Arabella's Jeans 2021

“First order of business is fixing what I already own, decide what I want to keep or discard, and order fabrics... how many jeans do I have? How many are priorities? Pickaway or donate?”

From August 31, 2021 “The Jean Project” Page 41 a-c

4 are given away because they are too tight or too low. I decided to keep eleven by the end of this process of documenting them all. I have already altered 1, none of the rest fit me yet. I have a lot of work to do. This process continues through spring 2022, letting go of many pieces slowly after recording their qualities.

My measurements at this time were 25” around the waist, 29.5” at the top of my hip. 35.5” around the midsection of my hip and 36.5” around the base of my trunk where my legs begin. M leg length is 26” or 27”.

“Light v dark Wash, high vs low Waist, straight v flare Cut, Casual vs Professional”

Major identifiers (wash, waist, cut). The Waist and Rise of a part of pants defines the top portion. The bare minimum rise for me is at the mid-section of my hips, which is aligned with the top of my pubis mons (pubic area). The cut is how the legs end (straight boot, skinny). Wash (color and value). I note other characteristics such as closure style (button, clasp, zipper), brand, and general conditions (wear, quality, previous alterations). I make a few notes on the overall style of the pants and where some of them originate. Finally, the potential of each piece is decided and a plan emerges.

I decided that five pairs of jeans would cover my needs well and serve as the foundation of my wardrobe.

Choosing categories to generally be rid of helps greatly in downsizing. For example, I let go of a bunch of sweatpants and a collection of casual pants inherited from my grandmother. Deciding to get rid of it is the first part, figuring out where to pass things off to is a whole other thing.