Good Friday Morning everyone!  It is a beautiful sunny day here in Portland, Oregon and is forecasted to be a fantastic 3 day weekend!

A good friend of mine since Junior High, Kami Gray, wardrobe stylist and author of the bestseller, The Denim Diet: Sixteen Simple Habits to Get You into Your Dream Pair of Jeans Today she is running a contest on her blog for a goody bag full of some free stuff including a personalized signed copy of her book and the following: 

Dagoba New Moon, Organic Dark Chocolate (74% Cacao Content)

 ”This fun little give-a-way contest is EASY. All you have to do is comment below and tell me what you had for breakfast. lunch, or dinner yesterday. No cheating! The first person that sends in a Denim Diet-approved meal gets the goody bag and signed book. It’s my book so I’m the judge!” Kami says. click here to enter.

Good luck to you all, if you do not win, I highly recommend you buy this amusing no-nonsense  book of how we can get into.. and stay in.. our favorite thing on earth…..DENIM!  Click here to buy The Denim DietBy the way, The Denim Diet is now available on Kindle.

Some very interesting denim topics flying on Twitter yesterday.  Here are just some of the ones of interest that I could catch.  I would love to hear thoughts and/or comments on these.

kamigray So cool. I want these! RT @DenimID: #DENIMPENCILS???? Yup, creative ways to repurpose your jeans.http://denimid.com/wordpress/

petewentz @JensenClan88 lets make leggings in denim and then sell them to dudes like me as the worlds tightest jeans. genius!

mystyle Would You Wear Tie-Dye Denim?: Gwen Stefani, Victoria Beckham and Lindsay Lohan are just a few of the celebs wal.. http://tinyurl.com/r5lu9s

thisismikesothe Ack! Does anyone know how to get mouse spinal cord pit of designer denim? I guess this is why lab coats are supposed to be required.

lifeafterdenim Urban Dictionary Definition of life/after/denim

lifeafterdenim Denim (noun): An article of clothing, commonly worn though unnecessary.

ghettosavant fact: I wear denim jacket almost everyday.

SophieAgate must. stop. buying. denim. jumpsuits, The residents of Kensington are going to have a field day watching me gallivanting in an 80s onsie!

These pencils are made from denim that has been ground up!

Have a pair of your favorite jeans that you cannot wear any more or are worn out?   Make a cool lunch bag or  your new favorite handbag!

Any other ideas of repurposing your denim?

Wow, what a turn out at the Wieden and Kennedy reception for the online art auction, W+K=MAKE, benefiting DenimID’s favorite charity, Room to Read…..And Denim was EVERYWHERE and in all different ways, showing some real DenimID’s!  Check out the gallery below.

“Welcome to our global art show! The show features artwork from employees across all disciplines and represents all of our global offices including Amsterdam, Delhi, London, New York, Portland, Shanghai and Tokyo. In keeping with W+K’s dedication to supporting charities that provide educational opportunities, all proceeds from the show will benefit Room to Read.” www.wkmake.com

Superstar advertising firm, Wieden and Kennedy is holding a global online art auction, W+K=MAKE, benefiting DenimID’s favorite non-profit, Room to Read.  Stop by the Wieden and Kennedy ultra sleek company headquarters for the opening reception and to view the art work in person this Thursday, May 7th in Portland, Oregon from 6 to 10 PM.  

Room to Read: Our Mission

We partner with local communities throughout the developing world to provide quality educational opportunities by establishing libraries, creating local language children’s literature, constructing schools, and providing education to girls. We seek to intervene early in the lives of children in the belief that education empowers people to improve socioeconomic conditions for their families, communities, countries and future generations. Through the opportunities that only education can provide, we strive to break the cycle of poverty, one child at a time.

Room to Read has developed a holistic, multi-pronged approach to help children in the developing world gain the lifelong gift of education. The approach includes the following programs:

• School Room — We partner with villages to build schools.
• Reading Room — We establish bi-lingual libraries and fill them with donated English books and local language books purchased in-country or self-published, creating a colorful space with posters, games, furniture, and flooring.
• Local Language Publishing — We source new content from local writers and illustrators and publish high-quality local language children’s books to distribute throughout our networks.
• Girls’ Education — We fund long-term girls’ scholarships for young girls who would otherwise not have access to an education.

