Thursday, August 30, 2012

Jean Shop and my quest for the perfect pair of jeans


"Handmade one at a time in the heart of NYC and crafted from exclusive Japanese selvedge that's woven on old-school narrow looms..."

Do you ever fall for those stories? I am a total sucker for them... This is how I ordered my The Jean Shop® women's skinny jean in dark wash. 

The Jean Shop®
 women's skinny jean in dark wash


At least, since the jeans were part of the dreaded final sale, I had some sense to chat with Customer Service and ask them to make a note on my account, allowing me to return in case they don't fit.

Well, few days later, the jeans arrived and I was very excited to try them on. This was going to be the real deal and I was not your average mall shopper. No, I was a member of a secret society, possessing the rare knowledge about the whereabouts of  most authentic denim in the world. What better place to hide than the J.Crew final sale section?

Size 28

OK, the denim is very nice. It feels stiffer and more substantial and hard core and the seams are finished with the orange selvage strip that looks very nice when cuffed. I loved the wash and the orange stitching and the birthday date (of my jeans, no less) handwritten in black marker on the inside of the pocket. Gave me that 'cooler than thou' feeling ;)


But the fit was just OK There was some bunching going on and some not so flattering creasing in the hip and crotch area and overall, I think they are cut for someone a little more curvy than I am.

I wear size 27 in J.Crew matchsticks but I heard those jeans run small, so I ordered a 28 (27 was not available anyway). They had too much room in the hip but I am afraid the 27 would have been too tight everywhere else. 


From the back, they have an old school boyish fit, charming if you are cute twenty something hipster but certainly not a pair of jeans that will stop my husband in his tracks when he sees me going up the stairs.


Well, the fit is king and I decided these were NOT my 'Sisterhood of Travelling Pants' jeans.

These were OK jeans but I thought that even my old BR skinnies looked better on me:



Size 6

Still, I was afraid to return them. What if I am so pedestrian I just don't have any idea how the real deal, secret society jeans should fit?

So just in case I took them with me to the mall while I tried on endless other pairs. I went to Nordstrom and to Neiman Marcus then to a Seven's store and then to Anthropologie. I tried on about 30 pairs of Joes, JBrand, Citizens, Sevens, Paige, AG, Rag & Bone and Pilcros. They all look better than the Jean Shop.

I liked the fit of JBrand and  Sevens the best. Still reluctant to shell out $$$ for non-secret-society denim, I even stopped at the Gap, just to check if by any chance their under $50 (with coupon) pair of jeans is just as good as $200 designer duds. They weren't. They felt like the-under-50-jeans. OK, I got it.

I decided to stop at Anthro and try on the Pilcros Stet, I liked last time I tried them, but this time in the slim bootcut.   

Pilcro Stet Slim Bootcut



Yes, please!


Rear view

Husband approved

slim flair

I decided this is as close to Sisterhood jeans as I will ever get. But better yet, they were on sale.

$79.99!!!

This is where I got sucked in to add a tee and a skirt, but you already know that story...

And now I really want a pair of cords in the same cut (they have them!) but I am waiting a for a similar sale/promo.

Pilcro Stet Bootcut Cords


***
That's all folks!

Have you tried Jean Shop or Pilcro Stet?
Do you think the cords will go on sale? Please say yes! When??

Please share, it would be no fun without you!!!

33 comments:

  1. I've culled jeans from my wardrobe, after years of getting by on jeans and t shirts, I just don't want to wear jeans anymore, they just don't feel part of the next phase in my life that I'm heading towards.

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  2. I love jeans. They are really my go-to uniform. That and Tory Burch Simone cardigans and TB Reva flats. BTW, the jeans look fabulous on you. Buying jeans is an all day process.

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  3. Those Jeans Shop jeans ... yikes! Too much fabric in the crotch area. The Pilcro Stets are fantastic, though. I tried those on recently but I had the wrong size so I can't make a fair judgment. The denim was very nice, though.

