Episode 6: Jeans For Dress-Up

When I was growing up, there was a distinct separation between casual clothes and dress-up clothes.  Dress-up clothes were for church, parties, airplanes (remember those days?), and weddings or funerals, whereas casual clothes were for pretty much all other occasions.  This separation was just as important as cardinal fashion rules like wearing a slip under a skirt or no white after labor day.  In fact, even into my angsty teenage years, I pretty much subscribed to this wardrobe dichotomy.  It wasn't until I moved to LA for college that my staunch New England fashion preconceptions loosened a bit, and I discovered there was an entire style spectrum in between casual and dress-up.  During my four year stint in the City of Angels, I learned a lot about fashion--not to mention, life in general--but perhaps the most important fashion message was that you can (and should) wear jeans for dress-up, and it is for this revelation that I will be eternally thankful to my one-time home of LA.

Some ponder important life questions like: what came first, the chicken or the egg?  As for me, I wonder whether jeans for dress-up inspired the designer denim fad (a trend that is happily alive and well today) or if the designer denim fad made it okay to wear denim to dinner and a movie?  Regardless, I learned about both during my undergraduate years, and my wardrobe has never been the same.  I hoard designer denim like, well, a hoarder--and there have even been times when my husband has had to set some harsh limits for me, like no more jeans until I get rid of some that I already have (sigh).  But I digress... 

The beauty of jeans for dress-up is that they are as stylish as they are comfortable, and when I'm wearing my favorite denim, I never feel more like myself--which is precisely how any girl wants to feel, regardless of the occasion.  Interestingly enough, denim has a spectrum in and of itself.  That is to say, there are some pairs of jeans that I reserve for casual wear and others that are more appropriate for going out.  The difference between the two, of course, is further reinforced by footwear choice: Uggs or heeled leather boots, Converse or Louboutins, flip flops or flats, and so on.

But don't get me wrong.  Now that I'm all grown up, I love playing dress-up just as much--if not more--than I did when I was a little girl.  But with the exception of church, the really fancy occasions are few and far between, and the occasions that call for just a little something special are far more frequent.  And this is how I rationalize all the jeans that I already own--and all that I still want to buy...  So thank you, LA LA Land, for teaching me about casual couture and the absolute necessity of jeans for dress-up.  My fashion sensibilities will be forever indebted.


High Waisted Skinny Jean in "adore me" wash, $125
By J. Crew