Help a Millennial Out
I've come to that point in life where I'm starting to feel—*cough cough*—dated.
Jeans / Sneakers / T-Shirt / Necklace
OH, HEY THERE.
A few things:
Chicago Med or Chicago Fire is filming on our block again, and Emma is laughing that the porta potty truck is always outside her window. (It’s true. It’s really always outside her window.)
I can’t believe I have a newsletter again! I attempted to start up my Substack before the holidays, got stuck on/confused by the difference between my handle page and homepage (or whatever), and gave up. Classic. Still don’t fully understand Substack, but the sun is shining, I’ve been writing blog posts recently (wha whaa?!), and I figured hey let’s just do this thing! I wrote out a list of newsletter topic ideas last night, and got started on a few. If you have any suggestions for posts, I’ll gladly add to the list. :) Feels deeply satisfying to be at the keyboard again.
If it’s been a while since we last caught up, hi! I’ve missed you. Same old me, fun new era. Mitch and I turned 40 in October and poof, our little girls somehow turned into kids. Gone are the days of strollers and silent temper tantrums—#IYKYK—and now the days are filled with sleepovers, homework, after-school activities, dance parties, crafts and a whole lot of glitter. Aside from parenting, we’ve been enjoying the freedoms and (relative) slowness that’s come along with this decade. I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for my 40s, haha. Mitch and I always have a little passion project (or three) going, and we always have a concert or show lined up to attend. Which, sure, we’ll end up wanting to cancel in favor of staying in. But then we’ll end up going and we’ll say to each other, “Gosh. I’m so glad we did this.”
Like a lot of us do at the start of a new season, I’m going through my closet and donating stuff I don’t wear/filling in gaps. An area that needs help? Jeans. I had a lot of fun shooting and writing the below post on finding and loving trendier denim, so sharing it here as a bit of a kickoff! :)
3 Pairs of Wide-Leg Jeans for Spring: WWYD?
One of my style goals this spring is to update my denim. As a 40-year-old millennial, I’ve long been a fan of skinny jeans. ;) And while I have no plans to donate my beloved little collection, I’m thrilled I found some trendier wide-leg options. I wore a pair out over the weekend, and my best friend exclaimed, “Kelly! Look at you in those jeans! I love them!” And I was like, “OMG right?! Who am I?!” Felt good. Felt fun. Thanks, Gretchen. <3
While I discovered the “cool jeans” in a few different ways, I was able to buy all three pairs (from different brands!) from Nordstrom. :) The retailer’s product selection always hits it out of the park. Nordstrom is a go-to for me because of this and the fact that they offer free shipping (no minimums!) and free returns all the time. And the Michigan Avenue in-store staff is lovely, if you’re local to Chicago. (The pick-up-in-store options is fantastic, too!)
Anyway, here are three pairs of wide-leg jeans I’ve recently fallen in love with:
Jeans / Sneakers / T-Shirt / Necklace
Mavi Paloma Marine Ankle Jeans
I found these with my mom! A girl was wearing them on 30A and I did the unthinkable, haha, and asked where they were from. (Thank you, Kind Stranger.)
First, they’re very lightweight, which is a nice change from my heavier winter jeans, and incredibly comfortable. They’re also wonderfully soft with a lot of stretch. (In case you’re wondering, 74% cotton, 20% recycled cotton, 4% elastomultiester, 2% elastane.) And they feature an ankle cut, which you might or might not be able to tell from this photo. (I’m between 5’4 and 5’5.) I love that for spring! And while they’re definitely high-rise with their 11 1/2″ front rise measurement, I’m long-waisted so these look a tad more mid-rise on me.
All around, this pair gets an A+. Because of the rise and color, I’d say they’re my perfect work-from-home/weekend jeans. (Mavi jeans are also sentimental for me, as they’re one of the first “big girl” purchases I ever made after graduating from college!)
Sizing: They run a little big. If in between sizes, definitely go down.
Jeans / Sneakers / T-Shirt / Necklace
Faherty Stretch Ankle Terry Pants
Oh heck yes. What’s so interesting about this pair is that the brand doesn’t even call them jeans; they call them “terry pants.” THAT’S how soft and comfy they are! (83% cotton, 16% polyester, 1% elastane) Again, I’m between 5’4 and 5’5, so I went with the ankle version, which has a 28″ inseam. (As you can see, they hit right at my ankle, which is perfect.) But if you’re taller, there’s a longer pair, too, which comes in other colors.) The front rise is around 11″, and I think they definitely look high-rise on me, despite my longer torso.
Because this pair comes in both a light and dark wash, I think they’re more than just everyday jeans. While I lead a more casual life right now, the darker pair is on my wishlist, for sure!
Sizing: They run a little small in the waist. I went with my normal size, but if you’re in between or dislike a tighter fit in the waist, go up one.
Rag & Bone Miramar High Waist Terry Sweatpants Jeans
My cousin Sammy wore these recently and I was like, “Sam, I NEED.” Of course, I took a good month to hem and haw over the purchase as I thought there was little chance this millennial would be able to pull ’em off. But guys. I’m obsessed?!
(Seriously, Sammy needs to start her own fashion blog.)
Out of all three pairs, they definitely feel the most like sweatpants. So much so that I kind of can’t believe they’re real. (100 percent “supersoft cotton.”) And because of that super on-trend widest leg cut, I feel like I could wear these “out,” even though they have a very light wash. The cut makes up for that! (Though you can find them in a lot of different washes here.)
With a 12 1/2″ front rise, they’re the highest rise of all, and I’ve learned that I definitely prefer that. Makes me feel way more put together!
Sizing: They run BIG. Whenever something runs big, I order my normal size since I don’t like super fitted clothing, haha. But for these, I needed a full size down. So please order down!
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