San Francisco Blog

Could these "gently worn" jeans soon be yours?

Calm down, everyone. It's a double entendre.

Jennifer Siebel Newsom, erstwhile movie star and wife of our gubernatorial candidate and erstwhile mayor, will be "walking the jean carpet" noon today at 525 Castro as a celebrity guest of a "jeans exchange" benefiting Goodwill. It's conceivable our first lady will bring a few pairs to further the cause -- hence our headline.

If it is not clearly denoted upon your calendar, today is "Levi's 501 Day" -- clever! 5/01! -- a company-sponsored denim drive that will last until the 10th. You needn't bring only Levi's -- jeans of all sorts narrowly beat out Kingston Trio records as Goodwill's top-selling item. (A good buddy from college used to pitch his favorites, Wranglers, with the line "Wranglers -- when you just don't give a damn." His old Friendster profile picture even showed him being arrested while wearing a pair).

Folks toting "gently worn" jeans to Levi's 525 Castro or Union Square stores will receive a discount coupon. Finally, in yet another beneficent act of charity to a group of wretched wastrels, Levi's notes that all media covering its big event today get a free lunch.