Moms Are Hip To Be Square

Monterey County The Herald:

The crack attack. It’s not everybody’s everyday problem, but if you are a woman who likes to wear low-rise jeans, quite possibly you’ve experienced it.

That’s when stooping, bending or just sitting creates a gap between the bottom of your shirt and the top of your jeans, revealing underwear and excess flesh — not the most attractive sight.

And that’s when necessity became the mother of invention.

Two resourceful Salinas women came to the rescue of fashionistas everywhere with their invention, the hip-T, a fabric wrap that keeps unmentionables covered and adds a spicy twist to the layered T-shirt craze.

Christine Meeks and Kelley DeSerpa, two stay-at-home moms who have been friends for 11 years, came up with the idea almost two years ago as something they could sell to make a little extra money.

Now, they’re selling anywhere from hundreds to thousands per week.

“We were looking for a practical solution to an everyday problem,” said Meeks, 40, who, like DeSerpa, is the mother of three daughters.

The hip-T, made of cotton with a touch of stretchy Lycra, is available in a variety of colors and sizes. The sizes range from extra small to 3XL, and they retail for $15.95.

Most popular colors? The basics, black and white.

It’s being sold in about 30 clothing boutiques around the country and is available online through a variety of fashion sites, and via its own Web site, www.myhip-T.com.