Brooke Shields made herself a fashion icon when she uttered the famous line, “Nothing comes between me and my Calvins.” But, would she feel the same in today’s economic climate? Would it be more like, “Nothing comes between me and my Gap low-rise boot cut stretch?”
USA Today ran a great story on the state of designer jeans in today’s paper. Until recently, the recession hasn’t dramatically impacted sales of premium denim. Now, however, uber-pricey brands aren’t seeing growth while companies such as Levi’s, Lee and Wrangler are still experiencing rising sales.
From the article: “The superpremium jean business has dropped off tremendously because the inspirational shoppers aren’t going up that high, and luxury customers aren’t buying two or three pairs anymore.”
It has always suprised me that women fork out $100+ for jeans, but I guess when you employ the cost-per-wear formula, that results in “value” for many who wear the pants off of their J Brands and True Religions.
I love my jeans, but you do NOT have to spend $200 on denim to look like a star. I own a few pairs of Joe’s Jeans, J Brand and AG, but I buy them at Filene’s or Nordstrom Rack, where the options may be from last year, but they’re also still in style and have a price tag of anywhere from $39 to $99 – much less than retail 
costs. I also supplement my denim wardrobe with less expensive, yet no less fashionable, pairs of jeans from J. Crew, Old Navy and others. H&M, Uniqlo and even Target have incredibly reasonable options, too. All of these pairs still have high-end lycra technology and come in great washes and cuts.
Believe me. Less pricey jeans look just as stylish as their premium counterparts when they have a good fit and are paired with a cute top, cut-appropriate shoes and darling accessories.
Have you quit buying expensive jeans during the recession? What are your favorite cost-conscious options?
Miss Pink Slip 