In what was the most literal statement on the ongoing economic crisis, Ralph Lauren sent out a collection that drew from the Depression Era. More than one editor could be heard referencing The Grapes of Wrath as they exited the downtown studio.

The thing was, it wasn’t at all depressing. And it felt decidedly American, in that very Ralph way. The show notes included a quote from the designer that summed it up nicely, “I believe in the resilient spirit of America. Hard times seem to sharpen our capacity for idealism and our optimism that tomorrow will be a better day. I am inspired by the character of the worker, the farmer, the cowboy, the pioneer women…I have always admired the honesty of their work wear…”

There was tons of incredible denim, newsboy caps right and left, chic overalls, pinstripe blazers, denim-inspired blue evening wear (with the finale dress evoking that overall feel), and sparkly sheer long tops over jeans. I pretty much loved every piece, save for one of frilly evening look that seemed a bit overwrought.

Ralph walked the runway waving and saying hello to front row friends to the sounds of Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone”, and Dylan always brings a smile to my face. Well played all around, Mr. Lauren. Go team American sportswear.

We’ve been trying so hard to not spend lately.

Which is why when I was at Topshop on Thursday and tried on a denim dress, I decided to make my wallet my friend (for once) and pass on the purchase.

I was content with my choice (and had basically forgotten said dress) until yesterday.

While walking on Spring St. I spotted Miss Alexa Chung, texting (or tweeting, perhaps) away down the street, wearing that denim dress (or one super close to it.)

Needless to say when I got home I searched the Topshop website, to no avail. The dress has totally sold out, and is nowhere to be found.

It’s been super fun running around New York in the pouring rain checking out resort collections.

Or not really.

But yesterday, at Goldsign, we found something that made it all worth it - the stretchy stirrup thigh-high jeans at left.

Goldsign’s developed this exclusive super stretch legging/jean fabrication that they’ve turned into a pant, but also into two tubes with stirrups at the bottom that are kind of like over the knee boots except you can switch up the actual shoe part and they’ll sell for around $128, not $1028.

We’re slightly worried about the fact that we have more fat on our thighs than their look book model, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be the first people trying them on when they hit stores in October.

About one minute into my trip to the new Paige Denim store in the West Village yesterday, I was a little miffed. Not because some guy muttered something about “artfully destroyed jeans” to me as I walked in, but because I went there specifically for the Petites Line, which takes up about 1/16 of the store.

Which brings me to my greater question: Why exactly are jeans so incredibly long? My “petite” jeans I bought yesterday came with a tag that reads, “This collection offers perfect proportions for the petite. Rather than simply cropping the length, this garment has been rescaled and tailored to accomodate [sic] the woman who is 5’4” and under.” Which is interesting, seeing as how the average height for the female American woman is 5’4” (and that statistic doesn’t take into account all the still-growing teenage girls who probably buy more jeans than all the rest of us combined).

It’s not that I’m naive about these things. I stare at and mull over fashion for a living, so I am fully aware that most designs are intended for people that don’t even exist. But you’d think that such an ordinary item wouldn’t be subject to the idea that everybody’s 5’10 and 85 pounds (and I won’t even bother to present the argument that making people-size jeans would help the cost since less fabric should equal less money - my petites are always the same price as their foot-longer counterparts).

So does anyone have the missing piece of information to this mystery? Because it would really help my weekend.

What do you do when everybody’s shopping money is either disappearing or being stored away, but you really need to sell the one thing your company’s known for?

Collaborate with a big name of course. That’s exactly what J Brand is doing for Fall, since they just signed Hussein Chalayan for a capsule collection to hit stores at summer’s end.

J Brand, whose jeans hover in the almost-$200 category and are sold at department stores like Neiman Marcus, is probably hoping a London-based, avant-garde designer can give them the touch of mystique one probably needs to push overpriced denim these days.

But we’re just wondering which way this one’ll go: The normal J Brand jeans but with a few extra flourishes for an extra $80 per pair? Or “out there” denim that’s cheaper than Margiela’s?

Eight months ago, when Lanvin and Acne Denim announced a collaboration based entirely around denim, we thought, “Huh?” But then we remembered that those bright poufs Alber designed for Spring 08 were made of polyester, and decided to file the collaboration under “Maybe” in our heads.

As of now, the results are in on Acne’s site (look by look slideshow after the jump), and we’re kind of half-pleased, half-disappointed.

An example: Though we could see the dress at left on someone like Charlotte York (yes, we went there), the girl would also have to have the bank account to match. The dress is $810, putting it in the middle of the range’s price spectrum. And it’s made of denim.

Is it just us, or does that seem like too much money for a dress that might only live up to its wonder if you get to walk around saying, “Yes, it’s Lanvin”? Because it’s not like it has the same show-stopping quality as those polyester clouds so synonymous with Alber.