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  4. did you keep the JC jeans?
    for the price they should make the wearer look perfect?

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    Replies
    1. Oh, I realized I didn't make it clear. I returned them same day I bought Pilcros.

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  5. I wear jeans once in a while, but shopping for them is down there with bra shopping. Thanks for doing some of our homework! You look great in the Anthro pair; this store confuses me too much to shop there.

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  6. The comments about getting sucked into the fancy written blurbs and then being hesitant to return because you might be missing out on the "secret society" item....so ME! LOL Never thought of it in that light, but it's me to a "t". And the final jeans you bought from Anthro are a perfect fit!

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  7. I returned the Jean Shop jeans also. The fit was weird and at the time I bought them they were at full price :( For that much cash I had better look pretty good in them , but they did nothing for me. I did like the fabric and orange stitching too.

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  8. I tried the Jean Shop jeans last year when they came out and it was a big pass. They were super-stiff and heavy, very uncomfortable and there was lots of weird bunching in the crotch area.
    I did get sucked in to buying the Goldsign jeans but I LOVE them, they fit me perfectly and the denim is so soft and comfortable.
    I think your Pilcro jeans are perfect on you, I noticed those, they look very well made.
    Oh and I do have the Jean Shop denim shirt but in that case the heavy denim does the design a favour, it can be worn almost as a jacket over a tank etc.

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  9. Success!Good jeans change everything. They are such a crucial staple, and it is so hard to find a great pair. Yours are very flattering.

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  10. Ugh, jean shopping is THE WORST. Besides trying to find "the perfect fit", you get them home and they've stretched out a full size after you wear them once (butt sag), or they don't stretch *at all* and you're walking around in uncomfortable pants all day (muffin top). Even the same jean in different washes won't fit the same way!

    I pay zero attention to the price tag, designer label, or street cred when I'm jean shopping. They can be woven from unicorn hair and dyed with indigo that was distilled from James Dean's old dungarees, but they'll do me no good at all if they're made for someone with fuller hips and a tiny waist. $50, $100, $200, doesn't matter. If you put them on and say "Ooh, I look GOOD!" when you look in the mirror, buy two pairs.

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    Replies
    1. Hahaha...Whitney, you consistently crack me up! I hope you are a writer for living?

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    2. Thank you for the compliment, sweetsy :) I mostly just get to write e-mails and meeting invites nowadays. Recessions suck :p

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  11. jeans shopping is quite the ordeal. once i find the right fit, then i tend to keep buying the same brand. the pilcro fit you like a dream. the jean shop ones are quite ill fitting so i'm glad i know that so i can stop dreaming about them.

    the only luck i've had with gap jeans are the boyfriend cut ones. they are really great. otherwise, i wear CoH, j brand, william rast etc. but i agree with whitney. if they make you look skinny, make your butt look good, buy it no matter the brand name.

    Sisterhood of Travelling Pants.. that's so awesome. :)

    xox P

    phiphisblog.com

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  12. Those jeans look fantastic on you! Super flattering.

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  13. Boy have I been there. I used to think that JCREW jeans were the way to go (back in 2005-2007) that is how I felt. But, it took a turn for the worse in price and fit. Any jeans I purchased from them since 2009 to now, I've given away. A lot of money wasted. But, I maintain that it's important to own a really good pair of jeans that are a bit pricey and for me, those are HUDSONs...they fit me perfect.

    Low and beyond, at the mall the other day and walked into the GAP and walked out with two pairs of great jeans at a great price of 78.00. I love how they fit, the size is very accurate and price point, perfect.

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    Replies
    1. GAP's Long & Lean jeans are my favorite boot-cut denim! They stretch out A LOT, though, so I have to buy 2 sizes smaller than my regular size. Their jeans and tees are still pretty great basics, imo.

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    2. I got lucky with GAP Forever Skinny in 2010--but I'm not sure they make them anymore! Yikes-why did I buy only one pair!!

