That’s not the point.  What I wanted to show you here is how this is not flattering to LML’s waist.  It shows her muffin top.  Let’s face it, ladies.  Most of us have a muffin top.  And, if you don’t think you do, put a pair of jeans on that are a little too tight and one will magically appear!  LML has a darling figure and this pair of jeans does not flatter it.  Say no to the “Dunlap Syndrome”.  What’s that, you say?  Well,  the “official” definition of “Dunlap Syndrome” is when your stomach done laps over your jeans!

And, just in case you don’t think LML is sporting one in these jeans, here is another shot:

When I walked out in this next pair, Rachel said, “when you are trying on jeans you want to make sure you aren’t smiling.”  Well, immediately we both get straight-faced.  Finally, LML has the courage to ask why.  Turns out, Rachel was referring to our butts smiling.  (Ok, from here on out it has to be bottom.  I know butt might be a cooler word, but when I was growing up my mom charged me 50 cents every time I said the word butt because it wasn’t lady like.)  Here I am with my smiley bottom:

Look closely at my bottom (I know…eeewww gross) and notice the curve underneath each cheek.  It’s curved like a little smiley face.  This is not a look you want to achieve.  It means your jeans are too tight.  Again, if we are going to spend money on these things we want to look smokin’ hot in them, so get the right size!

Another popular trend is the boyfriend jean.  Katie Holmes wears these a lot.  Here I am in a pair:

You may think I look good in these jeans, and if you do we are now BFFs!  But, what you can’t see, is that this is an extremely low cut pair and I just can’t do it.  I like my mid-rise panties.  I don’t want to wear some skimpy thing.  And, I don’t want you to see it when I have jeans on.  LML did end up getting a different style of boyfriend jeans and has already worn them and loved them.  I will keep on searching for my perfect pair.

After all that work, I’m sure you won’t be surprised to know that LML and I ended up buying the exact same pair of jeans.  We both ended up with Joe’s Jeans in the Muse style.  They are super comfy, they don’t stretch too much and the best part is they are flattering.  As an interesting side note, look at how the exact same pair of jeans can look different on two different body types.  Here is a picture of our back sides:

Notice how the pockets sit lower on LML’s bottom (on left) than on me.  That’s because I have more of a booty than her.  This is why the same pair of jeans your best friend gets might not work for you.  Or, why what works for Jenifer Aniston won’t work for me.  We are women.  We are different. But, we are all beautiful!

Oh, and the best part of this whole experience?  It has to be when I went to pay for my jeans.  I realized that I didn’t have my bank card and had left it in the ATM machine earlier in the day.  No problem, right?  I pull out my one and only credit card to pay for the jeans.  Rachel quiety asks me if I have another card I would like to try.  Seriously?  No, I don’t have another card.  We are credit conscious people and one card is enough.  I call Lazy Dad Daniel to find out why my card’s not working and he informs me that we were sent new cards because there had been fraudulent activity on our account.  He has my new card in HIS briefcase.  Oh, joy!  He reads me the number to give to the clerk and then ask me how much the total is.  I tel him and he replies, “for one pair of jeans?”  Guess I can’t sneak this purchase past him!

What’s your favorite pair of jeans?

Also, mark your blogging calendars for Monday May 11th. We are hosting Mother’s Day Madness. We want to hear about everyone’s Mother’s Day. You know you are going to write about it on Monday, so link back to us so we can all enjoy your day with you! Here is our button created by Jen at Blue Yonder Design. You can also find it in our sidebar.