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We called them blue jeans and I guess my favorite brand was Levis. I don’t wear blue jeans too much anymore and, if I did, I’m not sure of the brand I would wear. There are so many brands these days.

It’s sort of like all products. Have you noticed how many kinds of Oreo cookies there are? You can get a thinner cookie or a thicker crème middle or double-stacked with creamed corn in the middle. They come in 25 flavors; I looked it up! I bought a package and I’m so boring, guess what kind I bought? That’s right, the original.

If I want an Oreo, I want an Oreo. I don’t want a chocolate cookie with birthday cake icing in the middle. Just call me old-fashioned, but back to blue jeans.

First of all, when I was buying blue jeans in the old days, they were not pre-washed and faded. I figured it was momma’s job to wash them and my job to wear ‘em out. They would be so dark blue and stiff, they would almost stand up by themselves. I’d say it took about a month or two of wearing and washing until they got to be comfortable. Then, after a year or more, they were really comfortable.

I don’t remember how long it took to actually get holes in them, but it started with the thinning of the material right around or a little above the knee. That area would begin to fray a little and the next stage would be a little tear. By the time the jeans got to this point, one would almost want to sleep in them.
Pretty soon, the tear would widen to include the whole knee. It would seem logical that, at that point, the thing to do would be to throw them away and get a new pair. Heaven, forbid!

Interesting isn’t it that a pair of blue jeans isn’t two jeans, but one. A pair of shoes is two shoes, preferably a right one and a left one. Don’t think I would want a pair of shoes that were both right. But a pair of blue jeans is simply one piece. Of course there are two legs.

I guess what I’m writing about today is that I have been seeing ladies, mostly, wearing blue jeans that come already worn and torn at the knees. In fact, I think I have seen some wearing jeans that look like they’re about to fall apart, just like my old ones did after I had worn them for two or more years.

I asked, “Did you buy those jeans like that? They look almost new, but they have holes in them. Did someone wear them out before you bought them? How much do they cost, those worn-out jeans?”

I looked that up, too. Put in my computer “Jeans with holes,’ then hit search. I was interested, not only how many styles there were, but, mostly the price. Did they charge less or more for blue jeans with holes in them? You know the answer. Nothing costs less anymore!

Then I found out that there were what is known as “ripped’ jeans and what is known as “distressed” jeans. Ripped jeans are those with just holes, mostly at the knee. Distressed jeans are those that have frayed fabric (say it three times, quickly) all over. In other words, distressed jeans are holey and worn-out. They cost more.

“Who’d a thunk it?” Me, the little sandy-haired teenager from Pelham, Georgia, wearing my worn-out Levi blue jeans would be a fashion icon today. I always knew I was ahead of my time.