Names:
Nancy Gibson and Jennifer Murray
Occupation:
NG: "Co-owner and co-founder of Edith A. Miller (with Jennifer Murray), formerly the publisher of the zine I Dress Therefore I Am, and before that a Distressed Asset Specialist on Wall Street (when Wall Street still existed)."
JM: "Designer and one-half of Edith A. Miller. Account Executive at Maryam Nassir Zadeh Showroom. Also half of DJ duo, THE KIDS, with Brie Welch."
What were your first pair of jeans?
NG: "Side-zip (so funny!), very dark, natural waist 'denim' that my mom bought me because she said, 'No dungarees!' when I was around four or five years old (I had two older sisters, so I was on to everything)."
JM: "Definitely some polka-dotted OshKosh B'Gosh overalls, probably around age two."
What are you wearing?
NG, first shot: "I am in full travel mode. Edith A. MIller cozy crew-neck shirt (bien sur!) Black James Jeans, black Chanel boots with just the right heel, double-breast Dolce & Gabbana peacoat from the mid-'90s (when they cared), and a vintage 1977 men's Christian Dior evening silk scarf absconded from a very handsome man in a tuxedo I kissed in that era!"
NG, second shot: "I am in a pair of old Joe's Jeans (from when they were still 100% made in the USA!) that have gone the distance, an Edith A. Miller super-soft and cozy tee (100% sewn and grown in the USA!), a Sea NY black and navy (love that color combination) jacket, and a pair of Castener slipons I picked up on the Rue St. Honore on my trip when I realized I couldn't walk another block in heels."
JM, first shot: "I am wearing an Edith A. Miller long-sleeve tee, The Row black jeans, Vivienne Westwood for George Cox creeper boots, and Aesa, Shourouk and Pepper Cotton bracelets. I had no idea I would be playing on a playground, but the look turned out to be chill enough to go on the monkey bars and hang by my knees!"
JM, second shot: "In the photo on the steps, I am wearing a vintage white Levi's jacket that belongs to my roommate Brie who has amazing style, a Sea New York paisley dress, black Belgian shoes, Illesteva Sunglasses, and Manic Panic hair dye. The whole outfit is super-comfy and loose, but still looks feminine. I am trying to make myself wear more dresses!"
How many pairs of jeans do you own?
NG: "Too many I'm not wearing. I go in spurts where I'm trying to find a certain type of jean and I think I've found it, and then I notice a pair that are closer to what I'm really looking for and then...you know how that goes."
JM: "Hmmm, not too many. I am really picky about the fit, so once I find a pair I like, I usually get the same ones in a few colors. So, I just have a couple pairs of The Row ones, a bunch of Cheap Mondays from painted to metallic, to cut out and patched up. I really am wanting a good pair of leather jeans, not sure if they are still considered jeans if they are made of leather though..."
Do you have a preferred philosophy when it comes to jeans: Sexy and skinny, or loose and comfy?
NG: "I see other people rock the boyfriend jeans with the white shirt, the chic red nails, and sexy black pumps, but I never get around to wearing it. In the end, I go for more of a classic-jean style — natural waist, a little low or an even high — or alternatively, a full-on skinny."
JM: "I think as long as you feel good in them, they will look good on you. Some girls look amazing in slouchy, loose jeans, whereas I feel more comfortable in a skinny pair with a lower rise."
Used or new?
NG: "New."
JM: "I usually go for new pairs because I like to wear them in myself, so they have a good fit.
What's your signature wash...or does it matter?
NG: "I like saturation of color. I know jeans wash out and that's fine, but I like to shop for something that starts out one color."
JM: "I like solid colors, nothing too faux worn-in. I like starting with a dark black or blue and wearing it in myself."
What's your favorite way to wear your jeans and with what?
NG: "I love a polished look with a great boot, a favorite old tank, or worn-in tee, and then a jacket I can throw over my shoulder. Don't get me started on bags, scarves, sunglasses, perfume, or jewelry — we could be here ALL day!"
JM: "I like to wear super-skinny jeans and an oversized shirt with my leather jacket, then you can wear heels or flats. It's super-easy to put together and still looks cute. I like wearing jeans day, and for night I think they can work in any situation."
If your jeans had a name or theme song, what would it be? Or do they?
NG: "'American Woman' by The Guess Who, followed by the same song by Lenny Kravitz (Made in the USA, baby! Yeah!)."
JM: "Umm, I think my jeans are cool without having a name or theme song. They like to go dancing and listen to music though...they trill."
Favorite example of celebrity-jean wearing (i.e., Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA album cover).
NG: "I love mixing extremes, opposites, and contradictions when it comes to inspiration, so of course I have two very different influences when it comes to how I want to FEEL in jeans. Ali McGraw in combination with the Ramones on the cover of Rocket to Russia. Ali McGraw for the polished, Uptown discretion and Wellesley confidence — class of '81, myself — and the Ramones for their irreverence, rebellion, and Downtown CBGB rock-it-loud 'anti-style' style! I'm always vacillating between wanting to hang out with the inimitable Ms. McGraw or the late Joey Ramone! (RIP.)"
JM: "My favorite celeb in jeans is probably Axl Rose, but not Axl Rose now, Axl Rose in like 1987 on the Appetite for Destruction tour."
What do you love most about your favorite denim pieces?
NG: "For me, they're like a good friend, a marker of moments, fun events, and occasions. You remember what you were wearing and the rest of the story and sensations come right back to you."
JM: "I love not having to think twice about putting my jeans on. I take forever to get dressed sometimes and good jeans are a no-brainer..."
Photographed by Kava Gorna. Casting by Megan Delaney.