I love my skinny jeans. But after more than a year of wearing sweats at home, the idea of squeezing into skinny jeans does not appeal. So, I’ve been on the search for a pair of jeans with a straighter, roomier leg. I decided to try the Everlane Way-High Jean for a few reasons.
First, I am a fan of high-rise anything. Most of my pants are high rise now. As someone petite with short legs, high rise gives me the illusion of longer legs. Second, I’ve had success with Everlane denim in the past. Generally, I’ve found their denim to be of good quality at a reasonable price. (And when there have been issues, Everlane has quickly replaced the defective pair.) So when Everlane announced these jeans as “our highest rise yet,” it got my attention.
Everlane Way-High Jean – $88
These jeans were gifted to me by Everlane and this post contains affiliate links. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. As always, all opinions are my own and I only write about items that interest me. Thanks for supporting Welcome Objects!
I already had my eye on the Way-High Jean and the Cheeky Jean when Everlane reached out to ask if I’d like to try one of their products. This was a surprise, as they’ve only gifted one item to me two years ago. They have a digital flyer with products they’re promoting called the Best Sellers Line Sheet that they share with bloggers and influencers. The Way-High Jean happened to be on the line sheet, so I asked for it.
So, how does it fit? Here’s a 5’7″ model wearing size 27 in coal, a black wash.
And here’s 5′ 4″ me wearing size 27. The Way-High Jean comes in regular and tall inseams. I ordered the regular, which has a 27 1/2″ inseam. But I cut 3″ off, which was easy to do myself since the coal wash has a raw hem.
Ooops, doing that pigeon toe thing, a bad habit from childhood. Wearing: Everlane Way-High Jean // Vetta Shirt // dr. Liza Sandals // Lo & Sons Bag
Sizing & Fit: These jeans, at least in the coal wash, run a bit big. In many reviews on the Everlane site, people said they sized down. During the pandemic, I went up a pants size, so I’m a 6/28 these days. Sizing down put me at size 27. I worried the 27s would be too tight. And while they initially felt tight in the waist, they eased up with wear. Going down one size was the right fit for me. If you want a looser fit, your regular size should work for that. If you’re between sizes, go with the smaller size.
The rise, according to Everlane, is 12 1/8. I measured a touch under 12″ with my tape measure, but whatever. Close enough. The rise is about an inch higher than other high-rise jeans from the brand. The leg seems to have a slight balloon shape to them.
The fit is fantastic for me. Honestly, I’m surprised by how well they fit.
The fit is fantastic for me. Honestly, I’m surprised by how well they fit. They accommodate my tummy pooch, holding it in without feeling too tight. They don’t cut in at the waist uncomfortably. The back side fit well too. They’re not too tight on my thighs, which can be an issue for me sometimes. And they don’t bag out during the day.
Fabric: These jeans have the nice heft of denim. The fabric is a medium thickness. A tag advertised these as “low stretch” but I find that there’s some give. Fiber content is 96% organic cotton, 1% elastane, and 3% other fiber.
How they Wear: I’ve been wearing the Way-High Jeans for a couple months. They soften nicely over time. I can sit comfortably in them. The frayed hem means there’s some maintenance involved in cutting wayward threads. No big deal. But if you need to shorten these jeans and are not a fan of the raw hem, you could get them properly hemmed. Most of the other washes (there are 5 others at the time of this writing) feature a finished hem.
Where It’s Made: The Saitex International factory in Bien Hoa, Vietnam. The factory is LEED-certified and uses renewable energy and air drying to reduce CO2 emissions. Saitex makes jeans for other brands as well.
Styling: Because the leg is straight and loose, I’m careful not to style these with anything baggy on top. They work well with sandals for warmer weather. They also look cute with boots, as I wore them here, for colder months.
Other Jeans
While shopping for straight leg jeans, I tried on other high-waisted styles, including Levi’s Rib Cage Straight Ankle Jeans, which are similarly priced at $98. (The Way-High Jean is $88.) The Rib Cage felt tighter in the thighs for me and have a button fly. (I prefer zip fly.)
On the other end of the price spectrum, I also tried Universal Thread’s High-Rise Slim Straight Jeans at Target, which cost $30 and are fair trade certified. These have a slimmer leg than the Way-High Jeans. The fabric is thinner and stretchier (only 70% cotton; the rest is lyocell and elastane). And while they weren’t bad, they weren’t as flattering on me as the Way-High Jeans.
Overall, I’m happy with the Way-High Jeans. They’ve become my go-to jeans. What a relief to find jeans that fit well.
UPDATE 6/15/22 – I ordered the Way-High Jean in Folsom Blue in size 27 and they fit more snugly than the coal wash. They’re pretty tight in the waist for me. So, I’d say this wash is more true to size. I also tried on the Light Indigo wash, and these fit more like the coal. They eased up a bit, so sizing down worked. It also seems from the reviews that there are size inconsistencies with the Archroma colors. So, it’s probably best to order a few sizes or visit a store if you have access to one to ensure the best fit.
I’ve reviewed a lot of Everlane over the years. You can find a directory to all my Everlane reviews here. If you found my review helpful, please consider shopping through my link. Thank you!
