Denim for Days...

After several years of lots of wear and love, three of my favorite pairs of designer jeans gave out this winter. After mourning their demise and a desperate attempt to patch them (which helped until I had to wash them again) it was time for some new jeans. So, I took my tax return money denim shopping last week. 

Since I had a limited budget and needed at least 2-3 new pairs I decided to invest in several pairs of inexpensive jeans instead of splurging on one nice pair. Four for the price of one--plus a pair of shorts and a skirt--can't argue with that!! Especially since even the lower-end brands are starting to catch up with designer denim technology, so I was actually pretty impressed with the jeans they had to offer. Remember my Denim Guide posts? I featured both Gap and H&M jeans as affordable options to try, and now I'm back with updates! 

On the first stop of my shopping excursion I ended up with one pair of the legging jean from Gap Factory in a nice medium-dark wash. They are fairly stretchy and super skinny, but the one thing I didn't love about the Gap jeans was the stitching on the pockets--I would have gotten a dark denim pair too if the stitching didn't stand out so much, but as it was I ended up only getting the medium wash pair. I also got a second pair of  my favorite boyfriend shorts in a light wash with distressing which I am so excited about for the summer. 

After that successful purchase I decided to stop in H&M and see if anything caught my eye, but I really wasn't expecting to be impressed with their denim quality. I have one pair of jeans from H&M that I wear all the time, but I am always wary of the quality and sizing there. I was surprised to find that their jeans were actually fitting me really well, and for the price I couldn't say no. I got two pairs of their Skinny Super Stretch jeans, one in a dark wash and one in grey with rips, each under $30. I always prefer super stretchy jeans since they are easier to move in and incredibly comfortable. So, I also got a pair of super skinny shaping jeans which have a ton of stretch and are really flattering. I rounded out my denim excursion with a patchwork denim skirt which I can't wait to style with crop tops and sandals for summer.  

Which pair am I most impressed with? The H&M shaping jeans from their &Denim line. These cost a bit more than any of the other pairs I bought, and I am always hesitant to spend $50 on any item from H&M since their quality is sometimes not great, but I decided these were worth the price. They are incredibly stretchy, which I love, and fit snug and skinny while still being amazingly comfortable. I got them in a dark wash with a mid rise waist, and I have a feeling these are going to be a new favorite. Let's see how they hold up now :)

Now that I have a revamped denim wardrobe (ok, ok, I might have gone a little overboard with the denim lol) I should be all set of a while! These are all staple pieces that I will wear over the summer with sandals and tanks, and I know for sure will get a ton of use all fall and winter. All of the pairs that I got are mid rise and super skinny and they are all long enough on me too! The super stretch jeans from H&M definitely run the longest, while the other pairs hit just above the ankle bone on me. It is nice to have several pairs to rotate through if you are a jeans-every-day kind of girl. 

A note about shopping these brands: I always go down a size or even two at the Gap, so I ended up getting 28s in both the jeans and shorts. At H&M I always go up a size or two, and ended up with a size 10 and 12 in the super stretch jeans, and a 30/32 in the shaping jeans.

xoxo, CC