As the crisp temperatures of November engulf the North Shore, the pressure is on to find a perfect pair of jeans, a wardrobe prerequisite for every busy mom.
Erin Hoellerich, buyer at E Street Denim and mother of an 8-year-old herself, offers advice on how to steer clear of unsightly ”mom jeans,” and what alternatives will flatter mommies of all shapes and sizes.
Good Fit Easier to Find
First, she wants to clarify something. “The mom jean thing just doesn’t exist anymore,” she says. Instead she explains that over the last few years, manufactures and designers have sharpened their expertise on creating a good fitting jean. They have also eradicated the other nightmare—low-rise jeans meant for juniors—leaving only mid- and high-rise jeans as options to keep that muffin-top concealed. Plus, the denim technology has advanced. Fabrics with four-way stretch and more substantial materials make for a more comfortable and lasting fit.
Out of the 10,000 pairs of jeans E Street carries, Hoellerich guarantees that she could put a mom in 80 percent of them. This promise is partially due to the changes in style and fabric, but also because of the mindset of stylish moms on the North Shore. “Most [mothers] wouldn’t even consider themselves in that ‘mom jean’ category,” she describes. “I most certainly wouldn’t!”
Find and Fit Your Shape
In choosing a mom-appropriate jean, she warns that there isn’t a set style that will suit all women of a certain shape. “There’s just not a universal jean that will fit everyone who’s pear shaped,” she says. “ Everyone’s body is so different.” In turn, she stresses the importance of going to a store where the sales associates will guide you toward the right fit considering all of your attributes.
Top Choices: Joe’s, AG, James and DL1961
Her top ‘mom jean’ picks for this fall and winter start out with Joe’s Jeans’ The Skinny, which is now available in a rainbow of 55 different colors. “It’s a great way to stay current with all of these different color choices,” she describes. “Plus with a mid-rise, it’s a good fit, too.” Her second pick is a pair of straight leg jeans from AG Adriano Goldschmied or James Jeans. Her final selection is DL1961’s boot cut jeans, which utilizes four-way stretch, preserving that fresh-out-of-the-wash fit even after multiple wears. And with the little munchkins’ dirty dubs the top priority, this will at least give you a few more days until can attack to your own laundry pile.
Photo credits:
Lead photo: DL1961 Jennifer Bootcut in Twilight $168
2nd photo: Joe’s “The Skinny” Jean in Gold $158
3rd photo: AG Premiere Skinny Straight in 07 Year Destruction $235
