Kate Perkins
What were your first pair of jeans?
"Oh lord, haha. Well, I distinctly remember falling victim to the JNCO jean fad. They were my first 'big' purchase as an adolescent. Everyone was wearing them, and I was so confused as to why since they were more like shelters than pieces of clothing — you could easily fit a family of four in one pant leg."
What are you wearing?
First Look: "I'm wearing these awesome one-of-a-kind jeans in the Lips line by Loren (purchased in Greenpoint). They're incredible, high-waisted, black, waxed-denim pants that I wear to events, shows, and anything fancy I have to go to. I worship them. And I'm so in love with that gray American Apparel shirt because I met my girlfriend Abbey in it."
Second Look: "I'm wearing my favorite Diesel jeans and an AllSaints denim shirt I practically live in. I teach in outfits similar to this because I teach up in the Bronx. The more badass my outfit (aka, the more I wear my fabric and leather Jeffrey Campbell boots), the more street cred I have up there. Though, I'm fairly certain my kids are just playing along — they know I'm a huge nerd.
How many pairs of jeans do you own?
"So many, but never too many."
Do you have a preferred philosophy when it comes to jeans: Sexy and skinny, or loose and comfy?
"Wear what you love."
Used or new?
"Both are equally important to have in a wardrobe."
What's your signature wash...or does it matter?
"Dark wash, little to no embellishments."
What's your favorite way to wear your jeans and with what?
"Jeans are best worn barefoot. However, this is New York City and let's be realistic about what lives on the sidewalk, so pair them with anything that makes you as comfortable as you would be barefoot. (Wearing my mother's, grandmother's, or friend's jewelry never hurt, either.)"
If your jeans had a name or theme song, what would it be? Or do they?
"My AllSaints denim shirt reminds me of a jacket my dad had in the '60s. During the summer, he'd wear it while riding his motorcycle to gigs (he played the organ — when that instrument was cool — in a bad cover band called Reese). Every time I put the shirt on, I think of how similar we would have looked as long blond-haired hippies, so it's only appropriate that I name the shirt Reese."
Favorite example of celebrity-jean wearing (i.e., Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA album cover).
"This is a hard one. Recently, my girlfriend and I were watching Weird Science for the millionth time. Kelly LeBrock rocks the hell out of everything she wears in that movie, especially her denim."
What do you love most about your favorite denim pieces?
"I love them because they're things I've worked and saved for. I invested in them with the plan that they'll stand the test of time (and fashion, hopefully). I love them for what they represent, and I hope they'll make it down the line like my grandmother's jewelry and my father's denim motorcycle jacket."
Photographed by Kava Gorna. Casting by Megan Delaney.