Currently Coveting: The Perfect, Cropped, Straight Leg Jeans

Happy Friday! Following my "Winter Capsule Planning" post I started thinking about all of the research and time that went into narrowing down the items I hope to add to my wardrobe this season.

As I do with each capsule, I spent the last few months taking note of what worked, what didn't and what seemed to be missing from my wardrobe in order to maintain a simple, classic closet of versatile pieces.

All-in-all this process now feels like second nature but it hasn't always been that way. In fact, getting to this point has taken me years and plenty of hits and misses.

So, in an effort to save you from making the same mistakes I did I will be starting a new series called "Currently Coveting." Through this series I will share the thought process behind each new addition, the various iterations of that piece that I look into, and which one I ultimately settle on.

Edit, Edit, Edit

To begin, I want to revisit why an ongoing evaluation of your wardrobe is essential. As you know, maintaining a wardrobe of high-quality, classic basics that can take you throughout the whole year requires patience, commitment and a true understanding of your personal style and life. If you haven't reached this point yet, or are having trouble maintaining focus, you can read some of my fail-proof tips and tricks here.

Once you have a firm understanding of the silhouettes, fabrics and colors that suit you best, you can start perfecting your core basics and adding or removing shoes, accessories and trend driven items as they wear out, your climate or job changes and seasons and trends come and go.

Edit Your Closet to Sell, Donate and Buy For The New Season

As you edit your closet each season and decide on the pieces you want to add, it's important to choose wisely before filling that valuable spot in your wardrobe. To do this myself, I try and practice a "1 in, 1 out" rule, while also limiting the overall amount of items I purchase by trying to select pieces that are well-made and will last more than just 1 season - without spending an arm and a leg either. To demonstrate just how I do this, let's start by focusing on my hunt for the perfect, cropped, straight leg jeans this season. 

Research

The first step I take before purchasing a new item is to research, research, research. The first part of this research includes loads of Pinning to narrow in on color, shape and fit that I prefer for the item(s) in question.

Below, I've included some of my favorite inspiration pics for the jeans I hope to add, but you can see more over on Pinterest if you're interested.

In the case of these jeans, I started by isolating that I wanted a pair of non-stretchy jeans in a medium to dark wash.

Next, I honed in on the fact that I preferred a medium to high rise (based on what I know suits me the best). Armed with these parameters, I set my budget. In this instance I would like to spend no more than $100.

Finally, I turned to trusted bloggers, editors and influencers alike to isolate the individual products that are met with rave reviews and endless styling options. Once I've done this and have a handful of specific products I'm interested in, I begin the hunt. 

Hunt

The "hunt," or actually trying on all of your contenders to find a winner is easily the most time intensive and often frustrating part of this whole process. Unfortunately, it's also the most important because it helps ensure that I only purchase pieces that I love and will wear.

To make the most of this step, I like to narrow in on a few shops that carry 1 or more of the items I'm interested in. Then, I head on over and try them all on - in various sizes and washes keeping in mind that hems can be taken up if the fit is great everywhere else.

In an ideal world this process ends with me finding the perfect item to fill the spot I'm looking for, but in the instance that my search comes up empty and none of the pieces I selected work, I will either go back to the beginning and select some new contenders (preferably that will address the issues I had the first time around), or I will make the decision to pass on the item all-together if I  decide that it may not suit me and my lifestyle after all.

Where I Am In My Quest

Currently in my search for the perfect, cropped, straight leg jeans I am on the "hunt" stage. So far, I have completed my research and have narrowed it down to 6 styles. First up is the pair of Levi's I mentioned in my "Winter Capsule Planning" post. After searching high and low online and reading rave review after rave review, I was able to try these jeans in person. Unfortunately, while I thought the overall effect was great, they ultimately didn't work for me and my wardrobe so I've moved onto the remaining options.

Next is a great pair of straight leg jeans from TopShop. Even though I've heard great things about TopShop jeans, I've surprisingly never tried them so I have a few pairs in my queue for this season. The next is this slim, moto pair, also from TopShop and this dark wash pair. The fifth and sixth pair are from Madewell and offer the same slim cut, straight leg fit that I'm looking for in both a dark and medium wash.

I'm hoping to get out and try these soon and will be sure to check in if and when one of them makes the final cut. In the meantime, I'd love to know if you have any jeans in this cut that you love. Also, what items are on your list this winter? Let me know in the comments below.  

Until next time,

Audrey

Search