I have always been really picky about jeans. Ever since I was in middle school and started caring about my clothes, it was a process to find a good pair of jeans. I was the freakin’ Goldilocks of denim: one size would be too small, another size would be too big. I needed something in the middle that was juuuuust right.
When I tried on jeans, I usually found something that I hated about each pair in the dressing room. There would be a gap at the waist, or the crotch would be too snug, or there would be baggy patches at my knees. There was always some reason why I decided to put a pair of jeans back on the shelf, sigh, and say, “Another day.”
On the flipside, if I ever found a pair of jeans that I miraculously liked, I had to buy them, regardless of price. I knew that it would take me a long time to find another pair that I liked as much, so I felt like it was important to jump on any purchases that left me satisfied. If I stared too long at my reflection, I’d find something that I hated about them, so it was best to buy now, think later. So when I found the perfect pair of maternity jeans a few months into my pregnancy, I was so excited that I immediately bought three pairs.
My pickiness when it comes to jeans has always resulted in me having just a few good pairs that I circulated throughout my wardrobe. I’d wear them until they were no longer wearable – until they got holes in the knees or were too stretched out from all the washing. Sometimes I’d repurpose them into jorts, other times I’d keep them to wear around my apartment on a lazy weekend.
As soon as I pulled on the jeans in the fitting room, it was like love at first sight. Seriously, if it’s possible to be in love with a pair of jeans, consider me enamored.
When it was time for me to start buying maternity clothes, I prepared myself for an uphill battle. I figured that if I struggled to find regular jeans that I liked, surely I’d have trouble finding maternity jeans as well. I anticipated a day-long search, trying on pair after pair, and probably leaving with just a stack of leggings and calling it a day. To my surprise, I was completely and totally wrong. I ended up buying the very first pair of maternity jeans that I tried on.
I had been shopping at Destination Maternity in Boston, which carries brands such as A Pea in the Pod and Motherhood. While there, I picked up a pair of Jessica Simpson maternity jeans called the “Secret Fit Belly Skinny Leg” jeans ($49.98).
With these jeans, I feel like I’ve been able to keep my pre-pregnancy style intact, which allows me to feel like myself when I look in the mirror.
As an avid lover of TJ Maxx and Marshall’s, I already owned several non-maternity items in Jessica Simpson’s line, so it seemed like a promising selection. As soon as I pulled on the jeans in the fitting room, it was like love at first sight. Seriously, if it’s possible to be in love with a pair of jeans, consider me enamored. The stretchy band at the top fit snuggly over my bump, while the rest of the material fit my hips and legs just like my favorite jeans back home.
I knew that I had to buy these immediately. If I looked in the mirror for too long, I’d find something that I didn’t like, or I’d talk myself out of purchasing them for some reason. Without trying on any other pairs, I brought those Jessica Simpson jeans to the cash register and paid for them. I was in and out of the store in under 15 minutes.
It’s safe to say that this was one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. As I’ve learned, maternity jeans offer the flexibility of being able to wear them over one’s bump or tucked underneath, and while I’ve experimented with both options, I prefer to wear mine pulled over my stomach. The stretchy fabric is navy blue, which blends perfectly with the color of the denim itself. And, I’m not going to lie, I’ve basically been living in these jeans ever since I purchased them. I’m almost in my third trimester now, and they still fit just as perfectly as they did on that first day. Are they magic? I’m not sure. They might be.
Of course, I’ll never turn down a good pair of leggings or sweatpants, but I am not exaggerating at all when I say that these jeans are just as comfortable. And the best part? They look great with pretty much any top – they can be dressed down for a casual Sunday afternoon, or dressed up with a pretty blouse and heels for a night out. With these jeans, I feel like I’ve been able to keep my pre-pregnancy style intact, allowing me to feel like myself when I look in the mirror. It may not seem like much, but when you’re undergoing one of the biggest life and body changes ever, anything that provides that much self-confidence is worth every penny.
