Review: Not Your Daughter's Jeans

[KnottedYet]

I like Levis.

But they are not made in the USA any more.

However.... Not Your Daughter's Jeans ARE made in the USA! http://www.nydj.com/

You've seen the ads, you've heard the hype - and they are niiiiice jeans.

Sizing: First, lets talk about sizes. Size 0 to 24. In regular/tall, petite, and women's. If you need a size 20, you can get a 20 Misses' with a small waist and long inseams. And if you need a 20 Women's Petite that won't cut into your stomach or pile up at your ankles, you can get that too. It makes me giddy just to think about all the permutations of sizing available for just one pair of jeans! Wheeee!

Fit: Yes, they do fit. And they fit very well. No gapping at the waist. The rise is not hovering just above my pubes, it's within shouting distance of my belly-button and the waist falls at a flattering line. No wedgie. The legs are long enough. And all that's with just a pair of "regular" size 16.

Fabric: Not as heavy as a Levi 501, but not as lightweight as a Levi 512 or 529. There is spandex-y goodness to the fabric, so it sculpts. But it isn't too tight.

Do I Look a Size Smaller? The ads and the hang tags claim you will. I don't. I just look like I've got a pair of jeans on that fit me perfectly.

Tummy Tuck and Butt Lift? Again with the ads, and again with the "no." I don't see any lifting or tucking going on. But I look like I'm wearing really comfy jeans. And I am. I was concerned from the ads that there'd be some super-squashy tummy panel in these jeans, but there isn't.

Pockets: Little short pockets, but you can put things in them and stuff won't fall out. They are MUCH more functional than the pockets in my Levi 512's.

Price: Oh. My. They are the most expensive jeans I've ever bought. Like $100. They are made in the USA. That is mighty important to me. (I have family who lost jobs because their company moved to overseas production.) They fit great. Also mighty important to me. I don't regret the $100. I feel I got what I paid for: fabulous fit and made here. And they do fit very well.

[snapdragen]

And here I thought I was alone in my love of my NYDJ. I managed to find some on sale through Zappos in a really nice gray color I can wear to work. (We have a bizzaro dress code - no blue jeans, but any other color is fine)

[jobob]

I feel I got what I paid for: fabulous fit and made here. And they do fit very well.

Well, there you go. You'll likely wear them much more than you would a less expensive but less-well fitting pair.

Thanks for the review, I'll check them out.

[malkin]

Love the review, so I checked their site.

I'm too simple and out of touch with popular culture for this--Marilyn and Twiggy I get, although I can't really tell the difference by the pictures. What characterizes Lori and Barbara?

Barbara Eden? Stanwick? Uh--the one that married Ringo? Oh Bach!?
I can't think of Lori anybody, except for girls I knew in high school--maybe I should look for them on facebook!

Maybe I'll follow up with NYD when I get the new-clothes-for-school itch in the fall.

[Biciclista]

Diamond Gusset Jeans are also made in the USA and they have a gusseted crotch FYI and they are under 60 dollars

[Trek420]

Diamond Gusset Jeans are also made in the USA and they have a gusseted crotch FYI and they are under 60 dollars

Yes they are

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=23285

[maillotpois]

I keep seeing these, but have been too lazy to try them on, especially since I recently discovered Lucky jeans (the ones with the more generous leg fit) and have been really enjoying those. I will have to try them on next time I am at Nordstrom. Thanks for the review.

[TsPoet]

I love pockets, I can't wear pants without pockets. But, clicking on the link, the model has small cargo pockets on the side, guess I'll be ordering a pair. I'll send Knotted the bill.

[bmccasland]

I challenged the nice salesperson at a local department store a couple of months ago - I was in for the dreaded "I need a new pair of jeans" trip.

He took up the challenged, picked several pair out, and continued to pull various ones - I think I was in the dressing room an hour. The winners were the NYDJ - they fit my curves, and I don't feel stuffed in them. NOW I understand why people love their jeans, and it only took (cough cough) years. Granted the steep price caught me, but when I saw the American flag tag sewn in, and I understand the politics of why there are jeans selling at the same price I paid back in college (or less ), I bought a pair, then waited another month and bought a pair of their chinos.

Yup, count me in as a Not Your Daughter's Jeans fan.

[OakLeaf]

Is the rise as high as it looks on the models? I'm VERY short-waisted, and I prefer my waistband to fall somewhere below my bra band.

It would be a long out-of-the-way drive to try these on, but I'd probably do it if I thought I could wear them.

[Crankin]

The name itself turns me off.
I like low rise jeans. As long as I can find ones that fit me, I'm fine. So far, Gap is winning.

[Irulan]

The name itself turns me off.
I like low rise jeans. As long as I can find ones that fit me, I'm fine. So far, Gap is winning.

I know,it smacks of "mom jeans" doesn't it?

Regarding fit issues of jeans, here is some very interesting reading about jeans fit in fashion industry.
http://www.fashion-incubator.com/arc...sy_these_days/

[Crankin]

Yes, it does.
I guess I am going to be one of those older women who people look at and say "she is too old for that." As long as my crack doesn't show and there is no vpl or muffin top, then I am keeping my low rise jeans.
But, since I am thinner than most 25 year olds, I don't care right now.

[KnottedYet]

There are lower-rise and higher-rise versions of NYDJ in the bazillions of styles they make, but I didn't even try them on. I told the salesclerk what I was looking for, and she found the perfect fit right away.

The ones I bought ("Marilyn" I think) hit about 3 finger-widths below my belly-button. That's what I think of as a normal rise for me, makes me happy.

In the back, they hit just below the top of my iliac crest (top of the pelvis).

I'm long-waisted and very hour-glass shaped. YMMV.

Irulan - that article you linked mentions (and links) Diamond Gusset jeans, which Mimi and I both like quite a lot. Also made in the USA.

[jessmarimba]

Not related to jeans. On those lines, I am a Gap fan as well (now). Anything higher cut is uncomfortable for me.

But...I am content to live my life with VPL. Unless I wore a thong every day, which I am NOT interested in doing, there's no hiding it on me. Even my favorite running shorts are starting to give me liner wedgies because my butt apparently matches no possible shape that anyone wants to make clothes for.

*sigh*