As a writer I know all about the problems of being confined to my desk.

I spend hours and hours every day locked to my keyboard and staring at my computer screen.

Writing is fabulous work for the incurably lazy. Unfortunately I am not lazy so I need to inject some action into my working day and lack of exercise isn’t the only problem that I face.

The Copywriter’s Wardrobe

My wardrobe also creates issues. As I work from home, the commute from my bedroom to my office in the morning is a just a few metres. There is always the temptation to shuffle to my desk in my night clothes as they are so comfortable. However, my days are often punctuated by knocks at the door. It doesn’t look great when I greet people in my pyjamas in the middle of the afternoon! My wardrobe choices seem even less appropriate when I receive a Skype call from one of my customers!

When writing I need comfortable clothing that is also presentable. Preferably something which doesn’t massacre my personal image if I need to pop out. Jeans seem like the obvious solution until you try to sit in them for a long period of time.

Denim Science

Then the denim starts to wrinkle around the knees causing irritation and as I fidget the jeans start to migrate south. Builder’s crack never looks great and it is uncomfortable too.

So you can imagine my amusement when I discovered that this issue is now the subject of scientific research. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has investigated how jeans could be designed to be more comfortable for those who are seated for long periods of time. That appears to be most people these days.

The result is FYT jeans which have been designed for sitting. They feature a horizontal zipper above the buttocks. This can be opened before you sit down to prevent the jeans riding down your posterior. The waistband has hidden elastic strips for expansion and the jeans don’t bunch up around the knees. Sounds good to me!

The jeans were originally developed with wheelchair users in mind but represent a move towards designing clothing to overcome problems rather than to create them.

This is a significant development as fashion has to date been so focussed on the look rather than the practicalities. I have always thought that it must be possible to design styles which are fashionable but comfortable too.

It has long frustrated me that cool looks almost inevitably involve pain or discomfort. Shoes are the biggest issue in this regard but jeans can certainly be problematic.  We all wear jeans and they are now acceptable in the work place. So it is astonishing that the issue of sitting down all day in denim has not been addressed before.

Hopefully it won’t be too long before practical solutions to everyday problems are a feature of mainstream fashion. When alone in my office comfort is key but it really helps if I don’t have to get changed to take a call or to pop out.

My Jeans

I should mention that I now buy my jeans from Jean Store. Well it would be rude not to as I write most of the content for their website! Jean Store offer a wide range of jeans from the top brands at discounted prices so I save money too!