“I need new jeans, but I don’t wanna pay 50 dollars for a piece of fabric.”

It was a cool fall evening when I muttered these words to one of my dearest friends. Her solution seemed despicable, but once I put on those mom jeans my life changed for the better.

Mom jeans can be described as a pair of jeans that are extremely high-waisted and straight-legged, providing a great feeling of 90’s nostalgia. When I was first informed of these type of jeans, I immediately turned up my Johnson County nose, simply because I prided myself in sporting a pair of $50 jeans from whatever store was popular. Don’t be misled, I still continue to wear and own ridiculously expensive pairs of jeans, but I have learned where to draw the line. Wearing mom jeans has opened my eyes to fashion in general. Fashion is one way we express ourselves, so who would I be if to judge someone for what they wear? I would most definitely not be representing the moms of the 90’s very well.

When I first bought my two pairs of mom jeans, I was a bit worried about them losing their shape over time, just as my expensive jeans do. I am sure we all know the skinny jean pull-up too well; your jeans are not staying up after 30 minutes into wearing them, so naturally you grab at the hip and jump or do a little shimmy to pull those suckers up. Suprise! With mom jeans there is absolutely no need to do a little shimmy. They sit so high up on your waist that it is almost guaranteed they won’t fall below your hips.

These jeans may be going out of style, but the point I always make to my mom when she says that is that I would rather spend a slim five dollars on a pair of outdated jeans that would last than a pair of $50 jeans that I will either grow tired of or wear out. Oddly enough, out of style seems to be the new in-style, just as thrifting has become the new way to shop.

The most important thing about any pair of jeans is that you are comfortable. Comfort is something that is a priority for me, and that is exactly what I get with mom jeans. I can dress them up with ballet flats and a cute top, or I can wear a t-shirt and Converse. The possibilities are absolutely endless.

Sure, you may feel foolish and out of place in mom jeans, but that’s okay. Fashion is about trying something new and reinventing your style every once and awhile. Challenge yourself: wear the clothes thrown in the back of your closet to be forgotten about. If you are concerned about looking odd or out of place, do not fret. Just remember that one time I decided to wear a sweatshirt with gauchos and a pair of old tennis shoes, and now it is guaranteed that you will never look as odd as I once did.