They know what's best...

One of the luxuries of leaving crap at your parents' house (can you tell this is a theme?) is that you can be reunited with clothes that you bought and liked a while ago, but don't like that much now, but like enough to wear them around once or twice. I have that with a pair of jeans. I bought them in the summer of 2005 (I'm telling you, this was a red-letter summer for me!) after serving a horrifying first day as a juror on a traumatic case. The first day was the hardest, as we were made aware of the charges / the crime / and listened to our first testimony, so as I made my way slowly from Center City to West Philly on foot, I decided to indulge in retail therapy for the first time as actual therapy. I wandered into the Gap outlet and picked out a skirt and a pair of jeans [I also went to Victoria's Secret, but what I may or may not have bought is none of your business].

The jeans I bought - well, they're not skinny (that wasn't happening then) or flared, or anything. Just...straight. They're dark blue. Kinda boring. Once I left Philadelphia, I just kept them in New York as my "house jeans." They're only worn at my parents', because that's where they live. So why do I care, right? Well, each time I wear them, someone (parent, husband) tells me how awesome they look on me. Huh. My ex-boyfriend really liked them too, as I recall. Do you have any clothes like that? That you're all so-so about, but other people randomly praise to the high heavens? Do you listen to those people?

Anyways, I wore them yesterday for library work and today for some of the same, and as I was kind of mixing up registers all over the place, with casual jeans, ratty sneakers, and a nice top, I went to the mirror to make sure I had made up a legitimate outfit.

Well, whaddaya know:

I had! Now, I know I'm not revolutionizing the wheel here as a Fashion Babe (trust me - I can tell just from my walk up and down 42nd street to get to the library and back, and let me tell you, people, women are looking stylin'), but...not bad, right? The jeans are actually...kind of awesome! I like that they're not skinny and just, y'know, neutral. God knows I could use some good casual clothes this year, while I'm at home working. So, despite being my traditional "house jeans" and despite having really torn-up hems, if they fit into my rapidly filling suitcase, they will be coming home to New England with me.

It's like Christmas all up in here!

PS - Don't forget to give me your opinion on the navy blue dress, below!

Black top: from Tony's, a boutique in Philly, remixed
Jeans: Gap outlet
Sneakers: Chuck Taylor All-Stars, by way of...Modell's?