My only clothing purchases so far this year have been a couple pairs of jeans. With my size changing during the pandemic, I only owned one pair of jeans that fit: the Everlane Way-High Jean (reviewed here). Time for some more! I’ve had my eye on the Everlane Original Cheeky Jean for quite some time, but they were out of my size in the colors I liked for a while. With restocks and new colors coming in, I finally gave them a try.
** This post contains affiliate links, but was not produced in partnership with any brand. I bought these jeans myself. 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. **
The Original (or not so original) Cheeky Jean
The Original Cheeky Jean is so named to differentiate it from the ’90s Cheeky Jean, a similar Everlane jean. But these aren’t actually the original originals. These are an updated version.
The current late 2021/early 2022 iteration (what I’m calling 2.0) is an update on their first Cheeky Jean design. Here’s how they’re different, according to Everlane: “We updated this with an even higher rise, a straighter leg, and a raised back-hook seam that lifts and tightens.”
To add to the confusion, Everlane also made the Japanese Denim Cheeky Jean, which Everlane says “was previously known as the Original Cheeky Jean.” These were also known as the Cheeky Straight Jean from about 2017-2020, from what I gathered reading older posts from other bloggers. So, there’s at least three versions of “Original Cheeky Jean” out there: version 1.0 (probably called just “The Cheeky Jean”), the Japanese denim ones, and version 2.0. Maybe there are other ones that I missed. (I haven’t been closely monitoring this situation over the years.) If you’re shopping for these jeans secondhand, be careful! Make sure you’re getting the version you want.
One way to get more info is to ask sellers to take a photo of the inside tag. The Japanese denim ones were made in Bien Hoa, Vietnam, which should be listed on the tag. The 2.0 ones have “The Original Cheeky Jean. Organic Cotton” printed on the tag, as well as the location of the factory: Colombo, Sri Lanka. You can also ask for measurements. The 2.0 jeans have a higher rise at 11 3/4″ while the Japanese denim ones (and I assume the 1.0) version are 11″.
Also, there is a Curvy Cheeky Jean. It has the same high-rise, straight leg look as these various Cheeky Jeans, but Everlane adjusted the hip-to-waist ratio for those with hourglass shapes. (Which is not me, so I didn’t try them. But maybe they’re for you!)
Fabric Details
I initially ordered the Original Cheeky Jean in the washed midnight color. From the photo on their website, I thought they’d be a very dark blue. But what showed up was more of a mid blue.
Everlane Cheeky Jean in washed midnight: As seen on the website (left) and what I received (right).
While this is not the first time the color of an item didn’t line up with what I expected while shopping online, it’s the first time it happened with Everlane. Usually, I find their photos to be pretty accurate.
I ended up sending these back after taking a poll on Instagram. (Thanks to everyone who participated!) While the washed midnight is not bad color at all — quite a classic one — it’s not for me. Shortly after I sent this pair back, Everlane released some new colors, so I rebought these jeans in coal (black) and clove (brown).
Fabric: The fabric is a 13 oz denim, a medium weight that’s similar in feel to the Way-High Jeans. They’re 98% organic cotton and 2% elastane. The tags say they’re low-stretch, which seems accurate to me. They do stretch a bit as you wear them, but not substantially so.
The Everlane Cheeky Jean in coal and clove.
The black rear tags on these feel like fabric, whereas on other Everlane jeans they’ve been made out of leather. Note, also, the “E” on the back pocket, which is new. Everlane jeans that I purchased in prior years — and even in the fall of 2021 — didn’t have this bit of branding.
Everlane claims these jeans are their cleanest yet. They use Roica® V550 yarn, “the first stretch yarn worldwide that isn’t made with harmful chemicals. This innovative fabric, along with the use of microplastic-free dyes and recycled trim, has allowed us to be one of the first companies to make denim that doesn’t dirty the planet.”
Where It’s Made: The Hirdaramani Factory in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which has been certified carbon neutral. While Everlane often links to a page about each of its factory, there is no page for this one. Previously, it seemed that all of their jeans were coming from the Saitex factory in Vietnam (some of their jeans still come from there), so this is a newer vendor for them.
How the Original Cheeky Jean Fits
Here’s a 5′9″ model wearing size 27 regular in clove, according to the Everlane site. I wonder if she might actually be wearing the ankle length, though. They looked cropped. While the Original Cheeky Jean comes in both ankle and regular lengths, the clove colorway seems to be available only in ankle length.
Original Cheeky Jean in clove or in classic colors – $88
And here I am wearing the same jeans in size 28. I’m 5′ 4″ so the ankle length falls like regular length on me. (As a petite person, I’m grateful for the ankle length option.)
Original Cheeky Jean in clove // Everlane Shirt [discontinued, similar] // dr. Liza flats [review]
Sizing: These fit true to size. I went with my normal size, a 28. For reference, my hips are about 37″. The inseam for the ankle length is 26.5″. The regular is 2″ longer.
Fit: I was looking for something with a straight, slightly tapered leg and these deliver. These jeans hug at the waist and hips and then gently skim the leg. Regular readers will know that I only wear high-rise jeans, and these also check that box for me. Everlane says the rise is 11 3/4″, but my tape measure says they’re more like 11 1/2″.
These jeans nip in at the waist. My body shape is kind of straight, so they’re a bit snug for me at the waist. Ditto with my thighs, which are almost too powerful for them. These jeans are not uncomfortable, but if I just ate a big meal, these would not be the pants I’d reach for. All in all, they fit snugger in the waist and thighs than the Way-High Jeans. Also, I noticed some color to color variation. The black pair felt tighter than the clove pair. I find the shape flattering all around, including the back. The high back pocket placement accentuates the booty. After all, they’re called the Cheeky Jean.
How they Wear: I’ve had these jeans for a little over a month, wearing them multiple times a week. They keep their shape throughout the day. No bagging out. No stretching a whole size. They feel pretty consistent. I washed them inside out, air dried, and they washed nicely. Over the years, I’ve found Everlane denim to be of good quality and these are no exception.
What’s the difference between the Original Cheeky Jean and the ’90s Cheeky Jean?: They’re quite similar, but there are differences: One is the fabric. The ’90s Cheeky Jean is 100% cotton while the Original has a touch of stretch. Second, the cut is a little looser in the leg with the ’90s ones. Third, the ’90s version has a button fly where as the original have a zipper fly.
I personally prefer the fit of the Original Cheeky Jean. I also can’t be bothered with button flys. So, the originals — or version 2.0 anyway — it is for me. Overall I’m happy with the fit. Styling wise, the leg works with just about everything in my wardrobe, so I find them easy to wear. Yes, I am here for that mom jean look!
UPDATE 2/24/23 – After wearing the black pair nearly every day for three weeks on vacation, I must report that they do stretch out more than I initially thought. It felt like almost a whole size! However, I’ve lost a couple pounds since I originally wrote this post and wearing them daily was admittedly kind of excessive. (I was purposefully packing very light on this trip.) So, keep that in mind. But if you’re between sizes, I’d size down to accommodate for the stretch.
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!
