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Everlane Denim Review

It’s almost here! Everlane’s highly promoted, much-anticipated denim collection drops tomorrow (get early access a few hours before sales open up by joining my email list) and I have a comprehensive preview and review for you! A lot of you guys shop Everlane through my affiliate links and it really means a lot to me. It keeps the doors open at Seasons + Salt and I can’t thank you enough! I’m hoping this preview is a helpful guide if you’re considering shopping the new line. What I am sharing here is in no way influenced or sponsored by Everlane, but the jeans were a gift to me.

Before I dive in, I feel like I need to qualify this review by saying I’ve always been a bona fide jeans girl. Since my first pair of sand-blasted flair jeans from the Limited in 1995 to shopping rinse wash denim in the men’s section of the Gap a few years later, to diving into the world of designer denim even later, jeans have always been a mainstay in my closet. If it’s not summer, I am wearing them multiple times per week.

Everlane has waited nearly six years to release denim. The company’s founder says he wanted to make sure he did it right, with a factory that was up to their standards. Everlane says they’ve found the world’s cleanest factory (which happens to be in Vietnam) and it recycles 98% of the water used to make the denim. Just in case you aren’t privy to all the facts on jeans manufacturing, it takes a lot of water.

Everlane’s new line is comprised of three fits for women, and two for men. The jeans are made from Japanese fabric that the brand claims will hold its shape and won’t bag out. The three styles for women are: a high-rise skinny, a mid-rise skinny and a ‘modern boyfriend’ fit.

I put these jeans to the test as best I could in the short amount of time I’ve had them in my possession, and below are my thoughts.

HIGH RISE SKINNY in Dark Indigo

FACT SHEET:
SIZE: 28 Ankle
RISE: about 10.75″
INSEAM: just shy of 27″
LEG OPENING: 11.5″
COLORS: Black, Dark Indigo, Mid Blue, Bone

I’m wearing the high rise skinny in my true, consistent denim size: 28. At first glance I think they’re cute, even though I’m not super into skinny jeans any more. I opted for the ‘ankle’ inseam (listed as 26.5″) over the regular length (listed as 28.5″) because of personal taste. I like the bit of ankle showing, it looks great with most of my shoes, and works well with chelsea boots.

The fabric is thick, medium-to-heavy weight with just a bit of stretch. They remind me of my raw denim jeans, but a tad lighter and less restricting. They are semi-loose at the waist, and quite tight through my knees and calves. The high-rise waist hits me right at the belly button, but I do feel I have to tug it up to keep it truly high, otherwise it settles down on my hips a little bit, which isn’t a problem unless the crotch area gets droopy. I have had this problem with high-rise denim before. It needs to be pretty snug in the waist to stay in place.

FABRIC: Medium/heavy weight, structured with just a bit of stretch. I think the denim is sturdy enough that it will hold their shape, but eventually break in and mold to the wearer’s body shape.
FIT: True to size, snug in the calves and knees when I sit.
PERFORMANCE: A little stiff and structured (in a good way) but still stretchy. Has short pockets, about three inches deep.
STYLING: Very easy to style, they are a classic wash and cut. HOWEVER, I do wish these jeans were not so ‘skinny’ and cut more straight at the bottom, a slim or a slim-straight style. I feel like Everlane missed the mark there. I’ll go more into this at the conclusion of my review.

This jean is also available as a Mid Rise Skinny.

MODERN BOYFRIEND (sized down 1x) in Black

(shirt / mules)

FACT SHEET:
SIZE: 27 Regular
RISE: about 10.75″
INSEAM: 27″
LEG OPENING: 13.5″
COLORS: Black, Mid Blue, Bone

When I first saw the Modern Boyfriend fit, I immediately thought, “those aren’t for me,” mostly because anything with ‘boyfriend’ in the name isn’t usually my style. But then, I decided to try them on in a size down, and bam, prefection! THIS is the style of jean I have been looking for, a slim(ish) straight-leg jean. Worn like this, the Modern Boyfriend is hands down my favorite of the three. It’s classic and modern all at the same time. It’s fitted, but not so tight it could be mistaken for leggings.