Or maybe, we’re being cheap?

Amazing news for everyone’s legs and asses!

Paige Denim, makers of the only jeans I actually spend my money on, is opening its own boutique in New York!

Yes, they’re already available at Bloomingdale’s, but any time we can avoid a major avenue / department store, we’re happy.

The new Paige boutique will be at 869 Washington, near the Scoops, making it an incredibly convenient stop if you’re into brunching then shopping in Meatpacking on Sundays starting, November 24th.

Here’s to hoping they include the petite line..

J Brand, the jeans often worn by Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and Cindy Crawford, is launching a new denim line for those of us who don’t make a living from being super thin and super tall.

The line, J Brand Blue Label will consist of three styles - The Scarlett (low-rise with a cigarette or boot), The Catherine (mid-rise with a cigarette or boot), and The Monroe (mid-rise that fits looser in the hips and thighs).

The jeans will have a more generous cut in the leg and contoured waistbands to fit curvier girls. Each pair is between $158 and $178, and will roll out completely by August after an exclusive launch at Bloomingdale’s this July.

So that makes: J Brand Blue Label, for girls who aren’t stick thing, Paige Denim Petite for MK+A-sized girls, James Jeans for those looking to draw attention to their ass - is everyone that much closer to being able to find the perfect jeans?

Did hell just freeze over?

WWD reports (though it turns out The Daily had this earlier), that Sophia Kokosalaki is designing a small denim collection.

The six-piece line will include jackets, miniskirts, pants and shorts, all in black - and jeans made of Japanese stretch denim.

Sophia says the line is more wearable than her eponymous label, which she considers “experimental”.

We’re curious to see how someone known best known for flowing dresses and the use of the lyre motif will make jeans, which don’t even sound like they’re from the same planet as any of her previous designs. Though if she pulls it off, she could make her name much better known outside of just the fashion bubble.

But we have a feeling these will be super special jeans anyway (stay tuned for images) - the denim collection is priced between 250 and 800 euros.

A curious phenomenon is sweeping the streets of New York, and we’re dying to know if you’ve seen it elsewhere:

Girls strapping their gladiator sandals over their skinny jeans.

It can look clumsy if you don’t have the right proportions for it (hint: if your legs are quite short, turn away from the screen), but there’s something intriguing about turning gladiator straps into a kind of accessory themselves, and it also stretches the shoes past their summer use into Spring and Fall.

But is this look just really silly and best seen on a Vice Magazine “Don’t”?

Or does it actually have real fashion potential?

It’s all happening:

Starting next week, Ruffian takes over the back room at Earnest Sewn’s store in the Meatpacking District, hyping their insane ‘08 line (needlepoint graffiti cocktail dresses, skinny denim suits) and collaborating with artist Anne Koch on a new visual installation.

The space and the clothes are based on the Boarding-School-Rebel theme, with scribbled chiffon, shredded silk, and teeny black neckties all echoing the idea.

To celebrate, the Ruffian boys are throwing a party at Earnest Sewn on May 27 -

No word yet on whether muse Agyness Deyn will make it over.

Shopping trips, no matter the goal, inevitably turn into another leg of my neverending quest for the perfect pair of jeans.

My biggest denim issue has always been length - it seems like every pair is made for the Elle McPhersons of the world, while I hover just above the 5’0” mark. Oh, just get them hemmed, you say? Well, that wouldn’t be such a pain if it didn’t:

1. Automatically add $25 to the pair of already way-too-expensive pants.

2. Put my purchase at risk of butchery (I once had a pair of very expensive jeans ruined by someone who took them up just 1 inch too high - yes, that’s all it takes.)

3. Make me feel like life is so incredibly unfair for all the short people, unless you’re an Olsen.

But after an unusually successful department store trip this past MLK day, consider me satisfied (at least for now.)

I finally got around to trying out the petite line from Paige Jeans (owned by Fred Kayne, father to Jenni), and I have to say, they’re amazing. Not only are they subtly flattering (which is really all we want from jeans), but the second I slid them on - and could feel only the floor beneath my feet - I knew I was going to walk out of a store with wear-ready jeans for the first time ever.

Now if I could only convince shoe designers that 5.5 is a worthwhile size to include in their normal lines, I’d be all set.

Earnest Sewn needs a PR assistant to work in their West Village office. You should have 1-2 years of PR or magazine experience, and be ready to work on January 3. You should also be awesome.

If you think you can breeze through sample pulls, showroom cleanups, calendar organizing, gift sending, and wearing cute jeans at all times, send a brief cover letter and resume to Eleanor Ylvisaker:

eleanory@earnestsewn.com

Please only apply if you’re qualified, and don’t embarrass yourself by wearing another brand of pants to the interview.

They won’t look as good on you anyway.