A REVIEW OF MY SIX FAVORITE PAIRS OF BLUE JEANS

Jeans are my wardrobe staple. Besides Sundays, when I'm wearing a skirt or dress to church, you'll see me in jeans ninety-nine percent of the time.

I get a ton of questions about my jeans, so I'm rounding up my favorite six pairs of blue jeans that I wear all the time, and giving you the scoop on all of them. (I did the same for maternity jeans here and here if you're in the market for those!)

Some of you ask "if I could only pick one, which one?" And the reality is that I like them all for different reasons, and like to have a variety of jeans for different occasions and outfits. So it's really tough to pick just one. But if I HAD to, I'd choose my DL1961's. They are a perfect color of wash, super flattering, and the distressing is minimal enough that they can be dressed up or dressed down.

That being said, these are in no particular order:

1. DL1961 Emma Power Legging (currently on sale for 40% off, but limited sizing -- same jeans in a different wash here)

(see outfit details for this look here)

Things I love about these jeans:

• They're a nice stretchy denim with a great hugging fabric. They suck you in and don't stretch out or sag at all. Even after several wears. 
• They're a great length. Most of my jeans need to be cuffed, but I almost never cuff these because they're a perfect ankle length so they work perfectly with heels, boots, sandals, and sneakers. 
• They run true to size
• They have a nice skinny ankle that requires no alteration, and hugs my calves perfectly. 
• The pocket placement on the back is very flattering
• Front pockets are real

2. Abercrombie Super Skinny Jeans

(see outfit details for this look here)

Things I like about these jeans: 

• I like a medium amount of distressing on my jeans, and this is just enough, and is attractive distressing
• They're fitted through the calf
• They have real pockets in the front
• The pocket placement and size on the back are really flattering
• They're a nice medium weight stretchy denim, and they take a few wears to start stretching out. 

Things I don't love about these jeans: 

• They're a little bit too long. I'm 5'6 and I usually wear a regular length, but these ones are a couple of inches too long. I like my jeans to hit about an inch above my ankle bone, and I had to tuck these ones up to make them shorter.
• They run big. Order one size down! 

3. American Eagle Distressed Jeggings

(find outfit details for this look here)

Things I like about these jeans:

• They have distressing, but they're fully lined
• They're stretchy, but they're more of a thick denim, so they're a little warmer and sturdier. 
• They're a good length and don't always need a cuff, although with boots I always like to cuff them like I did in the image above. 
• They have real front pockets
• Fitted through the leg

Things I don't love about these jeans:

• They stretch out after a few wares (obviously not a huge deal -- just wash them and they're back to normal!)

4. Blank NYC boyfriend jeans

(outfit details for this look here)

Things I like about these jeans:

• These are hands down the best boyfriend jeans I have ever found. You need a pair RIGHT NOW. 
• They run TTS -- don't size up! 
• They stretch out during the day, so even if they start a little more fitted, they'll be slouchier within an hour or two. 
• The distressing is just enough
• They're a nice soft, lived-in fabric. The fabric is medium weight and sturdy, but not uncomfortable at all. 

Things I don't like about these jeans: 

• They have to be washed in between every wear or else they get too baggy
• The top hole is too high for me, so I patched it and shared a tutorial here.
• I ordered a few pairs of these and some of them have a sort of tie-dyed coloring to them. It's not the case with all of them (the ones I kept didn't have it at all), but every pair seems to be a little bit different. So I'd recommend ordering a couple of pairs and then choosing the one with the color you like best. 

5. Dittos Jessica Jeggings (this exact pair isn't currently available...it's usually restocked within a few weeks. But the same style, different wash is available here or another wash here)

(outfit details for this look here)

Things I like about these jeans: 

• They run pretty TTS, but maybe a tiny bit on the small size. Order up if you're nervous. 
• They're super stretchy and lightweight
• They're nicely fitted in the legs
• They're super flattering

Things I don't like about these jeans: 

• They have fake front pockets, which drives me nuts.
• They're really long, so I always have to cuff them, but they're so thin so the cuffing is less bulky than any of my other jeans
• The cuffs are pretty stiff so with the skinny ankles they're kind of hard to get off over my feet!
• They're the lowest rise of all my jeans, which I don't love. 

