They say black is back. Skinny black (or dark ash, or midnight, whatever they’re calling it) jeans are big for fall ‘06. But hasn’t black always been big? I’ve always been an “all-black-wearin’” type of gal. I was that chick in high school who wore Doc Martens with pearls in my conservative-suburban town, and gushed over Robert Smith, Morrissey and Depeche Mode. Many weekends, I went to Revival, an “underage night” in Philly -- it was our version of Misshapes -- wearing skinny black Guess or Esprit jeans.

Some things don’t change, because I’m still wearing those skinny black jeans and going to bars with the same vibe as Revival. But, I’ve grown up; my taste is more refined. Most recently, I came upon a chic pair of jeans by Los Angeles-based Red Engine. The company was founded in 1998 by James Boldes, and prides itself on creating “a premium vintage-inspired line that features both classic and cutting-edge wash techniques.” Red Engine was kind enough to lend me a pair so I could give ‘em a road-test. What better spot to test them than The Annex, a band hangout on the Lower East Side that serves NYC’s more fashionable rock ‘n’ roll scene?

I squeezed my way into the ultra-slim (maybe too slim?) black pair they sent. Picture it: my entire body laid flat on the floor, tugging at the zipper, like that scene in Dazed and Confused; and, I have to admit, I felt sexy. They created an amazingly sleek silhouette, and actually felt comfortable, because of the stretch.

At The Annex, I was greeted by Jason Baron, one of the owners (he also co-owns The Dark Room), who stepped aside to comment on my new look. “They’re like air conditioning on a hot summer day!” he remarked. So, what’s his take on the black factor? “I spill a lot of stuff in the bar and if I spilled anything on you, you’d get the stains out,” he responded. Okay.

After a few beers I found my way downstairs and bumped into Josh Garza, drummer for the band Secret Machines. Josh is known for wearing black…a lot… so I knew his opinion would be positive. “They looook good. They loooooook goooooood!” he bellowed after taking a careful head-to-toe look. Sweet success.

~Jessica McMenamin is a music writer in NYC.

Get Them:

Red Engine skinny jeans, $164, available in NYC at Cantaloup, 1036 Lexington Ave, (212) 249-3566; and The Lounge, 539 Broadway; (212) 674-4229. For a list of more stores: redenginejeans.com

The Annex, 152 Orchard St, NYC; (212) 673-3410

For more info on The Secret Machines: myspace.com/secretmachines