Unlearning the Skinny Jean: A Journey in Denim

Photo by Jake Thompson

Growing up gay in the suburbs in the early thousands strains (or challenges) your authenticity to put together some pretty remarkably terrible norm-core looks. You’re desperately tossing out your magick and clinging to every trend in an attempt to create an apathetic lifestyle worthy of those that you’ll spend your college years forgetting about.

Fast forward to college where standing out is not only applauded, but your merit is placed in your originality. I drank up every hair dye Manic Panic would dream up and started pinning all my tote bags and tees with band pins.

Long story short, fashion binds us to the status quo even when we think we are being “edgy” or anti-establishment because, well, Miranda Priestly says it best:

We’re “uniquely similar” even when we think we’re being different. Daria drops the mic on this situation as well:

Which brings me to my argument of unlearning the skinny jean.

A late 80’s style, the skinny jean became popular again in 2006 when Avril Lavigne donned a pair in a music video. Long were the days ditched when Jnco’s were a thing (which trust me, they will have their resurrection), and just like every disenfranchised hipster of that time period, I was sucked into the challenging world of exploring skinny jeans. I would buy pairs that were too sizes too small, or too sizes too big, but who cares when you’re trying to be different, right?!

After a decade (OMG!) of falling victim to this svelte trend, a beacon of hope presented itself on primetime television in the form of a denim unicorn. This mythical creature I speak of is Kirsten Dunst as Peggy Blumquist on FX’s Fargo Season 2.

Snatching up as many pairs I could find, the high waisted flare jean is my new obsession (and only way I can comprise my legs in the role of denim-wearing). If you’re gonna jump on a trend, be on the right side of the bell bottom. There’s plenty of benefits to wearing high waisted flare jeans: not only are they more comfortable than skinny jeans when you’re going to town on your Sunday brunch bottomless mimosas, but you carry yourself different in them, walk taller and command your presence more often then your generic skinny leg pants.

Besides, it’s instant-quirkiness. Whenever I show up in my high waisted flare jeans, I’m not only “fucking the system,” but every single person at the party will say, “OMG, I love your pants,” guaranteed and that’s pretty cool if you ask me.