An Honest Review of Everlane's Curvy 90s Cheeky Jean

Breaking news: I recently found the very first pair of 100% cotton jeans that work for my curvy figure.

Up until now, all of my jeans have had some sort of stretch (at least, from my late-middle school years until my thirties – I have no idea what kind of denim my parents purchased for me as a 90s kid, but I distinctly remember some of them having an elastic waist…).

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I’ve probably tried hundreds (thousands?) of pairs of jeans in my adult life, and denim shopping has always been a challenge (if you’ve been reading along over the last few years, you’ve likely been witness to the struggle!). As a curvy gal, my denim choices frequently leave me compromising; jeans that fit snugly at the waist are rarely roomy enough in the hips, and jeans that fit at the hips leave a Grand Canyon-sized gap at the waist.

Thankfully many retailers have finally noticed and launched “curvy” lines, for people like me who have a waist/hip difference of greater than 10″*. But the jeans in those lines are usually limited to a few styles of denim (mostly skinny jeans – which I still wear and love, but don’t want to be the only style of denim I own), and almost never come in rigid denim.

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I’ve been cautiously and curiously eyeing Everlane’s The Curvy ’90s Cheeky Jean since it launched last year, as it’s maybe one of the only curvy-fit, 100% cotton jeans I’ve seen on the market. Denim that is made from 100% cotton feels much more sturdy than stretch denim, and at the end of its (hopefully long) life can even be composted. But they can also be uncomfortable to break in, especially if the cut already doesn’t work for your figure.

So when Everlane offered a sample of their denim in honor of their current promotion (more on that in a minute!), it seemed like the perfect chance to give The Curvy ’90s Cheeky Jean a try.

MY REVIEW OF THE CURVY ’90S CHEEKY JEAN

I waffled over which size to choose, as my measurements (37″-28″-41.5″) placed me at a size 29 for my waist, and a size 27 in the hips – the opposite of what I’m used to, where my waist size is usually smaller than my hip size. After reading the reviews, and deciding that I’d rather have a slightly more relaxed fit through the hips and seat than risk them being too tight at the waist, I said a little prayer and chose the 29 in the Ankle length. Choosing the wash was a much easier decision to make: I wanted to choose a color that I don’t currently have in my closet, and I went with the classic Medium Blue**.

The first thing I noticed when they arrived was the weight. While I didn’t pull out my scale to check, The Curvy ’90s Cheeky Jean feels heavier than all of my other jeans. The color IRL feels pretty true to the website photos, with just a little more dye inconsistency (which I love as it adds a bit more interest to the jeans without any obvious whiskering or deconstruction). But what matters most when it comes to denim, no matter the shape or color, is the fit.

When I’ve tried on rigid denim in my size in the past, I’ve had to really shimmy to get them over my hips (and on many occasions, I couldn’t get them up and over my bum). Not the case here – these jeans just slid right into place.

(Michael even looked up from the middle of his work meeting and gave a thumbs up as I buttoned the fly, and his opinion on clothing is hard to win).

The Curvy ’90s Cheeky Jean fits precisely like I wanted it to: a smidge of wiggle room at the waist for sitting/bending/eating (without stretch, this is essential), no pulling or tugging at the hips (actually, there’s even more room here than I thought), and a goldilocks length. Although the ones I ordered are technically the ankle length, on me they just graze the tongue of my sneakers when standing straight. After wearing more cropped denim in the past few years, I think this is a great way to dip my toe back into wearing a longer length.

Part of the appeal of 100% cotton denim is that it relaxes and eventually molds to your shape, and that has been the case so far with this pair. They’ve grown a tad looser with wear, and have a slightly baggier fit than the website model currently shows – almost more of a Mom jean – and I am here for it. Although I don’t like to wash my denim very often, with each wash this pair should snap back a little bit, though it may never quite be as tight as it was right out of the packaging.

Shall we get to the sale?

