There are some people who love dresses and skirts, some who prefer leggings, but me? I love denim and I think I always have to be honest. I love the wide leg, the skinny jeans, the boyfriend jean. There are styles I live in, ones I can’t pull off but wish I could (looking at you straight leg jeans). I feel most comfortable in my denim. You can dress them up with blazers, blouses and heels, or dress them down with a tee and chucks. Seriously, they’re the most versatile piece in the closet if you ask me.
One day I got a message from a reader on Instagram. She said thanks to my denim suggestion, she finally found a pair of jeans she loved. In her message she told me she thought she couldn’t ever wear jeans because of her age and her size. It made me so happy to hear that my suggestions, and showing you many ways to wear denim, could help give someone the confidence to try something new. Since I’ve tried tons of brands and styles (and fun fact used to sell denim at Nordstrom in college in the department, T.B.D.) I thought I’d share some of my favorite tips, brands and styles. in a fun series. So this week, let’s chat my favorite denim brands. Let’s get started.
The Best Denim Brands In My Closet
Madewell Jeans
Hands down my go to. I was reluctant to try these years ago. Back in the day, I worked with a girl who swore by them. I wasn’t fully on the Madewell train yet, just maybe a few things here and there, but the denim was a hard no. I was all about the Citizens and Sevens. But slowly I found my way into their denim bar and my life has been forever changed. These are hands down my go to denim brand.
Sizing: Size down if you’re in between sizes. My first pair are these and they’re a 28. After 30 minutes of wearing they stretched out and have become my lazy Sunday jeans. I now wear a size 27 and they fit perfectly. They’ll stretch over time a bit anyway so you should be good to go if you go down.
Favorite Styles: I love the 9 inch and 10 inch rise of their jeans. They suck you in and make you look slimmer in my opinion. I also think that they make a great wide leg, but they sadly don’t carry them anymore. Their boyfriend style is also pretty fantastic. I wish I could wear the slim straight leg, but I’m convinced I’m too curvy and my legs are too short for it. Definitely for the tall slim gals.
LOFT and Ann Taylor Jeans
My denim drawer is quickly being overtaken by LOFT and Ann Taylor jeans. I got a pair of Ann Taylor sculpting skinny jeans a few years back and was truly blown away. I think I always thought that since these two brands didn’t do a ton of denim, or weren’t known for it, that I wouldn’t love them. Boy was I wrong. I have a pair of skinny Ann Taylor jeans that are one of the most comfortable, softest pairs of jeans I own. And for LOFT, well I love them so much I wrote a whole guide dedicated to their denim. From the kick crop, the wide leg crop and their shorts, I find myself reaching for these the most. They fit true to size and are constructed super well.
LOFT and Ann Taylor also offer petites, curvy fits and tall. So you’re bound to find the perfect fit for your body. Plus, their denim is always under $100, such a great price point.
DL 1961
These were recommended by a friend and I was like, huh? Never heard of them. These are probably my second most worn brand behind Madewell. I have a few pairs that I rotate through from classic skinny denim to these grey ones that are so comfy. They have a lot more stretch in them so I feel like I tend to run these through the dryer where I typically air dry the other brands.
Sizing & Styles: These run true to size and I personally love the Florence style and the Margaux.
BLANK NYC
For someone who’s got some junk in the trunk, finding shorts is hard. My problem is I have to fit my butt and thighs which means sizing up, but then the waist is gaping in the back. I found that BLANK NYC has the best shorts for my body type. They run true to size and wash well. PS I also love their suede jacket that you’ve seen me wear more times than I care to admit. They’re also the only brand here which is usually under $100.
Sizing & Styles: These run true to size and I definitely vote them for best shorts.
Best Denim Shorts Brands
A few of my favorite denim shorts brand include LOFT and Madewell. But I recommend trying on several styles as they have so many options and the fits are all over the place. I find shopping for shorts to be much more challenging for my body type but have had good success at these two retailers. PS check out my shorts guide here!
Check out more of my Denim Guide with finding your BEST fitting denim here and how to properly care for your jeans so they last longer here.
Photo by Vivi Carrasco