To increase the likelihood for success and long-term sustainability, Room to Read enlists community involvement and co-investment through our Challenge Grant model. Villages often raise a significant portion of the overall expenditure in the form of dedicated space, labor, materials and/or small amounts of cash. These challenge grants act as catalysts for community building while also maximizing the local participation and expertise brought to our programs.

We hire local staff, who are personally vested in their nation’s educational progress and we empower them to make key programmatic decisions within their country. They are already familiar with the language, conditions, customs and governments and understand the specific needs of the educational system and work to ensure that we craft new solutions to existing problems.

Room to Read: Results to Date

Since our inception in 2000, Room to Read has impacted the lives of over 3.1 million children in the developing world by: (1)

• Constructing 765 schools
• Establishing over 7,040 libraries
• Publishing 327 new local language children’s titles representing over 2.8 million books
• Donating over 2.8 million English language children’s books
• Funding 6,817 long-term girls’ scholarships
• Establishing 179 computer and language labs (2)

Weiden and Kennedy is having an online global art auction with proceeds going to DenimID’s favorite non-profit, Room to Read www.roomtoread.com.  Room to Read partners with local communities throughout the developing world to provide quality educational opportunities by establishing libraries, creating local language children’s literature, constructing schools, and providing education to girls. We seek to intervene early in the lives of children in the belief that education empowers people to improve socioeconomic conditions for their families, communities, countries and future generations. Through the opportunities that only education can provide, we strive to break the cycle of poverty, one child at a time.

Be a part of this incredible movement to change the world through education and work with and meet some great people.  There are chapters around the world. Get involved!

DenimID is very involved with the Portland Chapter of Room To Read.

Would love to hear comments, ideas, suggestions, and DenimID’s around the world!

Check out some hot new spring items for men and women in DenimID’s Amazon Favorites for men and women.  Just click here or on DenimID’s Amazon Favorites to the right of this post to view the entire collection.  

Below are just a few examples of the hot new MUST-HAVES for Spring and Summer!

Loving these white denim jeans from True Religion!

True Religion Disco Billy Stretch in White

 These white cotton capris from Newport News are perfect for warmer days!

Newport News Stretch Capris

These cuter than cute white shorts say, “Hi! I love your yacht, but I’ve got a very important picnic to get to!”

G by GUESS Sally Shorts

Throw this over a swim suit and you are ready for dinner or dancing!

VOLCOM Lola White Skirt

Hello Denim lovers, welcome to Spring! 

“Denim has become one of the most phenomenal items out there. It is used to make what is probably the best selling item in the world of clothing: jeans.” says MATHEW DOMINGUEZ, CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST of asurampage.com in his article Denim good for most uses.

So what is hot right now?  Well, according to Mathew, “It is now spring, which means that it’s time to bring out the miniskirts ladies. Well, I am sure that most guys will enjoy that too, but that is beside the point. So long as you don’t look like you belong on the corner somewhere, you should be OK. By this, I mean make sure they are not too short.” 

“Skinny jeans are still hot right now and probably will be for a while. One reason that these jeans are still flying off the racks is because they tend to slim down the legs as well as elongate them just a little. The hottest pairs right now are adorned with zippers at the ankles or anywhere else. They do not have to be super skinny though. If you are not comfortable with the tightness that comes with some pairs, you can always opt for a straight leg jean. They are just as slimming but happen to be more comfortable.f the skinny jean trend is not exactly something that you will be following anytime soon, then you are in luck because wide leg denim trousers are back in. It is something that is a little different and that we have not seen in a while and, let’s face it, they are definitely more forgiving. Just be sure that they look sophisticated and not sloppy. ” Mathew continues. 

Mathew goes on to say, “Since the weather is warming up, it is definitely time for shorts again. But the whole Daisy Duke phase is over. This season, shorts that hit just above the knee are back in. They are the perfect choice for those girls who are a little more modest, and they look oh-so chic. And the best thing is that any type of shoes, from heels to sneakers, works with this style.” 

“So when it comes to denim, a lot of us just can’t help this addiction. We are always looking for the right pair of jeans and once we find them, we still want more. Denim has been around for a while though, and it does not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. I mean, there are always new styles of jeans that are coming out and every spring, skirts and shorts begin to fly off the racks. So don’t be afraid to indulge because the right pair of jeans, shorts, or even the right skirt will always be in style.” Mathew sums it up nicely.

Evisu womens bootcut denim jeans

Share with us your DenimID here!

Cheers to Denim!

