Sexy Boot

I had to exchange a pair of jeans at the Gap the other day. I bought them a few weeks ago yet I realized they didn’t fit right when I went to put them on a few days later. Yeah, that’s the kind of terrible shopper I am and even worse, I procrastinate when I have to go back to the store to return and/or exchange anything.

I had thought the problem was an easy fix…clearly it’s the stitching and that’s why there was weird bunching in the leg. When I tried another pair of the exact style and size, I realized what was wrong with them, was actually me.

I wanted to get this over with as soon as possible because I don’t love shopping unless I am with someone who can find the diamond in the rough (my sister rocks at that). I simply wanted to find a pair that fit. Anyone who has ever tried to find that perfect pair of jeans knows that this was going to be a pain in the ass.

Because I am a terrible shopper, I immediately friended the salesgirl in the fitting room. I think she felt bad for me because now in this second pair of the curvy jean style, even I could see they did not fit right. In fact, anyone could see that they weren’t laying right in the leg. I would like to say it was a result of shoddy labor, but again, two pairs from two different stores, in two different states, had the same problem. I admitted defeat by realizing the curvy fit was probably not the right pair for me. And the perfect fit, not so perfect for me either.

The salesgirl was SO helpful and went back and forth from the dressing room to the store to bring me different styles, sizes and washes. This was NYC around lunchtime, on a Friday. The personalized service was totally not expected. It almost felt like I was  shopping with my sister – who is the best personal shopper ever – but again, almost. It wasn’t as fun as when I am with my sister.

What fits me is, get this, the sexy boot.

This makes me laugh, because it is purely a marketing ploy.

I once worked for a man who headed up marketing at the Gap, and I remember a conversation we once had. I remember telling him how I loved my long and lean Gap jeans. They fit me perfectly, and still do! He told me they came up with that name because the target body shape was short girls who wanted to feel long and lean. I don’t know that I want to feel long and lean. I just wanted a damn pair of jeans that looked, and felt, good.

Because I have some knowledge about how they name different fits for different body types, buying those sexy boot jeans today made me laugh. What was the Gap marketing team thinking about the body type of women who fit into the sexy boot? I wasn’t buying them to look sexy, I was buying them in ankle length, to wear with my Converse, so it’s not exactly fitting the mold – or looking back at the target for the long and lean, is it?

Ladies, it’s something to ponder when buying your next pair of jeans, and the search to find the style that works best for your body type. Ignore the name, just find that perfect fit – even if it has a silly name. When you find the fit and the size that works for you, embrace it. I did, and now I am the proud owner of a pair of sexy boot jeans that fit me, even with my Converse, perfectly.