I Tried All the Jeans at Target
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Welcome to Jeans Month on the Strategist, where we’re obsessively vetting denim — from trying on every pair at the Gap to asking dozens of stylish people about their favorite fits. For more, head to ourJeans Month hub.
After reading about the$30 Target jeansStrategist contributor Erika Veurink recently discovered, I went to the Downtown Brooklyn location to try my own luck. The only rule I had going in was to limit my pulls to 100 percent cotton (a.k.a.non-stretch)denim, since that is what I normally wear.
For context, I amfive-foot-twowith a size 25- or 26-inch waist, depending on the brand. I’m between a size 2 and 4 in most clothing. My ideal inseam length is 28 inches. The styles I wear the most are barrel and wide-leg jeans. (I am forever in search of the perfect straight-leg jeans.)
Some general observations right off the bat. Between Target’s main women’s lines, Wild Fable (more trend-forward, slightly cheaper), and Universal Thread, there’s a lot of jeans. And they run very long. Many of the Wild Fable jeans I tried on only come in a 31-inch inseam, so all of those pants were too long on me and dragged on the floor. Universal Thread offers three lengths — regular, short, and long — but the store I visited only carries long. Nothing was working out and I was getting frustrated, especially because some of the styles looked and felt very nice.
Luckily, Target’s website was a lot more promising, so I ordered a few short lengths to try at home. Sizing was consistent across both lines, and size 2 was the right fit — not too tight — though I honestly could have worn the size 0, too, for a snugger look. As an aside, having that in-store try-on experience supplemented with online ordering gave me a fuller appreciation for what Target had to offer. Being able to spend time with each style in better lighting in the comfort of my own bedroom helped me find a couple of jeans that I think are very good. But it takes a lot of work! Here’s what I found.
Too baggy, too long
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Cut:Baggy (wide-leg)|Lengths:Regular (inseam 31”), Short (29”), Long (35”) |Rise:Mid |Material:100 percent cotton |Fly:Button | Washes: Blue, Light Wash
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Cut:Baggy (wide-leg) |Lengths:Regular, Short, Long |Rise:Mid |Material:80 percent cotton, 20 percent recycled cotton (blue); 100 percent cotton (dark) |Fly:Button|Washes:Light, Medium, Dark, Blue, Light Blue
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Cut:Baggy (wide-leg) |Lengths:Regular, Short, Long |Rise:Mid |Material:80 percent cotton, 20 percent recycled cotton (blue); 100 percent cotton (dark) |Fly:Button|Washes:Light, Medium, Dark, Blue, Light Blue
These are the jeans Erika says pass for vintage Levi’s. (To make things even more confusing, there are two different pages for the same cut, but each link has different washes.) In fact, the pair I tried on in the store were theperfect bright blue washthat I’ve been searching for in vintage Levi’s. But the pants were too wide and baggy on my petite frame. (For context,Erikais much taller than I am atsix-foot-two. ) Depending on the wash, there was too much distressing and whisking.
I ordered the short length in three different washes (all shown here) to see if they would fit better. Unfortunately, the short are still very long! Also doubly unfortunate because the jeans were actually quite nice. With an inseam of 29 inches, they still dragged a little, but I could maybe pull them off with heels or even cuffed.
Very barrel-y but very good
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Cut:Barrel |Length:Ankle (inseam 26”) |Rise:High |Material:44% Cotton, 28% Recycled Cotton, 28% Lyocell| Fly:Button |Washes:Dark, Light Blue
I find that barrel-leg jeans are quite flattering on me, despite my shorter height. I own two pairs, one from Uniqlo and one from B-Sides. Theregular-length ones(sold out online and on clearance at the store) were extremely long and wide and swallowed me up, but I liked the exaggerated curve of the silhouette. The wash and denim felt very nice and substantial, and I liked the way it sat uphigh on my waist. I ordered theankle-length versionto try instead, and while I don’t love that the cuffs are raw, these jeans fit me perfectly. The ankle length was just right, the cut was nice and bowlegged, and the wash and whiskering were quite nice. The material also feels quite soft and easy to wear. I was surprised to see that they’re actually made with cotton, recycled cotton, and 28 percent lyocell, which lends the jeans a comfortable fit.
Not too wide and not too slim
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Cut:Relaxed straight |Length:Regular, Short, Long (black, light washes) |Rise:Mid |Material:100 percent cotton |Fly:Zip |Washes:Black, Medium, Light, Blue Denim
These black jeans from Wild Fable were really nice, too, and were actually the right length on me. I like the feel of the fabric and the fact that the leg isn’t too wide. They’re much slimmer than the Universal Thread ’90s baggy jeans. Because of their monochrome wash, they look more polished. I don’t love the holes, but I can live with them.
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Cut:Relaxed straight |Length:Regular (inseam 31”), Short (29”), Long (33”) (black, light washes) |Material:70 percent cotton, 30 percent recycled cotton |Fly:Zip |Washes:Black, Medium, Light, Blue Denim
I also ordered the light wash in these jeans, which had a more acid-y look and a large frayed hole in one of the legs. (There are four washes, but only two of them — black and light — come in all three lengths.) These felt the most like actual vintage Levi’s. The denim was thick and hardy and was convincingly distressed. The 29-inch inseam on the short length was perfect.
Stretchy but surprisingly flattering
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Cut:Straight |Length:Regular (inseam 32”), Short (29”) |Rise:High |Material:99 percent cotton, 1 percent Spandex |Fly:Zip |Washes:Black
I saw these online and was intrigued by their designation as ’90s-style vintage straight-leg jeans and ordered them. While I usually prefer jeans without stretch, the one percent of Spandex in these makes them very comfortable and super-flattering. They fit like a glove, hit right below the ankle, and make my butt look good. They’re a nice straight leg that’s not too wide or slim. I was surprised by how much I liked these.
(At the store, I noticed that some jeans were designated as “easy rigid,” which meant that the front half of the pants were made with rigid cotton and the back half with stretchy denim for a comfier fit. I had never seen that before and thought it was kind of brilliant. Looking closely, though, you can tell the fabric on each side looked and felt different. The stretchy jeans have a grayer, more heathered look, while the 100 percent cotton ones look more denim-y. )
Other jeans I tried on
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Cut:Wide Leg Sailor |Length:Regular (inseam 29”) |Rise:High |Material:79 percent cotton, 20 percent recycled cotton, 1 percent spandex |Fly:Button |Washes:Cream Striped, Dark Wash, Green, Light Green, Light Wash, Red
As I said, I intended to try on only non-stretch jeans, but these called out to me in the store. In fact, they turned out to be quite comfortable and flattering (and the right length), though the fabric felt a bit too thin for my taste. Like a stretchy Jesse Kamm but not as high-waisted.
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Cut:Wide-leg baggy |Length:Regular (inseam 32”) |Rise:Low |Material:80 percent cotton, 20 percent recycled cotton |Fly:Zip |Washes:Leopard, Black, Medium, Tinted Medium
These were low-slung and way too baggy and long.
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Cut:Super Wide Leg |Length:Regular (inseam 32”), Short (30”), Long (35”) |Rise:Mid |Material:80 percent cotton, 20 percent recycled cotton |Fly:Button |Washes:Light, Black
The Super Wides lived up to their name and of course were even baggier than the previous pair.
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