Abercrombie Super Skinny Jeans (on sale for under $40!):

(outfit details for this look here)

Things I like about these jeans:

• I love that they don't have any distressing. Most of my other jeans have distressing, so it's good to have one pair without. 
• they're fitted through the legs
• They're a good mid wash

Things I don't like about these jeans:

• They're a little bit long, and require a cuff (order in "short" length if needed!)
• The pockets are a little bit small for me, so the backside is a tiny bit less flattering for my body
• They stretch out after a day and need to be re-washed
• They run one size big -- order down!

 Any other questions about these jeans? I might sharing a little special feature with these jeans over on snapchat today if you're following along -- my username is merricksart. 

RAIDING MY SISTER'S CLOSET: TRYING OUT A TREND - FLARES

JEANS  ||  CHAMBRAY TOP (so soft and comfy!)  ||  WEDGES  ||  SIMILAR BAG  ||  POM POM  ||  SUNGLASSES  

One of the big trends this year is flared denim. Have you tried it yet? I wore flares all throughout high school and college, but this time they're coming back in a really chic and updated way. And honestly I think they're so incredibly flattering on most figures (much more so than skinny jeans, although we're all used to our inverted triangle shapes by now).

Try these tips for buying and styling this trend:

1. Think about wash and length. Dark wash denim is always more flattering and makes your legs look leaner. And the new flares are all long, which gives you a super long leg line, which is flattering on everyone. So choose dark wash with a longer inseam for the most figure flattering jeans.

2. Add a heel. With those longer inseams, you'll need a little lift. You do not want your hem to drag on the ground, so choose a shoe that lets your jeans sit about half an inch above the ground. For a dressier look, choose stilletos, but for a casual everyday look stick with a wedge like I did here.

3. What to wear on top? When you're used to wearing only skinny jeans, it can be hard to transition back to wearing other styles of jeans and figure out how to style them. But the thing about this style of denim is that it's flattering with pretty much everything. Loose button downs, like the one I'm wearing above, slouchy tees like this, fitted tees (I wore a similar look last fall right here), oversized tops, jackets, crop tops, and even with a belt and your top tucked in. I found a bunch of inspiration on Pinterest and pinned a few to my Dressing Myself board if you want to check it out.

Think you'll try this trend like my sisters and I did?

Now go hop over to Janssen and Landen's blogs and see how they're styling their flared jeans!

   

photos by rad and happy 

THE GREAT MATERNITY JEAN HUNT, PART 2

As promised, here is part two of The Great Maternity Jean Hunt! If you missed part one, check it out right here. We're going through more brands and more price points today and hopefully with all of these you'll find the perfect pair for you! 

Oh, and just like yesterday, these are in no particular order, I'm 5'6", I wear a size 26R jean pre-pregnancy, and I'm wearing this striped top, these heels, and this necklace. Here we go! 

ASOS Skinny Jeans (on sale!)

wearing size 4

PROS

1. true to size
2. stretchy
3. fitted all down the leg
4. very flattering
5. great price point (and currently on sale!)
6. good dark wash
7. great ankle length
8. Front elastic waistband panel

CONS: 

1. stretches out after 1-2 wears, but rebound really nicely in the wash

NOTES: I love these jeans. They're the perfect fit for me and super comfortable. The only downside for me is that they have to be washed after every wear because they stretch out, but besides that I highly recommend them.

Jessica Simpson Distressed Skinny Jeans

Wearing size small

PROS: 

1. Good price point
2. Good distressing
3. Nude full belly band, great for camouflaging

CONS: 

1. Runs large, order size down (size small was too big for me)
2. Thicker, less stretchy denim
3. Stretches out after 1 wear
4. More of a straight leg fit -- not fitted all the way down

NOTES: I heard great things about Jessica Simpson maternity jeans, but I wasn't super impressed by these. These pictures make them look more flattering than they really were, especially in the crotch area which was a little baggy and had unflattering bleaching. I like the wash, but the fit was not great for me.

