High-Rise | Mid-Rise
I used store credit garnered from my referral link to purchase product for review
When Everlane announced they were making stretch denim, I was elated! As much as I love the Cheeky Jeans (wearing them right now, actually), I spend about five hours in choir rehearsals each week. If you’ve ever tried to sing while sitting in high-rise, non-stretch denim, you’ll understand that it’s no easy feat. It’s uncomfortable because you can’t ever get to full lung capacity.
I also prefer skinnier denim for my fall and winter silhouettes of crewneck sweaters and long cardigans. It just feels more balanced. So this seemed serendipitous. In my enthusiasm, I quickly ordered the high-rise denim, unaware that they also released it in mid-rise, which is actually what I was aiming for. So I ended up sampling both styles and thought it might be helpful to offer a side-by side comparison of the two.
Everlane Authentic Stretch Denim Review
I ordered the High-Rise and Mid-Rise denim in full length, Dark Wash Blue. I ordered my usual size 29. For reference, my measurements are 29″ waist, 39″ hips, and I’m 5’7″ tall.
Rise
There’s a 1.5″ difference between the mid and high rise – the high-rise is 11″ and the mid-rise is 9.5″ – and it’s actually hard to see the difference if you don’t look at the photos closely. But this does affect comfort a bit, especially if you have a bigger butt like I do.
Though I’m inclined to favor the look of the high rise, when you look at photos of the back, you can see that the rise appears even more subtle…
High-Rise | Mid-Rise
This is because the rise on the high-rise pair isn’t quite long enough to accommodate the contour of my backside, versus the mid-rise pair that sits correctly.
While this doesn’t cause comfort issues when standing, I definitely notice that the high-rise pair pulls toward the back when I’m seated. That means it’s not really useful for choir practice. The mid-rise pair stills pulls a bit, but it’s less substantial, and therefore more comfortable.
Color
I’m only comparing one color here, but I am satisfied with the dark wash. It does fade a bit after washing, but not significantly enough to cause concern.
Leg
These are a true skinny jeans, so if you’re used to vintage cuts, you might need to readjust to the feeling of tightness through the leg. I have proportionately bulky thighs and knees, but these fit fine through the thighs. They’re a bit tighter than I’d like at the knee, but I think they’ll stretch a bit over time.
High-Rise | Mid-Rise
Length
These stop right at my ankle, which is how I like my skinny jeans. They’ll layer well under tall boots at that length, too.
Verdict?
I think I’m going to keep the mid-rise and sell the high-rise on ebay (I can’t return them because I took off the tags). I’ll have to wear the mid-rise jeans a few more times to decide whether they’re precisely what I’m looking to add to my wardrobe this season, but the fit is undoubtedly better at this rise.
All Everlane Authentic Stretch Denim costs $68
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Leah Wise is the founder of StyleWise Blog. She has been writing, speaking, and consulting on sustainable fashion, the fair trade and secondhand supply chain, and digital marketing for over ten years. An Episcopal priest, Leah holds a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. When not working, you can find her looking for treasures at the thrift store.