Wearing jeans is not in Andy Hirst’s genes

Oct 1 2009 by Hilarie Stelfox, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

It’s Jeans for Genes Day on Friday, but there’s one person who won’t be wearing the ubiquitous garment, even for charity, and that’s the Examiner’s Head of Content, Andy Hirst. A member of that rare species – People Who Hate Jeans – he was called to account for his prejudice by fashion writer HILARIE STELFOX who was given the task of showing him the light

IT rapidly became an item of office gossip, discussed around the water cooler.

“Andy Hirst doesn’t wear jeans. Ever.’’

This scandalous fact had been revealed, or should I say confessed, in the morning news conference.

And the consensus of opinion was that there must be something wrong with our Andy because absolutely everyone wears jeans. Even Prime Ministers and members of royal houses.

It was decided that, as Examiner fashion writer, I should do my utmost to make my colleague see the error of his ways.

I would take him shopping and use my powers or persuasion to get him to see how wonderfully stylish, versatile and comfy jeans can be.

But before we set out on our denim quest, I thought it prudent to gather ammunition and information from other male colleagues.

I polled the sports department and the photographers. Did they wear jeans? They looked at me as if I was mad. The photographers even get to wear jeans for work when they’re lying behind the goalposts at football matches.

How many pairs did they own? Huddersfield Town writer Dougie Thomson was proud to admit to having 10, while others rattled off lists of designer labels.

Photographer Paul Welch said he has four ‘good’ pairs and another three that he wears for gardening and painting. Everyone had more than four pairs and several colleagues said that jeans were their default garment when not at work.

Oh, and they all thought Andy was insane not to like them.

I took him to House of Fraser in Kingsgate where they have several concessions and in-house brands, all selling jeans. There would be plenty of choice, I reasoned, and no way for him to weasel out of his modelling engagement.

Menswear assistant Chris James was assigned to help us in our quest.

“We sell more jeans than any other type of trouser,’’ he said, thereby confirming Andy as a fashion oddball.

Certain brands appeal to different age groups. “But Levis,’’ said Chris, “go from teenagers to the older end – men in their 60s – who are still buying them because they have always had a pair of Levis and trust them.’’