So many things happened while we were away in December. Ok, I can’t actually remember anything noteworthy happening, but I know there were some things.  Anyway, as life was unfolding throughout the holidays,  like most of our weeks, I tried to jot down blog worthy moments or things that I thought could be woven into a story at some point.  As I was going through my notes this week, I saw one that made me laugh just thinking about it.  

I follow the inventor of Spanx, Sara Blakely, and if you don’t follow her or even know who she is, stop what you are doing and go follow her on Instagram right now @sarablakely.  She is married to entrepreneur, Jesse Itzler and has 4 children.  She likes to say she has 5 children under the age of 52 which of course includes her husband.  Now, before you get all  uptight about that last comment, you have to go follow both of them and you will clearly see why she makes that statement on the regular. His Instagram is @jesseitzler.

I had been following them well before the pandemic began, but their life during lockdown made me want to check their stories daily.  They are polar opposites and they just make me laugh.  They also make me really happy I don’t have 4 children under the age of 10.

One day in early December, Sara posted a long story showing her husband trying on shorts.  She was filming from their bed and he would come out of the bathroom to ask her what she thought.  He came out in the first pair of shorts which were noticeably too tight.  She started laughing when he asked her how they looked.  He could barely walk they were so tight.  She told him they were way too small and he needed to order a larger size.  He seemed apprehensive about her opinion, but told her he had more to try on.  She waited patiently for him to change and out he came in a different pair of shorts that were a different color.  They, too, seemed small.  Again, she let him know that they were too tight and he needed a larger size.  When he came out in the third pair, she started laughing again and asked him if these were all the exact same shorts just in a different color.  His answer was YES, same style, same brand, same size. What?  Why?These were also her immediate follow up questions because who tries on the exact same pair of anything three times in hopes that one might fit differently?  Her husband seemed to not understand why she was confused.  They were different colored shorts.  One might fit different than the other.

I can tell  you that if a woman tried on a pair of shorts or anything for that matter, with the exception of shoes, and it was too small, she wouldn’t try it in a different color.  She wouldn’t even try on a larger size, she would leave the store immediately and probably wouldn’t shop there ever again.   Nobody needs that kind of self esteem hit.  In fact, I have been known to just go home after trying on a single pair of jeans at one store because I just know it’s not going to be a good day at that point.

Men are clearly different.  This whole story resonated with me because I had just been to the store with my hubby while he tried on jeans.  While I was searching for more sizes in different styles he began trying some on. He came out in the first pair and they were too tight. We both agreed they didn’t fit. He came out in the second pair and while they were a different shade of denim, they fit the same. I immediately asked him what style they were and he replied that they were the same as the first jeans in just a different color…Sound familiar? I explained that if a style doesn’t fit, you move on. His mouth said okay, but it was clear that his eyes were like, you are crazy. The third pair he tried on looked great. He liked them, they fit nicely and they passed the squat down and pick something up off the floor test. Done. I inquired about the style number and size and then went to look for more of the same jeans. I took him 4 more pairs of jeans that were slightly different shades of denim, but the same otherwise. He insisted that he try on every single pair to be sure they fit the same way. I rolled my eyes and stood outside the dressing room waiting because who does that?

I kid you not, 3 of the 4 pairs of jeans in the exact style and size did not fit the same way. What is happening? Women know that we can’t expect a size 10 straight cut jean to fit our size 10 curvy body or that what fits at one store will fit in another, but when did men’s Levi jeans become so unpredictable? If we can’t buy 4 pairs of Levi’s relaxed jeans in the same size and have them all fit then what can we depend on in this world? 
I take back the eye roll because, honestly, if he had just bought those four pairs of jeans that day, guess who would have been returning them? So, @sarablakely, be patient. These men are onto something and it’s going to save us a lot of heartache in the long run. And to all the hubby’s of the world, try on as much as you want, we’ll wait. After all, we are used to waiting for you anyway. what’s one more thing, right?

Sunshine & Sarcasm,
Lowi & G