Some might say I am the “jean genie,” as David Bowie would call it. Even before I took a job at Levi’s over the summer, I had an indescribable love for wearing jeans as much as I could. So when I was hired as a salesman at a store in the heart of one of Miami’s largest shopping malls, I greatly looked forward to observing the purchasing trends of the city’s diverse consumer base.
From day one I diligently observed every interested customer that walked through the door. What were they wearing? What areas of the store were they carefully browsing? What did they buy? Eventually, I was able to notice certain steadfast trends that provided insight into what people look for in their jeans. For men, it is the pairing of comfortability and versatility.
Generally, it meant the purchase of either 501’s or 541’s, both of which provide a fashion-forward look that doesn’t hug the butt too hard. If a man ever asked to try on a skinny jean, a majority of the time they would emerge from the fitting room stating something to the effect of, “This feels way too tight for me.” In reality, they were not actually uncomfortable, they just didn’t want their lower half sticking out like a sore thumb.
I must add that for the most part, I tended to agree with them. I felt, though, that men were supposed to look a bit manlier in jeans; skinny jeans simply contradicted that close-minded viewpoint. For women, however, it is a little more complicated.
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