Thursday, May 29, 2014

{ r e v i e w } Imogene + Willie - Elizabeth

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I found Imogene + Willie from a post Beth did on Local Milk. They're a Nashville based brand, but have a store in Portland Oregon as well as their flagship so I was able to see their products in person before buying. 

I was initially attracted to the fact that not only are the jeans crafted domestically, but they have a high waist option, with a true high waist. My natural waist hits pretty high, so while some pants are advertised as "high waist", 90% of the time that means a mid-rise, or reach a couple inches below at best. But these looked pretty promising, so I went to the Portland store to try them on.

And walked out wearing them.

The staff was very helpful, and made sure I got the best fit and was comfortable in the denim I picked. The sizing can get a bit complicated with Imogene + Willie, so if you're unsure and not able to try them in person, know your measurements, contact them, and they can help you find the perfect fit. I measure at a w-25.5 h-38, and tried the 25" Elizabeth in Indigo which I thought fit great, but the employee recommended trying a size down. I put on a 24" and they fit even better, a bit snug at first, but as with all denim it'll relax and form to your body the more you wear it. Which it did, months later and they're just as easy to wear as any other denim in my closet.

This was my first pair of jeans I don't intend to wash much. So far so good, there hasn't been a need and as I mentioned, they have already formed beautifully so I don't want to mess with that. A part of me loves the fresh color and lines, but I also look forward to some getting some wear here and there and a bit of darning and patching. 

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11 comments:

  1. Skinnies look frighteningly unflattering on me, but if not for that, I would leap at the chance to own a pair of these well made jeans myself, too. I'll have to keep my eyes open for and fingers crossed that they release some wider legged styles one day.

    ♥ Jessica

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  2. I can't handle the high waist - I'd be pulling and messing with it all day long. But I do love the way it looks on women who are truly comfortable wearing it. I'm with Jessica - I'd like to see some wider legged styles. I do like how thick the denim looks - is it a very thick fabric?

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    1. I'll keep that in mind!

      The denim is a medium weight, it has a bit of stretch to it as well.

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  3. How does the "no washing" thing work? Do you just spot clean or is there a special no wash instructions?

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    1. It's more of a "wash as little as possible" thing, though must people can go the entire life of the jeans without washing. I'll do a post on that soon, but you spot clean when you need to, and it really makes them last longer and fit better. Just whatever you do, never put them in the dryer, always air dry.

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  4. I would also like to see a spot check as opposed to washing. I have two bassets who drool something fierce.

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    1. It's totally fine to wash them, if you do so frequently I'd recommend hand washing, or running on the delicate cycle and laying flat to dry.

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  5. I found this: http://www.nydj.com/ are all made in america.

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  6. I'm officially addicted to Imogene + Willie. Like, I can't imagine buying another brand now since they fit SO well.

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  7. ooo, i definitely want a pair, but they only go up to a 32" and my hips are 46". so not sure how they'd work. and if you review nydj i'd love to see the review.

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