The fabric feels just as thick and structured as the dark indigo, but it seemed to give a little more after a full day of wear. By the end of the day it felt a tad softer than earlier in the day when I first put them on. The retention seems pretty good. The knees have loosened, but they don’t look baggy, making them more comfortable in that area than the skinnies. Overall the fit is slightly more relaxed, which I think not only looks good, but definitely feels good!

It’s crazy to me that the rise measured the exact same as the high-rise style. I double and triple measured just to be sure. The shape of the waist is a little different than the high-rise, which sort of curves in. The waist on these is slightly less curved in.

FABRIC: Nearly identical to the dark rinse, it’s medium-weight, structured, with just a bit of stretch. They will probably hold their shape, and eventually mold to the wearer’s body.
FIT: Designed to run big for looser, boyfriend-style fit. I sized down for a more fitted look.
PERFORMANCE: A little stiff and structured, but still stretchy. Feels slightly more stretchy than dark rinse, but that might just be the looser fit. Full-sized pockets.
STYLING: Very versatile, fitted enough to wear with oversized tops, loose enough to wear with slimmer-fitting tops. Sized down, I feel like these are the perfect jeans, I just wish they were making them in more than one shade of blue!

MODERN BOYFRIEND (sized down 2x) in Mid Blue

FACT SHEET:
SIZE: 26 Regular
RISE: about 10.75″
INSEAM: 27″
LEG OPENING: 13.5″
COLORS: Black, Mid Blue, Bone

These jeans are definitely the softest of the bunch, though I haven’t tested out the bone color yet. The fabric also seems a bit stretchier than the other ones. My guess is the sandblasting has softened them up a bit. The wash is decent – and it’s actually grown on me as I’ve worn them – but I kind of wish they’d left the fake whiskering off.

To address the obvious, these jeans are quite tight on me. It’s deceptive because they feel comfortable since the fabric is more forgiving, but it’s not typically a look I’d go for. I wanted to show you how the Modern Boyfriend can actually fit like a slim/straight pair of jeans. I probably won’t keep these, but I’ll definitely order them in a size up (from what I’m wearing in the pictures).

FABRIC: Medium-weight, soft and stretchy with a bit of structure.
FIT: Designed to run big for a ‘boyfriend’ fit, I sized down 2x for an ultra fitted look. Even in this small size, they are still quite comfortable. But the waist digs in a bit on me when I sit down.
PERFORMANCE: I originally selected these because I thought they would stretch out and fit me just right, but it turns out they have pretty good retention and stayed true to their shape (even with being the most stretchy). These jeans also have full-sized pockets.
STYLING: Very easy, the mid wash looks really good with white, cream, tans, navy, basically most of my closet!

MY OVERALL IMPRESSION

I’m so glad Everlane finally tried their hand at denim, and I think they did a great job. They didn’t blow me away with their styles or their washes, but I think it’s a good start. In my opinion, denim has gotten too far away from its roots as a work pant. On more than one occasion I’ve had a very expensive pair of designer jeans need to be babied because the fabric was too thin. I’ve had denim rip in the knees and rear far sooner than it should have because the fabric was so soft and thin to start with. The last few times I’ve shopped in person for premium denim, I’ve been turned off by the overly distressed, dyed and sandblasted styles. Everlane contrasted this with simple washes in durable, weighty denim. I expect these to be long-wearing pants.

WHAT THEY GOT RIGHT:

Their jeans are classic styles and washes. The fabric is strong enough to be a true jean, but still forgiving enough to be comfortable. They’re coming in at an impressively low price point – $68. I don’t remember the last time I bought new jeans at a price like that. Everlane seems to have done a great job securing a factory that’s true to their ethics. It’s super sustainable, based on all that I’ve read. I would like to hear a little more about the people making the jeans, and what life is like for them, working at that factory. Hopefully, Everlane will eventually add them to their factories page.

