Finding the Right Fit, Part I: Are Madewell Jeans Worth It?

Continuing the trend of posts inspired by Facebook group conversations, I recently sought out the perfect pair of jeans and, in this first of two Finding the Right Fit posts, I looked to answer the question, “Are Madewell jeans worth it?”. 

I’ve always been a bit of a jeans minimalist. I don’t have 15 pairs sitting in my closet. If I have one dark wash, one medium, and one light wash, I’m happy. And, I hadn’t invested in a new pair in a while. Which, was totally fine — for the 2.5 years that I worked from home, the only times I wore jeans were on the weekends or sometimes when I’d go to more casual on-site meetings.

But, it only took a few days of going back to working in an office for me to realize that my existing jeans wardrobe was not cutting it. I’m in jeans almost every day and mine had seen better days. Yes, apparently the spandex in jeans can wear out over time and lead to sagging in the knees and waist. This is where I was.

FINDING THE RIGHT FIT: THE SEARCH FOR NEW JEANS

So, it was time to set out to find the perfect pair of jeans. Professional, yet cool. Super high-waisted. NO raw hems (seriously, can we please just put this look to bed?!).

I did what I always do when I have a question and went straight to Facebook. I polled the women of the Forever 35 Facebook group and saw a few answers show up again and again: Madewell. Everlane. Gap. Levi’s.

And, I did what any good millennial online shopper does. Placed like 30 orders. Seriously, I think I ordered at least 30 pairs of jeans.

OUTFIT NOTES: ROTHY’S CINNAMON MARY JANES / MADEWELL FLANNEL BOYFRIEND SHIRT / MADEWELL CURVY HIGH-RISE JEANS / JORD CASSIA WATCH / $16 SUNGLASSES / MEJURI EDITOR HOOPS

THE WINNER: ARE MADEWELL JEANS WORTH IT?

And, the winner, by no surprise given how highly recommended they were, was a pair of Madewell jeans. Everyone raves about them. People are Madewell devotees who never stray. There’s a reason an entire tab on their website is Denim.

I ordered almost every style they make in high-waisted jeans and there were actually a few pairs I could have kept, but, since I like to go minimal (and, because Madewell jeans aren’t cheap), I went with the Curvy High-Rise Jeans in Danny Wash: Tencel®. Here’s a little about them:

• The Curvy style is a godsend for people with bigger bottoms and smaller waists. I always have to get my jeans tailored, so this is a savings of at least $20.
• Tencel® makes these jeans so super soft and they keep their shape (gross, maybe, but I haven’t washed them yet…I mean, y’all know you’re not supposed to wash jeans, right?!)
• I went with the regular length, but I went down a size in these.

And, after a few weeks of wearing these, do I find Madewell jeans worth it? Absolutely. These fit like a dream. Exactly like the first day I put them on. The high-rise is right above my belly button, the material is super soft, I didn’t need them tailored at the waist or hemmed, and they’re professional, yet casual. Perfection in denim.

Curious about the other pairs I liked? The pair I kept and the runners-up from Madewell are linked below.

THE LOSERS: SORRY, GUYS

You’re probably wondering, what about all those pairs of jeans I didn’t keep? Well, let’s run through what I thought of each…

Everlane: I love Everlane, however I don’t understand their jeans’ cult following — and I’ve been glad to see a similar sentiment expressed by others in Facebook groups when people ask for real opinions. The thing is, I’ve been sent Everlane jeans in the past and I liked them well enough. However, they do stretch out. And, I don’t think they’re that flattering. They’re a mom jean and not in a cute way. Plus, they’re huge in the waist even on the curvy fit.

Levi’s: I came really close to keeping the Mile High Super Skinny. They were almost everything I was looking for and, on the Presidents’ Day Sale, they were a great price. However, they fit me just a bit loose in the crotch area. Definitely worth a shot though.

Gap: Honestly, I thought the Sky High True Skinny Jeans might be the winner. You can’t beat the price, they’re super soft, and they’re high-waisted (though could be higher). I was totally on board. But, after a day of wear, the knees and waist stretched out…and I took these right back to the store.

UP NEXT IN FINDING THE RIGHT FIT

Here’s a little spoiler, the next pair of jeans in my Finding the Right Fit series is totally new for me…as in a totally new color of jeans. Those will be on the blog next week, but you can check out a sneak preview here for now.

And, if you want a jeans throwback, here’s a look back at my favorite pair of white jeans — timely given that spring is just around the corner!

Photos by Lauren of DC Girl in Pearls