White Jeans Syndrome (WJS)

I'd like to bring your attention to an affliction that millions (I'm guessing) of women in this country are currently suffering from: White Jeans Syndrome (or "WJS"). It flares up in the spring and summer, and is characterized by an obsessive desire for white jeans, accompanied by a paralyzing reluctance to buy said jeans. You may not have heard of WJS. In fact, I'm fairly certain you have not, because my friend Jenny just coined the term in an email exchange we had earlier today, after J finally tracked down some white 7 For All Mankind jeans she had been obsessing over:

J: Alright, they had them. And there were also a pair of white Citizens that started complicating things. I ended up with no white jeans. Both because I couldn't decide between the 2 and because I got cold feet. $170 on a pair of jeans that are only seasonal...I don't know. Also, they just started scaring me - they are so bright and my bottom half is not my best half so maybe I don't want that to be so bright! I can see this will be the kind of thing I go back and forth on for a month before I decide.

K: You just summarized my own internal debate for the past 2 years about expensive white jeans! I have been wanting some for a really long time, but had those exact same concerns. Especially about the whole bright white bottom half, as that is my largest area. But then I started seeing them on others, and I decided that I think they look great on almost everyone. Also, please, you don't need to worry about that. The expensive part was more concerning to me, cause, yeah, it's not like you're going to wear them all year round. But I justified it by telling myself, I'll probably wear them once per week all summer long, and I'll have them forever and will never have to buy another pair of white jeans. I don't know, it's a dilemma. In the end, my obsession with them completely took over any rational part of my brain anyway--I had to have them.

J: Whew! I am glad I am not the only one that has gone through the White Jeans Syndrome (WJS)! You make some great points. I will wait til the weekend, try them on again, repeat this process for another 2 weeks and then finally buy them.

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WJS will not subside until you have actually purchased white jeans. It can last for years, usually subsiding for a brief period in the fall and winter. If you are suffering from WJS, you are not alone. As treatment, I recommend the pairs shown above: from the left, 7 For All Mankind "Ginger", $178 and Joe's Jeans "Honey" Curvy Fit, $158. Hang in there.