A few days before Christmas, I took my favorite jeans out of the dryer, slipped them on, and squatted down … all part of my time-honored ritual for getting them just so. And then something horrible happened. The stuff of nightmares, I tell you: I heard a ripping sound! Nooooo! SAY IT ISN'T SO, I cried. But it was so.
And worst of all — the placement of the rip was in a terrible spot …
Right on my inner, upper thigh. A totally NOT OK spot to have a rip, even if I was OK with wearing ripped jeans, which I'm not really because I feel silly.
These are my very favorite jeans, do you hear me? Which means, like many other women I know, they are basically my ONLY jeans. Yes, I own other pairs of jeans, but this is the one and only pair that I love, that I think look good on me, and that actually feel comfortable. No muffin top, no butt-squashing, not too Spandex-y but not too stiff … I can eat dinner in them, for goodness' sake!
I mean, this one pair of jeans plus a rotating bevy of tops basically makes up the larger portion of my winter wardrobe. And then, just like that, they were out of commission!
Two style-savvy friends of mine have since told me that my mistake was putting them in the dryer in the first place. Who knew?! My system has always been to wear them over and over, and then when they start seeming dirty/a little stretched out, I throw them in the washer and dryer. When they come out, they're a little snug, but I just do some calisthenics, wear them for a few hours, and they're perfect again. (I'm not alone in this, right?!)
Well, what I should have been doing, apparently, is let them drip-dry. So I guess I'll try that with my next pair. In the MEANTIME, however, I just did not have the time to go buy another pair over the holidays. Nor did I really have the money — these particular jeans run about $100 and they are worth every penny, but like I said, it was the holiday season. (It's expensive being Santa Claus!)
Luckily, my crafty mama was visiting me, so she popped into our local Walgreens and bought some iron-on patches. I was dubious, but she ironed on a dark blue patch on the inside of the rip and another, smaller one on the outside, and they look fine! I mean, yes, you can see the patch if I sit with my legs spread (which I don't), or if you are staring at my crotch (which you shouldn't be, thank you very much!). But basically they are good as new, for about $2 and a 10-minute effort. Hooray!
Another really promising-looking option if you rip your favorite jeans and don't think the patch-route is going to work is to try Denim Therapy. I've heard great things about them: you just send your beloved jeans in, and for $4 per 1/2 inch, they'll fix them right up! Brilliant!
Do you put your jeans in the dryer? How many great pairs of jeans do you own?
Image via calliope/Flickr