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  14. I know what you mean, I bought a pair of handmade jeans that had the name of the person who had stitched them and their star sign, but they were really stiff and gave me the classic PA (pancake bum) I need more pertinising behind and have found Habituals always do that. My coolest friend says you've got to try on every pair in the city and she wears "not your daughters jeans" which def do not have the cool factor but...whatever works.

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  15. I like AG jeans the best, but they're so pricey. I'm waiting for Pilcro to come down to the $60 price point because, although they fit my hip and butt well (I'm on the less curvy side, like you), the rise is a bit higher than my preference. I have very little hipbone to waist narrowing so higher rise = more muffin top, ironically. 7.5", plus or minus a half inch, is my sweet spot. But Pilcros at least are stretchy-comfy like designer jeans; I've heard that they tend to stretch out too much during the day, though, so let me know what your experience is!

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    Replies
    1. I will report on stretching when I wear them for longer time. Cannot do it yet, it is still very hot here, 93F today!

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  16. You look great in the Pilcro jeans. Getting them on sale is awesome! I either wear Lucky Jeans or Gap Long and Lean-but I can't stand shopping for jeans. Even though I've narrowed down my options, it is still and ordeal. Thankfully jeans seem to last forever-and since I live in them-that is important. The "designer" styles are always too slim cut or low rise for me-which is frustrating.

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  17. I just wanted to give my 2 cents. I thin you look amazing in the jeans and I believe the cords will flatter you just the same. Congratulations on finding the perfect jean fit for you!!!

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  18. I just wanted to give my 2 cents. I thin you look amazing in the jeans and I believe the cords will flatter you just the same. Congratulations on finding the perfect jean fit for you!!!

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  19. I live in jeans when i am allowed to wear them. Where some ladies live for shoes, I indulge in jeans. I think the Pilco look great on you. The Jeans Shop pair are too big in my opinion; i think a 27 would have fit better. On the other hand, the calves are really skinny, so that could have been an issue.

    My favorite brand for fit is AG.

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  20. I gave up buying jeans online - they were disasters every time. It is one item that really needs to be tried on in person. The Pilcro jeans are absolutely perfect on you!!

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  21. As I mentioned in the previous post, that time spent jean shopping was well worth it! Great fit!

    I have heard such great things about J Brand and AG etc. but I have never had the ability to do exactly as you did. It just feels like a lotta work and then they are very pricey! I probably won't bother for a long time since I love my matchsticks (and cords), toothpicks (and cords) and my one GAP Forever Skinny jean:)

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  22. I did try the Jean Shop jeans, did you see my review? From my experience, I think the size 28 may be too big for you, they are supposed to be extremely tight and stretch out to work for your body (my post also takes you to the first time I wore them when they looked on the verge of bursting).

    Trying on jeans can be a workout. I love the way the BR skinnies look on you!

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    Replies
    1. Yes I saw your review, you look great in them. I kwym about the 28 possibly being too big but I think even in your first (sausage casing) picture you look great. You are tiny in size but proportionally, you have more curves, I think that makes a difference in a good way :)

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  23. I feel so connected to you and to all who commented. The last time I hunted for jeans I found myself humming a strange but hauntingly familiar tune. Then it came to me: someday my prince will come....

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  24. Thank you everybody for your comments!!! They alone make the ordeal of jean shopping worth it!
    To clarify, I did return the Jean Shop jeans. I still think the quality of them was great, probably better that most jeans I tried but the fit was not for me. Maybe thee will stretch and mold to my body but I don;t have patience for that and I don't wear jeans that often so it could take ages. I am still looking for a black pair and will wait for the cords to go on sale.

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  25. Great post, ajc! I have definitely fallen for JCrew descriptions that lull me into buying something. The anthro jeans look great on you, like they were made for you. You inspired me to order a pair of Pilcro Stet slim bootcut, I hope they fit as I have never bought anything froma anthro before. I went with their size chart so fingers crossed.

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