Review: James Jeans High Class Skinny in Swat Dye

Happy Spring! 

I had actually planned to post this review before the weather warmed up and I was obsessing over new spring items to add to my wardrobe, but sometimes timing is what it is. Ironically, it has been freezing cold in NC lately, much more so than normal for this time of year. The warm days we've had have been sprinkled in amongst 30-degree highs, and wintry mixes. Thus, I have been living in these jeans I'm about to show you...

As you know, I am a total convert to James Jeans. One of the many pairs I have collected in the last months is James Jeans High Class Skinny in Swat Dye. What is "Swat Dye" you ask? Well I wasn't sure either. But essentially it is a super-cool wash that makes for an eye-catching pair of printed skinny jeans. Add in the high waist and it is not only chic and comfortable, but also very figure flattering! Read on below for the details:

 

 Jeans: James Jeans; Boots: Nine West Vintage America; Tank: H&M

 Jeans: James Jeans; Wedge Sneakers: Xhilaration; Faux-leather jacket: H&M Men's; Hoodie: My own (Go Hurricanes!)

 

Jeans: James Jeans; Heels: Bandolino; Button-Down: H&M; Military Jacket: JCP

As you can see, these are definitely not your run-of-the-mill skinny jeans. The wash is similar to a tie-dye effect, but actually comes out closer to smoke swirls. The base color is a dark mocha bordering on black (I think it can be worn as either, it's completely neutral). The "Swat" part is the name for the color of the "swirls". It's kind of a toffee/burnt bronze color, which is hard to describe. Here is a pair of James in Swat for reference. At first, I wasn't sure how I planned on styling this wash, but after seeing the jeans in person, I was able to pull a surprising number of looks together. If you view the pants as simply a neutral print, like you would with stripes, plaid, etc, it opens up a world of possiblity. 

The fit on these is some of the best I have seen. These are high-waisted jeans, with a rise of approximately 9.75". The inseam is about 30", varying slightly by size of course. These fit a little on the smaller side as compared to my other James, but I believe that is by design - they hold you in completely! As I have mentioned before, I am often in between sizes. I went with the larger size since the waist is so high. The fabric is Cotton/Lycra (97/3) so it is super stretchy - but that said, they feel almost like Spanx. While I might have gotten away with one size down, they would not have been comfortable, at least at first. These pants move with you, but they do not lose their shape or stretch out very much with wear. I wore mine for several hours, and when I took them off, they looked exactly as they did when I first put them on. This is a good thing, to me, as the butt never sags during the day! They really hold everything into place, slim the legs and waist, but still allow plenty of movement. The high rise is very on-trend right now, but is also great to keep from worrying about your "crack" with shorter tops. I don't usually like to post "selfie mirror shots" on my blog if I can help it, but I wanted to show the first photo to give an idea of how the rise actually hits on the jeans. It's definitely the highest rise I own - but they still don't look like "Mom jeans".

I am such a fan of these jeans - and to be honest, I like them more every time I wear them! I have worn them everywhere from a Canes game to my office. I really appreciate how unique the wash and dye is on this pair, and the quality of the fabric is so luxe and substantial, they really are a statement piece you'll have for a long time.

These jeans are selling out fast pretty much everywhere! If you are interested in a pair for yourself, try James Jeans or Shop Tank Top.

 

February 8, 2014

Good afternoon all!

Today we finally have some much-needed sunshine. It has been so cold, rainy, and snowy lately...I can hardly wait for spring! This OOTD was centered around one of my new favorite pairs of jeans, James Jeans Neo Beau in Wimbledon. I purchased these jeans right after Christmas, and they are honestly one of the most comfortable pairs I have ever owned (probably THE most comfortable). The reason I love the Neo Beau style is because it takes all the best elements of the boyfriend jean - the relaxed fit in the leg, slightly distressed details, and comfortable fabric - and makes it into something that is still stylish and flattering on  woman's body. James Jeans, as a brand, does this better than any other denim brand I have worn. Trust me, I used to have over 50 pairs of jeans at any given time, I have worn a lot of denim! Take a look below at how I styled my jeans today, and read my detailed review about the fit! Enjoy!

Sweater, H&M; Jeans, James Jeans; Shoes, Jessica Simpson; Scarf, JCPenney; Lipstick, MAC in Ravishing

As you can see, these jeans are a slouchy, comfortable fit! They are roomy in the waist and hip area, but still drape the curves nicely and taper in the leg. I am petite - just under 5'3"- but these do not swallow me or make me look short! The inseam is 30" uncuffed, so for shorter ladies, these definitely look better with cuffs rolled twice to hit above the ankle bone. On taller ladies, these would be a little shorter, as they are modeled on the James site. The rise is 8", typical of most pairs of James Jeans. The brand is famous for rises that flatter and cover your backside while never looking drab or frumpy.

