Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
Would you believe that jeans were created for cowboys? Made from denim, blue jeans were so durable that it made perfect sense to wear them on the ranch. Eventually jeans became popular with the everyday person. From babies to grandmothers, everyone owns a pair.
Celebrities even wear high-fashion jeans on the red carpet. But is that cool? Can they be worn anytime and anywhere, or should jeans be worn only in casual situations? There must be limits. Who decides?
Keep reading to hear Jeff and Mason discuss when and where they think it’s OK to wear jeans today.
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
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Jeff: So, I’ve got a question. I was at this event the other night and I had a pair of jeans on. I looked around and I felt a little self-conscious. When do you think it’s OK to wear jeans and when is it not?
Mason: This is a complicated question, I think, because there are jeans and there are jeans. Right? Jeans have become such an industry. The denim industry is so big that there are high-fashion jeans that you’d probably be OK wearing to an event of a certain type. Versus if you’re just grabbing a pair of 501s… that’s maybe a little bit too casual for anything other than working in the garage on the weekend.
Jeff: Well, I had the professional look going on that night.
Mason: They had the nice sparkle thread in them.
Jeff: No, I don’t do that. I don’t go that far.
Mason: Cool. I’ve got to be honest with you. One of my big pet peeves is buying the pre-torn jeans. That makes zero sense to me.
Jeff: Wear them enough and that’ll happen. It’s funny how they could be considered a “dress pant” when they became popular purely out of function.
Mason: I would say the fact that I could basically wear nothing but jeans is just a fulfillment of their function at the highest state of performance.
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Discussion
Jeff recently went to an event wearing jeans. He tells Mason that looking around at the other guests, he felt uncomfortable. He wasn’t sure that it was OK to be in jeans even though he thought his clothes were professional. Jeff asks Mason when he thinks it’s OK to wear jeans and when it isn’t.
His answer? It depends. There are all kinds of jeans today, and some are definitely OK to wear when you’re going out. Masons points out that the fashion industry makes jeans that are very different from the kind you’d wear while working around the house. Basically, there are jeans for every occasion.
Jeans can cost a few dollars at a second-hand store, or thousands of dollars from a famous designer. It’s amazing how one type of clothing can function for so many situations.
Is it always OK to wear jeans? When is it not OK? Where have you seen people wearing jeans that seemed improper or inconsiderate?
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