WHAT THEY GOT WRONG:

Everlane has been a trend-setter in the marketplace for at least the past two years, if not longer. Their popular Modern Loafer has inspired copycats by the likes of Madewell and J.Crew. They’ve turned the cashmere sweater marketplace upside down by selling the sweaters at a lower price point than most retailers, and lowering it further last fall. So, when they announced the upcoming release of a denim line, I expected some more industry-leading styles. Instead, I was greeted with skinny jeans x2 and a sleek boyfriend fit. I think Everlane played it safe by creating the bulk of their line around a skinny jean. This is surprising to me for a brand that is more of a trend-setter than a trend-follower. Skinny jeans have been a mainstay in the denim world for what, 10-15 years?  The sartorial scene is ready for something other than skinny jeans to be center stage. I wish Everlane would have released a classic straight-leg style. I’m mostly satisfied with the Modern Boyfriend style, sized down, but they did not release this jean in a dark indigo wash, which I think would have been awesome in a straight leg.

WHAT I’M ORDERING:

Modern Boyfriend fit in mid wash, size 27 (which is down one from my true denim size, to achieve a more fitted look).
Modern Boyfriend in bone, size 27 (see above!).

If you’re local….

Everlane is hosting a denim pop-up in Portland:

PDX Denim Counter

Location

403 SW 10th Ave.
Portland, OR
97205

See Map

October 20—21
Hours 
Open Daily: 11—7
Launch Party
October 20
7—9pm

If you’re not… there are a few other dates.

If you’ve made it this far, mega kudos! Don’t forget to check out Everlane’s denim collection when it launches tomorrow. Sign up for my email list for early access. And by all means, fire away if you have any questions!

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56 thoughts on “Everlane Denim Review”

  1. Ahhhh! I can not wait!
    Thanks for a great review Andrea. You look fabulous in them all.
    I am going with the high rise skinny in regular length, black, and the mid blue boyfriend jeans. Good to know I should size down one size in them for a better fit.
    All signed up with you, and ready for my email. I have store credit to use, and these are my post baby gift to myself!
    Are you going to do a fall styling with the ones you keep? I’d like that.
    I’ve been wearing sweats since Kaden was born 11 days ago (time has flown by!). So I need some outfit motivation to get dressed, and post, lol.
    Have a great day. Xo.

    1. Hi Jodie! I sure am loving the baby pics on Insta! He’s a cutie. Yes, I’ll continue to style the ones I keep for the blog! I am most excited for the bone color I think! :)

  2. This review is super helpful, especially on cuts and sizing. I am loving the modern boyfriend as I am also tired of skinny jeans. When is the early access email dropping? :)

  3. I think Everlane created denim they thought would pair well with their boxier tops, so I’m not surprised by skinnies. I am actually ready for skinny jeans again after wearing boyfriend and cropped flare styles all summer. They pair better proportionally with the oversized top trend. Thanks so much for your review! I’m not totally confident these are going to work out for me, but I think I’m going to try the mid rise skinny.

    1. Hi Leah, great comment. Perhaps that is why they did what they did with the skinnies. I was thinking after the summer I would be feeling the same way, but when I tried on the full-length skinnies, they just didn’t feel like ‘me.’ That’s why I opted for the ankle inseam. However, the modern BFs are still pretty ‘skinny’ but just less legging-ish at the ankle. Excited to see the jeans on you!

  4. Thank you for the review, Andrea! I have been anxiously awaiting your insight and truly appreciate your honesty. I was planning to order a pair, but I think I’m going to hold off for now and hope that they come out with a great straight-leg pair in the not-so-distant future.

  5. I really like the modern boyfriend in black. I have been looking for a pair of black jeans that aren’t super skinny and these look like they might work. I also like that the inseams are shorter. I have short legs and ALWAYS need my jeans hemmed. When I find a pair with the factory inseam that is right it’s awesome! Thanks for the thorough review!

    1. Glad I could help Rebecca! I’ve been enjoying my modern BF in black. I finally got to retire my black skinnies (which were too low rise anyway).

  6. If I were to choose any of the denim pictured above, I’d go for the modern boyfriend in mid blue. They look great on you. However, while I like how the denim is produced and think Everlane is a good company, I’m not thrilled by the styles. I’m over skinny, short jeans. I hope they release a straight leg or more relaxed version of their denim (in which case I’d surely be interested.) Thanks for the review, Andrea. I was on the fence regarding these, but your thoughts in the what they got wrong section helped me make up my mind. You are absolutely right.