Topshop Joni Maternity Jeans

wearing size 6

PROS: 

1. runs TTS (should have ordered a size 4)
2. super stretchy and comfortable
3. good price point
4. skinny and fitted all the way down
5. Front elastic waistband
6. Good dark wash
7. Low ankle length

CONS: 

1. Back pockets are a little high and wide

NOTES: I wish I'd gotten these ones in a size down, but besides that they were close to the perfect dark wash jean.

Jessica Simpson Skinny Jeans

Wearing size small

PROS:

1. Thicker denim, but still soft and stretchy 
2. Good, flattering fit
3. Nude full belly band
4. Nice skinny leg, but not too tight
5. Good price point

CONS: 

1. Fake front pockets
2. Runs a tiny bit big. Wish there was an XS to order
3. Stretches out after 1-2 wears

NOTES: These must have been the kind people were talking about when they said they loved Jessica Simpson jeans. I personally prefer a softer denim, especially during those last few months when my bump is growing really quickly, but for a sturdy denim, these are a really great classic casual pair. 

Paige Black Denim 

Wearing size 27

PROS: 

1. Runs TTS (should have gotten my pre-pregnancy size)
2. Perfect length
3. Super comfortable
4. great skinny fit
5. side pocket panel
6. very flattering

CONS: 

1. higher price point

NOTES: It's hard to tell from the photos because the jeans are black, but these are slightly baggy on me, especially at the crotch, because I sized up. Definitely order your normal size and then they will be the perfect fit (see the same jeans in a different wash below). 

Paige Dark Wash Denim 

(slightly lighter wash with more sizes and a full belly band here)  

Wearing size 26

PROS:

1. Incredibly soft denim
2. Very stretchy, but good rebound
3. Very flattering
4. Good price point
5. Great dark wash
6. Good low ankle length
7. Side panel elastic
8. Functioning fly

CONS: 

1. Front pockets stick out a little bit as my belly grows (you can see in the main photo on my left pocket). I like functioning front pockets, but I think it's annoying here. 

NOTES: this is actually the same style of jeans as the black pair directly above. But I'm sharing both because I love the color and I got it in the right size and they fit perfectly. These jeans are so flattering, so comfortable, and so soft. And a great classic pair that will last for lots of future pregnancies (not that I'm planning on having lots more pregnancies...but you know what I mean ;)) 

Motherhood Maternity Indigo Blue Denim 

wearing size XS

PROS:

1. thin, comfortable denim
2. super stretchy
3. good dark wash
4. good long ankle length
5. Low price point
6. full belly band

CONS: 

1. runs slightly big
2. stretches out quickly
3. a little baggy at the knees

NOTES: Besides the fact that they run a little bit big so they felt baggy, these jeans are super comfortable and I'd definitely recommend them. The price is great and they're so soft, a good length, and I liked them a lot.

Old Navy Rockstar Jeans

wearing size 2

PROS: 

1. Good dark wash jeans
2. good length
3. side pocket panels
4. functioning fly
5. Stretchy and comfortable
6. Low price point

CONS:  

1. Run big, size down one size
2. Ankles are very skinny, so sizing down makes the waist fit better, but the ankles were tough to get over my feet
3. Denim doesn't have the best rebound so they stretch out after one wear

NOTES: I had heard mixed things about Old Navy's maternity jeans for years, so I was glad to finally try them out. Hopefully you can tell from these photos how baggy these are on me. The waist especially was several inches too big and I spent the whole time pulling them up, although the ankles were tight. There are plenty of other jeans I reviewed at similar price points, and these felt the lowest quality to me. 

