Obama, Chicago Wants a Denim Intervention

Gold Coast store, The Denim Lounge, offers to help style Obama

Barack Obama and "Mom/Dad Jeans" in the same sentence? You'd never have thunk it, but Mr. President made that phrase a reality when he threw out the first pitch at last Tuesday's All-Star baseball game.

Why couldn't he have asked, WWMOW (What Would Michele Obama Wear) before he left the (White) house?

Or, alternatively, why couldn't he have just asked Chicago's very own Denim Lounge (43 E Oak St.) what jeans he should have sported? They certainly had something to say about the situation. In a letter to President Obama dated July 17th, the posh Gold Coast store implored him (after calling out his "Mom" jeans) to visit their boutique:

Clearly, the owners of the Denim Lounge, David and Wendi Shelist, have chutzpa. They're loud and proud, and they want Obama to dress in jeans that suit his stature. Whether you're the leader of the free world, a bike riding hipster, a lettuce-eating fashionista or a Sunda-dining scenester, the Denim Lounge has a pair of jeans for you. And they'll help you find them.

Most people (particularly women) would say that shopping for jeans goes hand in hand with bra and/or bathing suit buying. Men, perhaps it's shoe shopping? Regardless, they're all depressing and relatively boring. But Wendi, who's also the Chief Fit Specialist at the Denim Lounge, will help you find your perfect pair.

Since 1996, Wendi has been dressing hard-to-fit men (from stocky football players to ridiculously tall basketball players; from North Shore daddy-o's to nightclub bouncers), and women from every stage of life (hot, trendy 20s to active 30s, confident 40s to elegant 60s). With brands like Dundop, Reo Star, Robins and Ranahan, True Religion, Joe's, Antik Denim, Rock & Republic, Hudson and 1921, Wendi should have no problem fitting any body type (including President Obama's).

So hit up this "denim bar" (as the cool kids call it) for your very own denim cocktail, whether it be boot cut, straight leg, trouser or skinny. If owners, David and Wendi, could call out the President of the United States of America, they're certainly not going to let you leave their store looking anything less than presidential.

Erica Bethe Levin is re-evaluating her jeans collection as she edits and writes for CheekyChicago.com.

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