I have a confession to make. I used to be a sceptic. I used to be a non-believer. I couldn’t for the life of it figure out why anyone would spend money on something that wasn’t actually needed. Money that could very well be spent on something more useful, of that I was sure.
I used to run around in jeans or an old pair of sweatpants when renovating.
You see, back when I started helping my dad out, I used to wear these clothes that weren’t exactly in good enough shape to wear them to school, or to work. They weren’t completely worn though, so they could still serve for odd jobs around the house.
So when Chrisje and I bought our house, I went on along that path, as you might have noticed on the photos where I’m present. I’ll give you a little hint: the red or blue pants actually are sweatpants, and those shorts aren’t exactly an example of great taste either… Oh the humanity!
A few weeks or months into our renovation, Chrisje started talking about working pants. How she thought they would be super-practical. How she didn’t understand why I kept using those sweatpants, even if that meant I had more and more trouble to keep them on in the first place (I know what you’re thinking, and no, it’s because they were getting loose, no other reasons at all). How I would look so good in them (never did I know looks mattered when renovating).
Months later I gave in (have I told you before I can be stubborn?).
We were browsing a local DIY store for I-don’t-know-what-anymore, when we passed some nameless working pants. They weren’t exactly cheap (although on the cheaper side of what I had seen so far). There wasn’t much choice (one model with all the nifty handy extra pockets everywhere, and one without, which I still believe is pretty useless). There weren’t many sizes available (I got the only L left, everything else was even larger). There was no way I could try them on, as there was no space in the store to do that.
So we opened the bag it was in, held it to my waist, said “meh, looks ok” and put it in our cart.
I believe that’s what people call an impulse buy.
Then we picked up a belt to go with it. Some time before I had bought my precious Makita combo set, and that set contains a holster, to be held on a belt. It also seemed smart to get the belt, just to be sure that, in the unexpected event of the pants being too large, I could still wear them.
Then we got home, and I just had to try them on.
They were too large.
About a fist.
That’s not an official standard of measurement, but I could easily put my fist between my belly and the pants. Thank God for that short moment of sanity in which we decided we also needed the belt. Then we found out that the belt actually is about the widest to go into the belt loops on the pants. It fits, but it’s a hassle getting the belt in or out.
From that moment on, I started using them. I’m quite sure they are by far the piece of clothing I have worn the most ever since.
Early 2014 they had to be cleaned once again. At that time our own washing machine wasn’t installed, so my dear mother-in-law received the honor of washing them. Unfortunately that also meant I had to miss them for a week or two.
Worst. Weeks. Ever!
So when we passed the work gear section on Batibouw 2014, I had half an eye out for working pants, just in case. With success, as we scored a set of working pants, belt and knee protection. From a known brand. For less than my first pants had cost. Talk about a steal, right?
I have worn them for a few day now. I still need to figure out where I’ll put what, as this one has different and more pockets than the other one. They feel sturdier. Looking at what abuse the old one has taken already, without a flinch, I’m sure I now have two pair that will last a long long time.
But most of all, pockets! Pockets! Pockets!