Jeans may be the backbone of our casual chic wardrobe, but if we’re really honest with ourselves, many denims are seldom as comfortable as they look. They give off an air of nonchalant coolness—the sartorial epitome of the “comfort-first” mantra—yet so many of us can’t wait to rip them off the moment we walk through the door. Or worse, we purposefully wear oversized to allow for an unbuttoned waistline post-lunch.
When we find a pair that is flattering, fashionable and comfortable, we celebrate by adding two or three more in exactly the same style to our ever-increasingly-less-dynamic wardrobes. Only to complain when we find ourselves wearing the same ensemble over and over again.
Well, that was us at least (yes, even as fashion editors) until we went on our quest to find the best jean brands for women. Determined to vindicate the quintessential casual comfort of our denim icons, we tried on hundreds of jean brands over the years—some popular, some totally flying under the radar.
We made sure that we spent several hours in each pair (and ate a meal or two—I mean, how else can you really tell?) before bringing in the verdict. While some jean brands made us want to hand in our resignations (and live in sweats) for good, there were also the redemption pairs that reminded us why jeans were created in the first place.
And now we wear twenty-one brands on repeat.