FINAL THOUGHTS:

• Higher price point was definitely better quality. Except in the case of The 7 For All Mankind Jeans, which I featured yesterday. 
• Full belly bands are best for the end of pregnancy when your belly is super big. I definitely preferred elastic fronts or side panels during my smaller belly days, but found that those ones bunched under my belly as it got bigger. 
• Stick with your pre-pregnancy size
• If I had to choose one pair, I would absolutely, 100%, no question choose my AG jeans. They are my favorite hands down. 
• If I had to choose a lower price pair, I'd choose this ASOS pair.
• The pair I'd absolutely not recommend to anyone is Old Navy's Rockstar jeans. The material was cheap, the fit was bad, and you should put your money toward a better pair. 
• If you're tall, try H&M jeans. They were the longest jeans I tried. 

If you have any other questions, leave a comment below! 

photos by rad and happy

THE GREAT MATERNITY JEANS HUNT, PART 1

Finding good maternity jeans is such a daunting task. When you're needing a good pair that will last you for seven or eight months and tons of wear, it's important to find the right pair. 

I've done all the work for you and am excited to share The Great Maternity Jeans Hunt. Because of all the information I've compiled, I've split it up into two parts and will share part 2 tomorrow, along with a wrap up of all of my maternity jeans thoughts and opinions. 

For each pair I'll share three photos with different angles and views so you can hopefully get a good idea of what each pair looks like. Then I'll list the pros and cons, as well as some notes with my thoughts on the pair. 

Oh, and I'm 5'6", my pre-pregnancy jeans size is a 26R, and I'm wearing this white t-shirt, this statement necklace, and these heels, and these are featured in completely random order, not by any kind of preference. Okay, here we go. 

AG Distressed Legging Jeans

wearing 26R

PROS:

1. perfect fit
2. Stretchy, but a nice sturdy denim that doesn't stretch out, even after 3-4 wears
3. true to size -- order pre-pregnancy size
4. Perfect shorter ankle length
5. Just the right amount of distressing

CONS:

1. Price point is high
2. Full belly band, which some people don't love. I don't mind it, but I don't love that I can see the dark color or the line at the top through my shirts. 

NOTES: These are my very favorite of every single pair of jeans. They're incredibly flattering, they're distressed in all the right places, they don't stretch out until after a bunch of wears, and they're so comfortable. I've never owned a pair of AG jeans before, but I'm totally investing in a non-maternity pair after the baby comes and I'm back to my pre-pregnancy size. 

AG Legging Jeans

Wearing size 27R

PROS: 

1. True to size, should have ordered normal pre-pregnancy size 
2. Thinner denim
3. incredibly soft and comfortable
4. Real front pockets

CONS: 

1. Price point is high
2. Longer length. I'm 5'6" and feel like I need to cuff them
3. Slightly less fitted ankle (makes cuffing them look weird)
4. Full belly band
5. Stretch out after 1-2 wears, but bounce back after I washed and dried them

NOTES: I really would love these more if I got them in one smaller size. I felt like I was pulling them up all day long, and that drove me nuts. They're crazy comfortable and perfect for a good, simple, dark wash jean. They're the kind of jean you can buy at the beginning of your pregnancy and will wear a million times during those nine months. 

DL1961, Erin style 

Wearing size 26

PROS: 

1. True to size
2. Super stretchy so they're really comfortable
3. Side panels, so no full belly band
4. Functioning fly
5. Good longer ankle length
6. Fitted all the way down

CONS: 

1. Price point is high

NOTES: I've been a big fan of DL1961 jeans for a couple of years, and this pair sold me the second I put them on. They're so soft and stretchy, and are the kind of denim that sucks everything in and makes your legs look really good (while still being really comfortable). I like my jeans to be fitted all the way around -- no loose ankles for me -- and these ones are just that. The perfect cut, in my opinion. 

