A Flattering Straight Leg Jean That Doesn't Sag Does Exist

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Here at T&C, we pride ourselves on our discerning eye for quality. With Tried & True, our editors will give you an inside look at the pieces they simply cannot live without.

I never used to be a jeans girl. After the quite frankly traumatizing era of low rise and skinny jeans of the early aughts, I had about had enough. The process of finding a good pair of denim that ticked all my boxes in terms of fit, wash, and details, was often frustrating and left me feeling badly about myself. In particular, straight jeans that fit my shapely lower half properly was next to impossible to find. If they fit the waist, they were too tight in the hip and thigh, or shapeless and baggy, requiring hemming and tailoring. After years of searching, I started to think that the classic straight leg fit might just not be for me. But this past year when Alex Mill released denim, I became intrigued by the sold-out-and-wait-listed Carla High Rise Straight Leg jeans.

Admittedly, I wasn't holding my breath because of prior experience, but when they came back into stock in August, I was beyond pleasantly surprised. I am by most standards considered thin, I have a small waist, but I carry my weight primarily on my lower half. This, as I have mentioned above, leads to a tricky matrix of fit for straight leg denim, as the style is meant to be straight through the leg from where it hits you at the hip. Simple enough in theory, but I'm here to tell you that I've experienced quite a bit of cling and many meltdowns in department store dressing rooms. So the first thing I noticed when I slipped on the Carla was that even though I have shapely hips, thighs, and a bum, the style didn't cling to my upper legs or pull too tight. The fit was straight through the leg! Damn near a denim miracle if you ask me. Perhaps even better, the cut doesn't just fit my legs well, but it makes me look tall. With the high rise, especially so.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that these jeans don't have stretch, which I honestly prefer. As you wear them, which I did near daily for the past few weeks, they got that broken in feel, without any sag that other styles can sometimes have. The effect? They genuinely look really cool and vintage. The wash (I chose medium) is neither too light, nor too dark, and I have to say that I love that there isn't stark fading or whiskering, which in my opinion tends to make pieces look cheap.

My gosh, are they flattering. Dressed up, dressed down, they look and feel like they were made for me. When I wear them, it feels like wearing a pair of jeans that I've had for years Finally, I feel like those women I've seen who look effortless and unfussy in jeans—just classic polish plain and simple. I'm hooked. These will be in my closet for years.

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