Hello world!  Welcome to a new global blog for denim lovers.  Share pictures of you and your denim, your town in denim, on your travels, others in denim, and your favorite designers.  Also, are you using your denim to help others?  Repurposing your denim, denim drives, fundraisers, etc. 

Tell me and show me and the world what you got!

The Denim Diet: Sixteen Simple Habits to Get You Into Your Dream Pair of Jeans (New World Library, March 2009)

The No-Nonsense Guide to a Smaller You and a Healthier Planet

Kami Gray is a Portland based TV and Film Wardrobe Stylist with a Ph. D. (Pretty Hot in Denim). She has worked with Hollywood stars like Patty Duke, Shannen Doherty, Amy Smart, John Corbett, and Jenny McCarthy. Her creations have appeared in commercials for Toyota, Nike, Discover Card, and other major companies and in television shows such as House, Veronica Mars, and Hell’s Kitchen. Visit her online at www.thedenimdiet.com and blog.kamigray.com. 

Kami says a dream pair of jeans can be a great motivator for losing weight and keeping it off. She doesn’t trust the bathroom scale, but says a pair of jeans will never lie. Kami ought to know. She’s spent twenty-two years cultivating a way of eating that makes sure her favorite jeans will always fit. That wasn’t always the case. At age nineteen, her jeans were six sizes larger than they are today. Then she had an epiphany, which you will read all about in The Denim Diet, and created a no-nonsense blueprint for reaching and maintaining your ideal healthy body weight in sixteen easy-to-remember habits to make and habits to break.

Q & A with Kami Gray:

Why do you call your program The Denim Diet?

Due to a flight cancellation en route to a family holiday, I took an unplanned six-hour drive from Dallas to the Texas Panhandle. It was my first trip to Texas. Along the way, I saw numerous billboards for seventy-two-ounce steaks and a mind-blowing number of obese people. While visiting a store called Sheplers in search of the perfect pair of Wranglers, I came across a pair of jeans so large that I jokingly said to my friend that even the denim needed to go on a diet. I also wanted a catchy title for my book and who can’t relate to fitting into a great pair of jeans? I also happen to be a wardrobe stylist and I’m completely denim addicted. I use my jeans as a replacement for the bathroom scale. What better way to tell if I’ve been overdoing it. If they feel a little snug or a little muffin top is forming around the top of my waistband, I know I need to rein my eating habits back in and make sure I’m getting plenty of exercise. It’s The Denim Diet – creating good habits to get you into your dream pair of jeans or maintaining good habits so your favorite pairs will always fit.

As a wardrobe stylist do you have advice for people who are in search of the ultimate pair of jeans?

First of all, there are good jeans at every price point. I often shop at resale shops for designer denim so I don’t break the bank. For women, keep it simple. For the most flattering look, go for bootcut jeans with a bit of stretch that sit high enough on the hips that they don’t slip down, expose your backside, or make you feel uncomfortable, but don’t go any higher! The higher they go, the longer they make your backside look. The darker the denim, the more slender you’ll appear. Unless you are absolutely averse to wearing a bit of heel, don’t hem them for flats. The longer, the leaner and the hem should almost reach the floor. They should have pockets in the back (I prefer flap), but no weird pocket designs, no embellishments, no rips or tears - just dark bootcut denim hemmed perfectly.

You’re not a doctor or a dietician. In fact, you’re a wardrobe stylist, why should anyone listen to you?

Before my literary agent agreed to take me on as a client, he asked me “Who are you Kami and why are you writing this book?” He was essentially asking the same question, you’re no expert, you’re not a doctor, you’re not a dietician, why should anyone listen to you? Who I am is you. I’m a regular person who figured out a long time ago how to live my life in a healthy way and by doing so, have managed to maintain an ideal, healthy body weight, easily and effortlessly, for twenty-one years. That’s the real secret: you don’t need to be a doctor or a registered dietician to figure it out. You can be you – just a regular person who wants a healthy, slim body that lasts for as long as possible. Although doctors and experts are an absolute necessity, I’ve been doing my own research for over twenty years and then I apply experience, logic, reason, and what my body tells me. I was also fortunate in that I had an unusually health-minded and green upbringing and live in one of the most health-conscious cities in America. The Denim Diet isn’t only about getting into your dream pair of jeans; readers that follow my guidance will become a better steward of the Earth as a natural consequence of the habits, activities, and choices they’re making.

Kami’s book is available on Amazon and all online booksellers and in bookstores everywhere!