H&M, Mama Skinny Jeans 

wearing size 4

PROS

1. Good price point
2. Great wash, and they come in a ton of different colors

CONS: 

1. Super long -- I have to cuff them about 3 inches to get them the right length for me
2. Very low rise so it's hard to hide the belly band
3. Full belly band, which is harder to camouflage 
4. Non-functioning pockets
5. Distressing on knees is fairly low
6. Not very stretchy

NOTES: I bought two pairs of H&M jeans when I was pregnant with Fos and wore them non-stop. I had high hopes for these ones, but when compared to all of these other jeans I was disappointed. The rise of the jeans is so low, as I mentioned in the "cons" above, and not only are they incredibly long on me (I'm 5'6"), they're also not super skinny at the ankle. They're more of a mix between a straight leg and skinny leg. So with the length and the wider calves, they get super bunchy at the bottom. Also the denim is thick and sturdy, meaning they don't have a ton of stretch. 

7 For All Mankind

Wearing Size 27

PROS: 

1. True to size
2. Thin denim so they're really comfortable

CONS: 

1. Full belly band 
2. High price point
3. Stretch out quickly and get saggy
4. Longer length

NOTES: For the price, I really expected these to be better. They were very soft and comfortable, but within a few hours they were saggy and stretched out. I got a size up, so I'm sure that's part of the problem...I definitely recommend buying your pre-pregnancy size. I really wanted to love these jeans, but I just didn't for the price.

DL1961, Angel style (black color here) 

Wearing Size 26

PROS

1. Straight cigarette style with slits at the ankles
2. Pocket side panels

CONS

1. Non-functioning fly 
2. Runs slightly big, size down one size
3. Definitely for curvier bodies
4. higher price point

NOTES: This style of jean (cigarette) is not my favorite, and definitely not the most flattering on me. It's a good choice for curvier women or super tall women, but on me I didn't love them. They run a little bit big so they are slightly baggy on me and I found myself tugging them up constantly. The quality is really great, just not my style and the wrong size.

ASOS Jegging 

wearing US 4

PROS: 

1. Super fitted, but wouldn't recommend sizing up because the waist and upper legs fit TTS
2. Good rebound -- don't stretch out
3. Great price point
4. Full 360 elastic waistband
5. Very soft denim
6. Good length

CONS:

1. Very tight around the calves, but fine if you have thin legs (see PROS above for fitting note)
2. No belt loops so they're harder to pull on or pull up throughout the day
3. elastic waistband is slightly harder to wear with a larger stomach -- better for earlier days of pregnancy
4. smaller back pockets

NOTES:  These ones were honestly really hard to put on. The calves and ankles are so skinny, and once they were on they were like compression leggings, suctioned to my legs. But up at the top they're actually a little bit loose, as you can see from the picture above, so the proportions on this pair were off. Plus, I didn't love the smaller pockets because they made my backside look bigger.

Asos Distressed Skinny Jeans 

wearing size 4

PROS: 

1. True to size
2. Great price point
3. Good casual color
4. Perfect distressing
5. Thicker, sturdy denim
6. Not super stretchy, but still comfortable

CONS: 

1. Smaller pockets, which make your back look wider
2. Elastic waistband panel in the front, not great for super large bellies
3. Less fitted around the ankles
4. whiskering on the front pockets that makes my hips look slightly wider

NOTES: I really wanted to love these ones, but they weren't my favorite. The fit was really good, but I didn't like the small back pockets, and I really didn't like the whiskering on the front pockets. I guess we didn't get a good straight on shot of me wearing these, but they draw attention to my hips and make them look wide. But if you have no hips and want to give yourself the illusion of more curves, these are definitely a good pair for you.

H&M Super Skinny Jeans 

wearing size US 6

PROS:

1.  super comfortable
2. very stretchy and soft denim
3. Pocket panels
4. Not as low-rise as other H&M denim I've tried
5. Not quite as long as other H&M denim
6. Great price point

CONS: 

1. Slightly looser ankle/calves
2. back pockets are slightly low

NOTES: I liked these ones way better than the other H&M ones I tried. They still had the looser calves and ankles, and they were still long, but they weren't quite as loose or long as the others. I also really like the side pocket elastic panels. Definitely recommend these.

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for part two that includes a bunch more brands and price points!

photography by rad and happy