In late September, we featured the boys from Baldwin Denim on KCL.  If you’re not familiar with their product, it originated here in KC, but has created worldwide buzz.  Baldwin is known for, among other things — their exquisitely unique brand of raw selvedge denim.  Anyone who’s anyone proudly sports the ultra-trendy line. Clooney. Jay-Z. Ellen DeGeneres. Just this week GQ named owner Matt Baldwin one of the four best menswear designers in the country.  Heck, The Gap will soon feature an exclusive 12-piece Baldwin collection to be sold, starting in October, at Gap stores around the globe.

Okay, enough about them, back to me.  During the segment, the boys graciously offered me a pair of their killer jeans to wear on the show.  So, six weeks later, I traipsed off to get me some Über-cool new jeans that were both spendy and trendy.  Imagine my shock, horror, dismay and overwhelming embarrassment when I could not fit my fat ass in to one single pair of their jeans.  (I had put on some serious lbs and Baldwin’s waist size stops at a generous 38.)

Humiliated, I hired a trainer to whip me in to shape.  His name was Matt.  “Matt, for me, it’s not about losing weight, building muscle, feeling or looking better,” I told him matter-of-factly.  “It’s about effing fitting in to this effing pair of 36-jeans by April effing 1st.”

Yesterday I went in 25 pounds lighter and tried on a pair of jeans that were specially chosen by the store’s brand manager, Daniel. They fit. And by fit, I mean, I was able to get them on, zipped and buttoned. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. And I blacked out after 30 seconds because they cut off blood circulation to my brain, but, dammit, they were on my body.

Trainer Matt even showed up to give me his thoughts.  (After nearly four months, I think he’s as vested in this pair of pants as I am.)  He could tell I was thrilled to be wearing them and psyched that I worked my ass off (figuratively and literally) to squeeze in to them.  It’s gonna take another 10+ pound loss to wear those babies comfortably.  But now I feel a sense of pride, accomplishment and, of course, overwhelming fashion sense.

So thanks Baldwin for having a little faith in me.  And for reminding me I can still rock a great pair of jeans once I slimmed down accordingly.  Those jeans will be the litmus test for my weight for eternity.  It’s me and those jeans … until death do us part.

The countdown is on to squeeze in to them.  And, yes, success will be mine.  (Or I swear I’m gonna have my jaws wired shut.)  My goal is to make Baldwin … uh, and Trainer Matt … proud.