SIWY JEANS Ladonna Skinny Jeans in Artist Denim Review

Hi everyone! Caroline here, Denimology’s contributing blogger from San Francisco. After reading many of our posts lately, I hope you’re getting excited for the Resort and Spring ’14 collections, even if you’re knee deep in snow! Thankfully the weather in San Francisco has been sunny as of late, but that doesn’t keep me from dreaming of 70 degree days, and laying by the beach come summer. Just last week, my dear friend in New York convinced me that it was time for a tan, and a little R&R poolside, so it looks like March will include a few days in Miami – and a nice break in the heat! It was perfectly timed too. On Thursday, I walked into my apartment to find a delivery from the team over at Siwy Jeans – a care package of goodies to review for the site, including a pair of cut offs that will be the first thing in my MIA bound suitcase. Look out for my review of those once the sun comes out, and in the meantime, I’ll be reviewing some of the other fabulous pairs from [search] Siwy [/search].

First up for today’s review is my favorite pair from the brand- The Siwy Jeans Ladonna Skinny Jeans in Artist. I opened up the package and immediately lunged for those bad boys. It’s been a few seasons of “painterly prints” and artist inspired denim, but I’ve had a hard time finding a pair that were perfectly distressed, with just the right amount of the look. In addition to slight distressing throughout (including the back pockets- a detail I love), the knees are worn in, and the dark indigo dye is splashed with white paint splatters. I love the look of them- like I’ve been painting in my studio, or crafting my own Jackson Pollack (I wish!). Maybe it seems silly, but I love the way these jeans remind me of art class, and just pulling them on inspired me to have a bit more (creative) fun. In college one of my nicknames was “Art School” and I only wish I’d had these back then!

I’ve worn these jeans constantly, and love that they can be dressed up for down easily with a tshirt & flats, or paired back to heeled booties and a blazer for a more pulled together look. For a meeting last week (at the art school where I teach), I paired these jeans back to a cropped jacket, a white silk tshirt, and black suede ankle booties. I felt appropriately professional, even though the jeans are distressed. And while I wouldn’t wear them to teach, they seemed perfect for a kick off meeting with the other styling instructors.

In addition to the trendy look of the jeans, they’re also incredibly comfortable and kept their shape. The jeans have a bit of stretch to them (with 2% elastin) so they never felt constricting, and were easy to pull on. Plus, even after wearing them all day (and subsequently, the next three days… shhh) they never stretched out or started to sag in the knees, back, or ankles. I’m sure you all understand how important retraction is on denim- especially on a skinny jean. And I’m especially conscious of this – I hate when skinny jeans start to sag or stretch out, and get frustrated when premium denim (with a premium price tag!) lose their shape so quickly. Since I had never worn Siwy prior to this review, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I was very happily surprised, not only by the look and feel of the jeans, but by the comfort and retraction as well.

These Siwy Jeans Ladonna Skinny Jeans in Artist retail just over the $200 MSRP mark – a bit on the expensive side for premium, but when you consider the details, distressing and fantastic fit, I think they’re fairly priced (especially against their competition!). Distressing, special wash techniques, and abrasions are all expensive additions to a pair of jeans so it’s expected that this will reflect in the price point. And for the quality and fit of these jeans (in addition to all of the extra details) the price seems very fair. Distressed denim is a must-have trend for Spring, and these Ladonna Skinny Jeans will definitely be topping my list (and sitting on top in my closet!) all season.

You can find the Siwy Jeans Ladonna Skinny Jeans in Artist, here.

 

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outfit: jeans: siwy // cropped blazer: theory // silk tee: BCBG // suede ankle boots: cynthia rowley // necklace: marc by marc jacobs // sunnies: ray ban

 

for more denim looks, follow me on Instagram @CaroRooney