    1. Great feedback Alex. I do sometimes wonder why ALLLL denim everywhere seems to be cropped. My legs are on the longer side, and it often leads to a tricky ankle situation when the weather turns cold! I’m sure Everlane will release more styles of denim down the road.

  7. Thanks for the review! I am not crazy about skinny jeans -I much prefer straight leg and wide leg. I was really wishing for a classic straight leg, though I have never had any luck with Everlane pants – they cannot seem to get a good fit for someone who is a petite pear! (by the way, my current favourite jeans are a size 2 curvy straight leg petite style from Ann Taylor)

    1. Hi Rosabella, I love sporting a wide leg as well, I feel like it helps balance out my shoulders. Jeans can be so tough to source, I’m so glad you found something that works!

  8. Thanks for sharing! I’m planning on ordering either the high-rise or mid-rise skinnies in black (or maybe both to try and send the other pair back). I just tried on Madewell’s new black 9″ rise skinnies and am so tempted since there was no gap at the waist, but I’d like to support Everlane’s mission of sourcing clothing from sustainable factories, so I’m hoping these are good.

  9. Thank you soooooo much for the amazing review! I think I will wait for the inevitable release of new washes and a high-rise straight-leg. Though I’m tempted by the black sized-down boyfriend, which looks great on you. I’m also 100% “off” of skinnies. I have a ripped black pair I like in the winter, but otherwise, nope. Embracing the wide leg. I just got the “Vintage” jeans from fashionABLE and LOOOVVVEEE them. They’re perfection.

    1. I am totally jealous the vintage jeans worked for you – I bought them and they were way too small in my normal size…and then fit in my hips but huge in the waist/legs sized up.

    2. Those jeans sound soooo cute!!!

      And yes, the black modern BF jeans are great. They are a classic style, and sit perfectly between fitted and relaxed for me.

      Glad to know I’m not the only one who is off skinnies!

  10. Thanks for sharing. They all look great on you, but I also wish there was a more vintage-y straight leg fit. That price point is so tempting though!

    1. Thanks so much LO. I’ll be curious to see what their future offerings bring. I like that their BF jeans can be slouchy but not too baggy, if that makes sense.

  11. I haven’t been a jeans girl for years (since the straight leg no stretch jeans I wore for years died) but embracing more of a capsule/simple/ethical wardrobe has me purchasing a pair and pretty excited about that workhorse in my wardrobe and excited to try Everlane’s jeans. How exciting they’ll be in Portland, thank you for that information and your review. I’ll most likely be purchasing the boyfriend but not sure about sizing for me, current size or one down…

  12. Thanks for the sneak peek! After seeing your pictures, I think I am also leaning towards the boyfriend style sized down in black. However I have no idea what my regular size would be? I wear a 6 in all of my jeans from Express, I have some 8’s from department stores but its because I bought them for motorcycle riding or yard work and needed more room to move. I know you said you are usually a size 6, do you feel like your 27/28 corresponds to a 6? I might end up buying two sizes to try on and return one,

    1. Yes, I do think the Everlane sizes I tried correspond to a 6. That’s usually the size I wear in non-denim clothing. Best of luck Anne, keep me posted! And how cool that you ride a motorcycle!!

  13. SO helpful. Thank you. I have a $68 credit (I’m 5’3 and the wide leg crop is NOT my friend) and this determined for me that I’ll try the boyfriend jean sized down. I like the mid-blue wash and it’s close to what I’m looking for. I agree a full-length straight could be nice, too.

  14. LOVE them!!! Both the SKINNY and the boyfriend! Love the colors too! It’s funny–I’m still loving the skinny look. I find them SO much easier to style with footwear…easy to tuck into tall boots, easy with ankle boots, easy with flats, even sneakers!

    Yes, what size are you in…say….Madewell or Loft? That might help me figure out sizing!

    2. Hi Ophelia,

      I just bought a pair of Loft AND Everlane jeans so I thought I could help you out! Sizes I found to correspond were a Loft Modern-Skinny 6 = Everlane Mid-Rise Skinny in a 29. I am a bit thicker in the thigh though so I opted for the 29. If you are a bit slimmer through the leg a 28 in the mid-rise skinny would probably work.

