My Favourite Jeans | Everlane Authentic Stretch Denim

If I could wear jeans every day, I would. They are my ultimate closet staple, perfect for casual weekends and easy to dress up for an evening out or even for the office. For several months, I’ve been putting Everlane’s Authentic Stretch High-Rise Skinnies to the test, and let me tell you – I’m impressed. Read on for my thoughts about these jeans and to see some of my favourite ways to style this classic denim.

MY DENIM HISTORY

While I’ve had a lifelong love for denim, finding jeans that fit me well and are comfortable has always been somewhat of a challenge. At slightly north of 5’10”, tracking down jeans with a generous inseam is difficult (this was especially true in the early 2000’s – I recall wearing some ridiculously cropped and floaty bell bottoms!).

Several years ago, I found the Levi’s 721 high rise skinnies and they were my go-to style for ages – over time, I must have purchased at least six pairs of Levi’s 721s! While I tried different jean silhouettes, I always came back to my trusted 721 skinny jeans.

ETHICAL DENIM

Since focusing on building a more ethical and sustainable wardrobe, I’ve been on the search for a more responsibly manufactured pair of skinny jeans to love. While I continue to wear my 721s that are not yet entirely threadbare, I was super excited when Everlane (finally!) launched a tall option in their denim and ordered the Authentic Stretch High-Rise Skinny in the dark blue wash as well as the Japanese denim High-Rise Skinny (returned this pair). I ended up loving my stretch skinnies so much that I also picked up a pair in black.

Before I get all gushy about what I love about Everlane’s Authentic Stretch Skinnies, I’ll let you know why I returned the skinnies in the Japanese denim:

• I was initially drawn to the true dark blue indigo colour and the colour is indeed beautiful in person. They look like real, hard-wearing denim. That said, the denim is stiff and would definitely require some breaking in; this is where my concerns started…
• With the skinny style, the denim bunched whenever I bent my knees or sat. This then caused the jeans to rise up at the waist and around my ankles, making them much shorter. I was constantly trying to tug them back down into position.
• While the jeans fit me perfectly around the waist, there was some extra fabric under the seat of the jean and in the crotch area. I was concerned that these areas would bag out more over time, which would move the jeans away from the skinny, fitted silhouette I love.

THE DETAILS

Fit: I picked up these jeans in the tall length and in my regular 27 waist size. The fit is perfect and while I could probably size down to a 26 for a snugger fit, I tend to like my jeans to have a little bit of wiggle room (to keep me comfy through a pizza feast or one of mom’s delicious homemade dinners!). They are truly high waisted and so very flattering when worn with cropped sweaters or with tucked in shirts.

If there is one area for improvement in these jeans, I would say that it is actually the length. While I was thrilled when Everlane finally offered a tall option, I wouldn’t say that a 30.5″ inseam is actually all that tall. I’ve learned to make slightly cropped jeans work for me over the years with flats, sandals and chelsea boots but feel that a tall option should offer a generous amount of extra length that can be cropped if needed.

Fabric & Construction: Everlane lists on their site that the skinnies are made from 87% cotton, 12% elasterell-p and 1% elastane. The denim feels very substantial and thick while still having a generous amount of stretch. I have been wearing these jeans relentlessly since they arrived, and they have not bagged out, kneed or lost their shape in any way. The dark blue wash is a nice mid-tone shade, however, I do sometimes wish they were a tad darker. The black is a true, deep black; I often wear these to the office as they are easy to dress up and look quite polished.

Care: I’ve been machine washing my Everlane jeans in cold water and hanging them to dry. No problems or signs of wear thus far. I tend to wear my denim several times before washing – better for the environment and helps denim last much longer!

Ethics: As I am striving to build a more ethical and sustainable wardrobe with classic quality pieces that stand the test of time, I’ve long been a big fan of Everlane as a brand and their commitment to transparency and ethical manufacturing. For their denim line, Everlane notes on their site that their denim is manufactured in the world’s cleanest denim factory which uses far less water and energy than standard denim manufacturers. Definitely recommend checking out the link above – very interesting read!

Well, that wraps up my rather long-winded denim review.

If you’ve tried Everlane’s denim, what did you think?

Thanks so much for reading!

–M.

IN THIS POST:

Cardigan (worn backwards): old, similar here and here | Blazer: Sold out in this colour, but similar here | Bag: The Stowe; sold out, but check out their beautiful new collection | Flats: Everlane | Grey Turtleneck: John Sterner | White Oxford Shirt: Tradlands; read my thoughts on this shirt here | Mules: Everlane | Denim Shirt: Everlane; sold out in this cut, but similar here | Puffer: Everlane; sold out in this style, but love their new ReNew option | Chelsea Boots: Frye; I believe Frye discontinued this style, but they’re still available on Amazon