I know this isn’t military related…but I just had to put this up, so bear with me.

Last weekend I was in Miami and forgot my jeans in the hotel…so I endeavored to find a new pair for the summer. I was walking down Broadway south of 8th St. and passed one of those storefronts with the windows entirely covered in ’sale’ ads for jeans. I always thought these places were a little sketchy or for tourists, so I never went in. This time, I said ‘what the hell’ and popped in to see what it was all about. This particular place was called ‘O.M.G. Jeans’ which in and of itself should sum up the shopping experience. It was like shopping for sunglasses on St Marks and 3rd Ave. Too many people asking if you needed help and everytime you even looked at one of the racks someone had three pairs in their arms pushing you towards the fitting room. It was really something else.

Shopping experience aside, I ended up with a pair of Levi’s 511s. Skinny, lightweight but firm denim, very stiff upon first trial but the hope was they’d stretch. I also thought I’d do something different. I went with the washed out gray. Really not my traditional style at all, I’ve always shied away from ‘alternative’ wash jeans and stuck to solid, dark blue. But lately I’ve been drawn to white jeans….and in lieu of making a REALLY bold statement, I went with the gray.

I love them. I think they are going to be a big hit this summer and become a ‘thing.’ So today, I came across the June/July Esquire laying around in my office. Flipping through, I was looking at all the recommendations for summer styles. And guess what was prominently listed as a must have for summer 2010?

Yep. Gray Skinny Levis. Now, I’m not trying to toot my own horn, but it’s always nice to feel like your weird urges and impulse buys aren’t that crazy. So check out the new issue of Esquire for some good style tips, and if you want to try something new, grab a pair of gray skinnys.