Jean Shop Jeans

Way back in April, I first wore a pair of Jean Shop jeans.

These are exactly the same jeans 3.5 months later.

I've always had a thing for selvedge denim.

I love that each pair is made in New York and has a birth date.

And I like the idea of creating authenic wear and tear as opposed to

the ready distressing that never seems to "fit" me.

The first time I put on the size 25 Jean Shop jeans,

I thought they'd be returned for certain for being much too tight.

I called them sausage casings for my legs. 

(For reference, I take either 24 or 25 in J.Crew jeans but I've had some I couldn't get past my

knees and some that were much too baggy. I wear 00 capris or 0 petite full length J.Crew pants.)

I could get them on but I could barely get zipped in.

And I wondered if I'd be permanently debossed

with the markings of a pair of denim jeans.

However, after reading this, I gave them another chance.

And I'm so glad I did because they did stretch to be comfortable.

(I did some extra tugging at the waist band to loosen it.)

As for the length, they are long.

I am 5'2" and have them cuffed thrice.

I think the Jean Shop size 25 fits similar to J.Crew size 24.

The fit is between a toothpick and matchstick,

maybe closer to toothpick. 

After a bit of wear, the Jean Shop jeans conform to your body.

J.Crew jeans never seem to fit around the waist.

Almost always I have a significant gap around the waist band

that I've been conditioned to accept.

And I prefer unconditional love.



On the Ropes

I couldn't wait anymore. So even with the windy condition, cool temperature and a threat of rain, I wore the painted rope skirt. As shopwithm pointed out in her review, the skirt is really well done and could have easily been deemed Collection.

The lovely fabric with good weight and a lot of body is 53% wool and 47% silk (I have a weakness for natural fiber blends). But more than the fabric and nice construction (it's fully lined, the stripes match up nicely), I think it reads Collection because of the quirky stripes (or rope pattern) that look hand drawn. The waistband is backed with a grosgrain ribbon to hold its shape and though I'm not likely to use them, it has pockets (no, there's nothing wrong with the pockets, but why is it I want pockets when I don't often use them? That's a philosophical question ...).  

It's pleated front and back and as suspected, will wrinkle a bit from sitting. Though the pleats kept their shape after a day's wearing, the skirt will need a steam or light ironing before the next time. The center back length of the size 00 is 21.75" and on my 5'2" height, the length is right at my knees.


If you read my Texas Tuxedo post, you'd recognize the Jean Shop dark denim shirt (with the brand's distinctive orange selvedge). I wanted to try it untucked, thinking the structure of the shirt would hold down any excessive fullness of the skirt. I thought it worked reasonably well, the wind had picked up some when the photo was taken.

You'd think in May (even if only a couple days in), I wouldn't be needing tights or thermal underwear, especially in SoCal. But I did. And I wore them.

There you have it, my fashion tip: thermal underwear.


Texas Tuxedo

Aka Canadian tuxedo, the head-to-toe, denim-on-denim ensemble has been both a fashion faux pas and a fashion trend.

Traditionally, a Texas tuxedo comprised a pair of clean, pressed, new looking denim jeans, a Western shirt with pearl snaps, a bolo tie, a large belt buckle, shiny cowboy boots and a Stetson hat. Though I own all those things (yes I really do), I'm not going anyplace formal in an area heavily populated by ranches and cowboys. I'm merely trying on the shirt (to start my denim/chambray shirt reviews) and jeans (recently received) and finished off with shoes remembered by Alexis' top 10 shoe post.

The shirt is the very same that DaniBP has reviewed so beautifully. It's of Japanese 100% cotton denim with the Jean Shop signature orange selvedge (I have a weakness for selvedge). The denim is raw and untreated and the shirt arrives stiff and crinkly. As Dani, I'm also wearing an XS. The shoulders are slightly wide on me. The sleeves are long, reaching the first knuckles of my hands and why I have them folded up. It could be sold out from J.Crew but you can get it from the original source.

Here's what's unexpected: I'll be reviewing about a dozen different chambray and denim shirts ranging in size from XS to XXS to 0 to 00 petite. You'd think this an XS would be on the larger side but I think this one actually fits best. Maybe it's because of the arm holes that are cut high and close. Maybe it's because of the texture of the denim that feels like unbroken new jeans, not soft at all but crisp like sun-dried sheets that I find earthy. There's enough structure to the shirt to keep it from feeling oversized and slightly sloppy as most denim or chambray shirts. As much as it can be, I think it the most formal or dressed-up among them. I love the shirt.

The jeans, also from Jean Shop, we'll talk about on another post. You can see they are sausage casings for my legs. They're supposed to loosen up after wearing but I haven't broken them in yet.

Word has it some of Hollywood's trendiest have stepped out in the once taboo Texas tuxedo (it was reported by MTV Style a year ago, but hey, you know how I stay on top of these things!).

Prince Harry was spotted in the coordinated outfit one morning.

Even Jenna has done it.

What do you think ... is this a fashion do or don't or is it so over?