  15. Thank you SO MUCH for this review!! I LOVE the Modern Boyfriend in Mid Blue on you! You look great, girl!!

    I’m a die-hard Madewell denim wear-er because they offer high rise, 100% cotton, straight leg denim and I adore it. But…their not responsibly made! I buy them second hand to make myself feel better about the issue, but the reality is they’re still being supported.

    I’m going to buy a pair of the Everlane jeans to hopefully be part of turning the tide and help them nail this market! I think I’ll go with those Boyfriends in the Mid-blue, too!

    1. You are welcome Tabitha, glad I could help! Thank you so much for the kind words!! I love the mid blue, but not that tight LOL. Too much bum!!
      I hear ya on the Madewell, for me it’s their bags. I bought mine second hand too, but I still wish I could have found something else!
      Glad to hear you’re gonna try Everlane denim out, I hope you love the boyfriends!!

  17. They all look great on you. Could you do some styling with ankle boots? Just to give us ideas on how they would look for upcoming fall and winter?

  18. I love your shirt and was hoping to order one, just not sure about sizing. What size did you get and do you think it runs big? I am debating between a small and xsmall. Thanks!

    1. Hi Andrea! I usually wear an M in Everlane t’s but I got this striped one in a S for a more fitted look. I think it runs TTS!

  19. I could not agree with you more, Andrea! It seems impossible to find a classic, higher waisted straight leg indigo jean. Hopefully Everlane will introduce a style like that, and a classic wedgie / mom jean. I’m still super excited to see any fit in indigo denim, though. Thanks for the thorough review!

    1. Jane, I think you’ve just named the unicorn jean! Let me know if you find it!!! And you’re welcome. I’m hoping Everlane is starting some a rumbling of change in the denim world!

  20. I agree with everything you said here! I would have loved to have seen something more edgy – for me, the perfect jean would be a high-waist, wide-leg, cropped jean. Like the ones I’m wearing, basically. :) You look fab and I also love the black ones!

  21. Of the jeans mentioned above, I like the Modern Boyfriend in Mid-Blue the best. I agree that they could have left the whiskering off, but this wash is much less distressed than many. I could use a pair in this wash, but I’m sorely tempted to try on the men’s straight-fit jeans, since I like they way they look better than any of the women’s styles. (I haven’t worn men’s jeans in a while, but it may be time to revisit them).

  22. I, for one, am relieved that skinny jeans are back. And regular lengths. Wide leg/ankle length pants are not compatible with my body or lifestyle, which is why for the last ~4 years I have basically only worn leggings when wearing pants.

  23. Thanks for an excellent review! And, ok, at the risk of sounding like a dope, I have a question. I’ve only bought jeans secondhand, like, ever. And I’ve never, ever bought pants with sizing in the 20s. I know, time to get with the program. I’m usually a 2 in pants. What, approximately, would that be in this sizing? Help! Thank you!

  24. Hi Andrea! Great review, I stumbled on your page because I was looking for reviews on these jeans. I was curious, what is your height? I am going deciding between regular and ankle; I’m 5’4 and like to have my jeans slightly mid-ankle!

    2. Hi Huyen and Andrea,

      Perhaps you’ve already ordered… but I just want to share my review. I ordered black skinny midrise ankle-length. I’m about 5’3 and they land just slightly above my ankle. Really nice fit. Initially, I was unsure about sizing, but I followed the measurements and bought that size. They seemed tight when I tried them on before washing, and now that I’ve worn them post-wash they are a bit softer although still structured. I really like them! So, I say go for the ankle length. :)

      Thank you, Andrea for your photos, review, and insight!

      -Madeleine

  26. I think they should also have considered longer inseams and not just “short” and “even shorter”. I would have considered trying their denim if they had lengths that would actually work for me. Also, more interesting washes/colors. Maybe in the future. I like the idea of a slim fit too and would be interested in a well done slim/not skinny fit if they made one. Maybe in future they will expand their offerings.

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