The wash (Wimbledon) is what I would describe as an iconic blue wash with distressed details. The nice thing about this pair is that since the rips and holes are very tasteful, they can be dressed up or down, and don't look sloppy.

The fabric content of this wash is 98% cotton, 2% Spandex. While these certainly have the sturdy feel of denim, they are lightweight enough for summer, and will stretch out a bit with multiple wears (in a good way, in my opinion). I would advise to buy your true size in James Jeans, or maybe 1 size up if you teeter in between sizes like myself. I bought the larger of the 2 sizes to ensure an oversized fit, but I am sure I would have been quite comfortable in 1 size down as well. 

Since it is a little warmer today, I chose to style my jeans with a plain black sweater (my go-to in the winter!) and some heels with a pop of color. I love this deep, berry-colored pair by Jessica Simpson. It is hard to tell from the photos, but they are actually suede! The leopard scarf is  fun pop of pattern for an otherwise basic outfit. As for accessories, I am a minimalist - just the scarf and my ever day jewelry and I am good to go! 

If you would like to purchase James Jeans Neo Beau, please visit the James Jeans site. This style is available in a variety of washes - I plan to purchase another wash soon! 

Happy Weekend! :) 

-Lana 

The Best Thing That Happened to My Denim Collection

Hello All!

 It has been too long since I have written! A lot of things have changed, and without boring everyone with the details, let's just say I started working in a more corporate environment a little over a year ago,  and I have not made time to post on here as I should. To my pull myself out of this blogging slump, it wold take something extraordinary, something I had to share with my fellow fashion lovers, if any of you are reading. But mostly, I want to share it for me, because I love to talk about clothes...more specifically, denim. So please read on to find out more about my latest and greatest denim discovery!

                         

The James Jeans Moto Combo Legging in Baroque & Ponte

The Back Story:

One day, I was casually surfing my favorite fashion sites, when I spotted a shot from the James Jeans blog. I saw a photo of this incredible pair of jeans, and I knew I had to have them! I had never seen moto jeans done to perfection like this before! I recently became a fan (make that whole-hearted convert) of James Jeans when I tried on my fist pair at a local boutique, Uniquities . I tried on the Randi Pencil Leg jeans in Baroque (yep, same wash as these Moto jeans). The fabric, fit, and craftsmanship were amazing, and you could tell they were worth the price. I liked them even better than J Brand! So this led me to start looking at James Jeans' other styles. Hence the blog trolling. Seriously, check out their blog here.

I have become a huge fan of online shopping in the last year, and since I knew these jeans were not in any stores near me, I took to the internet to search for reviews of these amazing Motos. What I discovered is that not only are they difficult to find for purchase, there were only a few reviews published on this exact pair. I also discovered that James makes other moto styles, and they have a HUGE devoted following, for the Moto trend alone! They really are perfect. And to be honest, I had to have them. So after waiting for an aptly-timed Black Friday sale and some Christmas money, I purchased a pair of my very own. I wanted to make sure that I posted a review so others can learn about this brand, and score a pair of these jeans for yourself! Stay tuned for many more posts about James Jeans. I have started a collection in just 3 short months, and I'm in love with every pair!

The REVIEW: 

The Moto Legging in Barque/Ponte is made of a cotton/tencel/elastin blend that is both incredibly soft and incredibly stretchy. The wash is so dark it is nearly black, but has plenty of carefully crafted abrasions to give them a worn-in, vintage feel. The black ponte panels are soft and stretchy, making this style extremely comfortable despite the amount of detail work on the legs. After my experience with the various James I now own, I would say these fit true to size. I actually purchased 1 size up from my standard James size, thinking that maybe the legging fit would be tighter. When I got them out of the bag, they looked so small I was afraid they wouldn't fit me! But boy was I wrong! They are actually loose on me, after just a few wears. So if you are looking to purchase a pair of your own, I would buy your true size. If you are *technically* in between sizes, like myself, I would go with the smaller size. I do not own the other Moto styles, but for this particular fabric blend, they do stretch out and conform to your body with each wear. As others have mentioned, these jeans truly are the most comfortable pair I own. I would wear them every single day if I could. I am so scared I am going to wear them out I want to buy a back-up pair, though at the moment, I can't shell out that much! But I stalk every fashion website known to man to see if I catch these or another pair at a discount :)

My new favorite jeans on a rainy day.

If you are interested in picking up a pair for yourself, please click the link above the first photo to go to the James Jeans website. Or click the links below:

James Jeans 

Couture Candy

Happy Shopping!