So, once upon a time, I raved about Not Your Daughter's Jeans on this blog as the ultimate in Mom Jeans. I found them flattering, muffin-minimizing, and hiney hiding, while still maintaining an element of style.
And I still think NYDJ jeans rock, and own several pairs.
But they can be pricey.
And in these days of threatened government shutdowns and all, a government lawyer's gotta figure out where to pinch some pennies.
Enter Eddie Bauer.
So, in the past, I had sworn by Eddie Bauer jeans. But, upon the arrival of The Boy, The Working Mom's bod just didn't flow with my Eddie Bauer jeans like it did before it housed a whole other human for 39 weeks and a day. Things changed after that . . . forever. Or at least things moved around and haven't gone back to their proper place in the 2.5 years since The Boy exited The Bod.
Anyway . . . so, if you're looking for some jeans with a pricetag under $100 that approximate the NYDJ feel and style, you might take a look at what Eddie Bauer has to offer this season.
Specifically, I am presently sitting on my sofa wearing a pair of Eddie Bauer Curvy Boot Cut Jeans - StayShape. Quite a mouthful, huh?, so we'll just call them the EB StayShape Jeans. EB StayShape jeans have some lycra in the denim so that they keep their shape, a salutary hallmark of the NYDJ jeans. The particular pair I am wearing also comes up high enough in the back to allay any fear of anyone seeing your rear cleavage when you bend down to attend to the needs of your minions . . . er, children. The thing they don't have that NYDJ jeans do have is the front panel that acts as a built-in girdle, but I don't really miss it. And for half the price of your typical pair of NYDJ jeans, they're worth looking into.
As for sizing, I would buy whatever your normal jeans size is for these. NYDJ reviews consistently suggest that you size down (which I don't do, incidentally), but I would start with your true size, see how it goes, and then adjust from there.
I'm still test driving this pair, but I'm pretty happy so far. If they continue to be as good as I think they're going to be, I think I will be getting a second pair, but straight, rather than boot cut. (The boot is pretty wide, not a baby boot, but I'm okay with that because . . . while I care about fashion and all, I am, you know, 43 years old and I live in the Dallas suburbs, so I kinda don't care that much that my jeans flare a little wider than what you see in New York.) What I can tell you right now is that I'm pretty comfortable in these jeans, they move well with my body, there's no weird bulging or accidental disclosure of skin, and they're not hideous. In fact, they're pretty cute. So if you're in the market for some jeans, Momma, I'd say swing by Eddie Bauer (or, you know, go to the website, because who has time to actually shop in a store).
P.S. Long overdue, but while I'm making clothing recommendations, I'd like to also recommend a friend's blog about ladie's things, which has just about any kind of information you may wish to know about a variety of clothing fitting issues, but especially your bra (or the one you might be thinking of buying). Never be poked by an underwire again. She'll help you find your fit, or at least teach you how to shop for the right one at Wide Curves. Go check her out.
