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Mother, Frame, Topshop, Good American – Reviewing All Your Favorite Denim

This post is long overdue and I’m so excited about it! I want to share reviews of even more denim styles because I know you’re always on the hunt for the best jeans, so stay tuned for more posts like these. I asked you in Stories to share some of the denim you were looking to try from Nordstrom and went ahead and ordered a handful of your suggestions/brands. I was specifically in the market for the perfect high rise, dark wash, cropped flare jeans, so a lot of the options I tried are this style. Read on to see if I cover any of the jeans you’re looking to try.

Jeans I’m Reviewing In Today’s Post

Wearing Topshop sweater xs, Topshop jeans 25

Wearing Madewell sweater (mine is last year, but linked this year’s version) xs, Good American jeans 00, Gucci mules 35

I’ve been stuck with my same go-to denim brands for a while. I don’t know when the last time I bought a designer pair of jeans, so this post idea was perfect to help me get out of my rut. But also, I heard great things about Mother jeans, so I was excited to order a couple pairs from them to try. I own A LOT of jeans, which has shown me that not all jeans and styles are created equal. I wear certain jeans with certain outfits and shoes – some of my cropped jeans are longer than others, so some will fall longer or shorter on the shaft of my boots. All of these proportions make a difference when you’re petite.

Since not everyone has the luxury of owning a million jeans (I only do because I get gifted a lot), I want to share something I learned this year. Cropped flare jeans are the most versatile jeans you can own when it comes to wearing denim and boots. People get stuck on finding the best ankle booties for skinny jeans, and I’m telling you right now, this is not your only option. Cropped flare jeans can be worn with flats, boots, and sneakers and overall have a more elevated look than skinny jeans do. Because the leg opening is wide, it’s easier to pair them with a variety of boots with shafts. One quick note on finding the perfect crop flare jeans for petites. You’ll most likely need to cut the hems because they’ll be too long. Since you’re cutting a lot of the flare off, you want to make sure to choose jeans that have a substantial flare. If you cut a bootcut with little to no flare, you’ll end up with no flare at all. You can always test it by folding the extra fabric under to see if you still have a flare. Read on to see if I found my perfect cropped flares and which jeans made the cut.

Denim Review

Rag & Bone Nina High Waist Flare Jeans

Wearing size 24

I love Rag & Bone jeans. My favorite jeans of all time have been from R&B. While I don’t have any new pairs, they’re still one of my favorite denim brands. I totally forgot I wanted to try the Nina High Rise Ankle Skinny Jeans (I’ll have to review those soon). I’ve had a few pairs of ripped black jeans from Rag & Bone and they did not collect link, so I have high hopes for these (I’ve also had a few readers say these didn’t collect lint). As with all of Rag & Bone jeans, these have a good weight to them and stretch. They suck you in and all around feel great and comfortable. The flare on these aren’t too big, so when I go to fold the extra fabric under, I sort of loose the flare all together. If you’re taller and don’t need to cut the hems, these are a great medium wash option.

Good American High Rise Crop Jeans

Wearing size 00

This is the first time I’ve tried on a pair of Good American jeans and my initial thoughts were, wow these are awesome. I’ve talked about it in Stories over the last couple of months – I’ve been on the search for the perfect black skinny jeans. All of the options I’ve tried collect lint and I can’t stand that. These GA jeans DO NOT collect lint, which is huge! I didn’t even realize it, but I also found a petite option or at least petite-friendly option. I’m wearing the 00, which is their 24, and they fit well in the waist. The length is oddly a little short – they need to be an inch longer. The leg opening at the bottom is also weirdly wide and not fitted to the ankle, which is why I won’t keep these jeans. Other than that though, Good American jeans seem to be similar quality to Frame.

Frame Le Crop Mini Boot Jeans

Wearing size 24

My first initial thoughts – these are a lot thinner and looser than the Rag & Bone jeans above. They’re butter soft, but don’t suck you in. And not has high rise and the jeans above. The full length of these jeans hit right at my ankle, so there’s not a lot of fabric that needs to be cut, which is why you can still see some of the flare despite these being boot cut (small flare). I love the color of these – super flattering and versatile. If Frame denim is your jam, these are a nice option for crop flare jeans.

Mother The Insider Crop Jeans

Wearing size 24

I had high hopes for these, but sadly they didn’t work for me. I might have ordered the wrong style because these aren’t even the crop flare jeans. I just reread the description and they’re more of a cropped step hem with only a slight flare. These also came missing a button, oops. In general though, they’re super soft and a very comfortable high rise denim. The color is a true black and these DO NOT collect lint.

Topshop Ripped Straight Leg Jeans

Wearing size 25 – I always size up in Topshop jeans.

Topshop jeans are always hit or miss for me and the sizing has been all of the place lately. I also can’t figure out their straight style jeans. Not all of their straight legs fit the same, so it’s hard to figure out what will work and what won’t based off the website. Take these jeans for instance. The website and tags say these are 30″ in length and clearly they’re not. They hit me right at the ankle, so they’re closer to 25″. I actually really like these jeans. They’re high waisted with a classic straight leg style. They’re very similar to Levi’s jeans, without being snug in the waist (which I like). I’m still debating whether or not I’m keeping these, only because I have so many straight leg jeans. If I did keep them, I would cut the hems slightly for a more cropped look.

Mother The Weekend High Waist Fray Jeans

Wearing size 24

Like mentioned above, Mother jeans are on the thin side, but oh so comfortable. These run a little big, but with a wash and dry, the waist fit much better. I’m curious to know if those that typically wear Mother jeans size down? I’ve been looking for the perfect cropped flare jeans and these might be it! Because these are a full on flare jean, when I cut the hems, there was still a lot of flare at the bottom, which is exactly what I was looking for. The dark wash is super flattering, too. I’m going to share more about cropped flare jeans soon, but in general they’re the most versatile style of jean because you can wear them with boots, flats, and sneakers. These are a keeper!

Madewell Vintage Straight Jeans

Wearing size 23 petite

I’ve had these vintage jeans since last year and I knew the second I put them on, they were amazing. These fit my body like a glove. I would say they fit more like a cigarette jean than a straight jean – cinched at the waist, snug around the hips and thighs, and tapered toward the ankles. While I got the petite 23, I could easily wear the 24. They’re a medium weight denim, not stiff like Levi’s and they get softer with wears.

Madewell Tomboy Jeans

Wearing size 23 petite – size down

I’ve had these jeans since last winter and they’re now some of my favorites jeans of all time. They’re more of a straight boyfriend jean, so relaxed and comfortable, but work great as a straight cropped jean. I love that the petite 23 fit perfectly, without needing to cut hems. The rise isn’t too high either. If you can get your hands on these, I would highly recommend them.

Be sure to check out all the amazing denim from Nordstrom. They truly have all your favorite brands, new brands to discover, and options at every price point!

Shop My Favorite Jeans

Special thank you to Nordstrom for partnering on this post.

Mother, Frame, Topshop, Good American – Reviewing All Your Favorite Denim

Jeans I’m Reviewing In Today’s Post

Denim Review

Shop My Favorite Jeans

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