Right now Everlane is running a promo on their Denim – ALL customers can take 25% off up to two pairs of jeans with code DENIM25FORALL, now through April 2. Customers can take 20% off their first Everlane Denim order with code EVERLANEDENIM20 through March 19 extended through March 26! The discount includes any full-price styles, like their ultra-popular, ultra-high rise Way-High Jean or the now-classic Cheeky Jeans. Or, perhaps, your very first pair of 100% cotton denim, too.

EVERLANE SPRING STYLE REVIEWS

While I think these jeans are a year-round staple, I greatly enjoyed having the chance to style them with a few spring-ready pieces from Everlane: The Organic Cotton Tissue Tank, The Gathered Drape Trench, and The ReLeather Tennis Shoe. You can find a mini-review of each below, but first, these photos.

After a cold, wet, windy weekend, I couldn’t help but head out in the sunshine for a shoot with my new friend Sam (all of the credit is hers!):

The Organic Cotton Tissue Tank in Canvas

When I first took The Organic Cotton Tissue Tank out of the package, I said aloud, “Is this a shirt for babies?” Even though all of my other tanks and tees from Everlane are XS, I was pretty nervous about how tight it would be. I needn’t have worried, as this tank stretches magically to hug my frame.

Made of 100% cotton, this tank is perfect for wearing alone on warm days, or for serving as a base layer for other garments. It’s more of a cropped length, just grazing the top of my high-rise jeans. And in creamy, borderline-yellowish Canvas, the tank is quite sheer.

It’s not immediately clear from the website photos, but the tank is lined in the front with a second layer of fabric (thus, the two front hems), but the reverse of the shirt is a single layer. Unless I find a similarly-cut undershirt to wear (or buy a duplicate tank), I’ll likely wear this top under jackets or other garments. But if a contrasting bra is your jam, this is the perfect opportunity to show the back of it off!

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The Gathered Drape Trench in Khaki/Black

I love a good trench coat. They’re practical, timeless, and can be worn for many months of the year. They’re also really great at pulling an otherwise blah outfit together. You can be wearing the rattiest tee and the baggiest joggers – but top it with a trench and your outfit suddenly looks intentional.

The Gathered Drape Trench is made from a Lyocell/cotton blend and comes in four colors: Smoke (a cool, steely grey), Black, Ash Brown (a true, classic trench color), and this gorgeous Khaki/Black gingham pattern. I was surprised at myself for being drawn to the gingham pattern, and combined with the relaxed fit, it is a lot of jacket.

I should have sized down to an XS (and maybe could even swing the XXS), so keep in mind that you’ll want to go down at least a size when ordering. I plan on cuffing the sleeves or pushing them up for a casual look, and will likely end up at the tailor to see if it can easily be taken in to remove some of the bulk. But for my tall and broad-shouldered friends, this jacket is ready for you!

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The ReLeather Tennis Shoe in White/Gum Sole

The ReLeather Tennis Shoe is a really great dupe for my gum sole Veja sneakers (which are no longer available) that have been worn to death. I love a good all-white sneaker, but I’m partial to the gum sole. They give off that vintage vibe and tend to not look as dirty as fast thanks to the darker soles.

Everlane’s ReLeather is a mix of both recycled leather and non-leather materials, and up close you can tell that they look a little different than regular leather sneakers. I took my usual 7.5, and there’s just a little extra room in the toebox (if you usually are between sizes, choose your smaller size).

The leather is quite stiff, and I think I have a little bit of a break-in journey ahead of me. I’m excited to put these to the test, though – keep an eye out for updates in future packing list posts.

*Everlane recommends their curvy jeans for those with a waist/hip difference of 12-15"
**I've noticed in the past that different washes of denim end up fitting slightly differently; I've only tried the Medium Blue, so I can't attest to how the other colors fit

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Everlane Reviews: The Curvy ’90s Cheeky Jean, Organic Cotton Tissue Tank, Gathered Drape Trench, and ReLeather Tennis Shoe