The Jean Comparison

Let’s talk about jeans. Of everything in my closet, I probably wear my jeans the most. I’m just a jeans-and-a-tee girl at my core. I thought it would be fun and hopefully helpful to take a few popular brands of jeans and compare them for you. You’ll see that I’ve got a few different styles in the mix, from skinny to straight. I’m pretty loyal to the brands that I shop for jeans at, though this comparison has opened me up to a few new brands that I’m liking, too!

Note on sizing: Typically, I like to share notes on how something fits and how the sizing runs, versus sharing my exact size. While I have no problem sharing my size, I think knowing how something fits and whether it runs large/small/wide/narrow is far more helpful than knowing what my size is (especially since you don’t know my measurements). All that to say, I have noted the sizes that I’m wearing in each style to help you with sizing and to see the comparison between the different sizes, since I don’t have the same size in every single pair.

(Also worth noting: I’m wearing this white tee and my flats are a few years old by Vince.)

1. Everlane Authentic Stretch High Rise Skinny, Vintage Blue

Price Point: $78 (on sale for $27)

Material: 87% cotton/12% elasterell-p/1% elastane

Fit: Fit is true to size. I wear a 27.

Final Thoughts: If you like just a little bit of stretch to make your jeans comfortable, but also want to feel held in and “secure” in your denim, that’s exactly how I would describe these! They don’t get baggy with wear, either!

2. Madewell Perfect Vintage, Ainsworth Wash

Price Point: $128

Material: 99% cotton/1% spandex denim

Fit: They’re an 11″ high rise, so sizing was a little tricky for me. I have them in a 27 and they fit comfortably in the legs, but I have an inch or so in the waist. Since they’re such a high rise, they stay up comfortably, so the extra room isn’t an issue!

Final Thoughts: This was my first pair of jeans that weren’t skinny jeans in years. I bought them when I was a few months postpartum and still getting used to dressing my new body. They instantly made me feel good! They’ve got just enough stretch to make them super comfortable, but still feel secure.

3. Madewell 10″ High Rise Skinny, Hayes Wash

Price Point: $128

Material: 88% cotton/8% poly/4% elastane Cone® denim

Fit: Like with most of Madewell’s stretch jeans, I recommend sizing down 1. I have these in a 27 and wish I had a 26 due to the room I have at the waist!

Final Thoughts: If you like a really stretchy, wear-all-day skinny jean, these are for you! The 10″ rise is my sweet spot, so I love where they hit on my body. They do stretch out a bit with wear (though I could probably get more wears between washes if I had sized down 1 size!), but go back to original shape/size with washing.

4. Abercrombie Ultra High Rise Ankle Straight Jeans, Ripped Medium Wash

Price Point: $99

Material: 99% cotton/1% elastane

Fit: Fit is TTS – I have a 27. They do stretch out with wear a bit.

Final Thoughts: I really like these! I love an ankle length jean, but these are right on the cusp of being too short (I’m 5’6″). My only complaint with them is that they do stretch out/get baggy with wear. I’ve been able to get about 3 wears out of them before feeling like I need to wash them to get them back to their original shape, which is low for how many times I can wear my other jeans before washing! The only other note I’ll make is that the waist doesn’t stretch out much with wear. On the one hand, it’s nice because you don’t have to worry about feeling like you have to pull your jeans up as they stretch out. On the other hand, if they’re even remotely tight, it can be uncomfortable to sit in them!

5. Abercrombie High Rise Skinny Jeans, Medium Wash

Price Point: $89

Material: 99% cotton/1% elastane

Fit: I have a 27 and have a bit of a room in them, about 1/2-3/4″ in the waist. If you’re between sizes, you can probably size down and be just fine!

Final Thoughts: I like that these are a skinny jean without being really tight at my ankles, almost like a slim jean. They’re a thicker denim fabric, so they feel durable and secure, though they’re not as comfortable as some of my other skinny jeans that have a lot of stretch.

6. AE Ripped Mom Jeans, Cool Classic

Price Point: $49.95 (on sale for $34.96)

Material: 95% cotton/5% polyester

Fit: These fit TTS – I have a 27 and think that’s the perfect size.

Final Thoughts: The first thing I noticed about these jeans was how thin they are. They’re lightweight, which makes them comfortable, but they don’t offer much hold or support, if that’s something you need. I really like the fit of these – they’re flattering and easy to dress up or down.

7. AE Stretch Mom Straight Jean, Cool Torn

Price Point: $59.95 (on sale for $35.97)

Material: 58% cotton/20% lyocell/12% modal/9% polyester/1% elastane

Fit: These fit TTS – I have a 27.

Final Thoughts: Just like the pair above, these are soft and thin, which makes them comfortable. These are the straightest of the jeans that I’ve purchased recently, so I’m still playing around a bit with how I want to style them. I like that the rips/holes add to the casual style, since these will be mostly for “mom”/casual outfits for me!

8. AG Farrah High Waist Ankle Skinny Jeans, 16 Years Element (another similar wash)

Price Point: $225 (on sale for $90)

Material: 98% cotton/2% polyurethane

Fit: Can size down – I wear a 26 comfortably.

Final Thoughts: Since these have so much stretch, they’re very comfortable! However, they don’t provide that feeling of “security” that you get from a thicker/stiffer denim. I’ve had them for a few years and still wear them regularly throughout the fall/winter, so they’re worth the investment for me (I buy them during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale when they’re discounted!). If I had to choose one premium denim brand to shop, it would be AG. I loved their maternity jeans, too!