I love jorts.

Jorts are denim shorts (or jean-shorts mushed together into one of those annoying hybrid words that seem to be all the rage these days, like coopetition).

Last year I gave away all my jorts. I read a post from a friend of a friend on facebook mocking jorts. Up until that time I had no idea they were the emblem of uncool, the poster child for redneckwear, the kind of clothing no self respecting urbanite would be caught dead wearing.

Cool? Uncool? Who cares.

I looked down at my jorts — which until that moment had just been my denim shorts — and was appalled. How did I not know I was violating a top-ten law of fashion nature? At the time, I was going to the UT Law Library pretty much every weekend in my oh-so-comfy jorts and a t-shirt. No wonder the college kids snickered (and I thought it was because I’m old enough to be their grandparent).

In a pique of fashion rage, I gathered up all my jorts and stuffed them in the Goodwill bag. Good riddance! I thought, embarrassed at my fashion faux pax.

Spring came here in Texas and with it the heat. I shopped for shorts, since I had rid myself of my jorts last fall; my comfortable, practical, durable, worn-in-just-right jorts. I tried on everything. Some were too short, some too tight, some just uncomfortable, most impractical for the hard life on the ranch they were about to endure.

And I had an epiphany. I AM a redneck. I AM uncool, I AM NOT an urbanite. I identifiy more with Bo and Luke Duke than Meredith Grey or Kim Kardashian. I love NASCAR.

If it’s good enough for Carrie Underwood…

I go to a bar in the country that serves beer and setups only, or a steakhouse where the owner sits on the front porch in his overalls and welcomes you. Our idea of a great evening is sitting in the rocking chair on the front porch with the cats, watching the bug zapper.

I am the jorts target market.

So with this newly minted acceptance of my rural self, I rushed to Walmart and found my beloved denim duds (you can find them here: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Faded-Glory-Women-s-Denim-Bermuda-Shorts/12510721) . I happily am wearing them now, getting ready to head out the pasture to help with the mowing, with my jorts paired stylishly with a tank top and a pair of cowboy work boots. It’s a look I can rock. A fashion statement I can own.

I’ve learned that it’s better to be happy with yourself and let others mock you, than uncomfortable and conforming to other’s judgments. Sometimes cool is overrated.