As promised, here's my review of Gap's new premium denim. Note: This review is limited to the Always Skinny style, as it was the only kind I was interested in purchasing.
On Sunday afternoon, I wandered into the Gap at Astor Place, keenly aware of the improbability of finding a pair of great fitting jeans from a mass retailer for less than half of what I usually end up having to spend. Still, I trudged onward towards the table piled high with denim. A faint glimmer of hope flickered in my eye as I spotted what looked like a promising, medium blue wash, and another in charcoal. It was quickly snuffed out when I discovered that both were out of stock in my size, as well as the next size up. I chose to interpret the lack of availability as a sign that perhaps the jeans were as good as advertised, and had been eagerly snatched up by discerning fashionistas. I decided to try my size in another, darker wash purely for investigative purposes.
As I pulled them on, the first thing I noticed was how comfortable they felt. Even though the dark rinse I'd chosen was more rigid in feel than the medium blue, they still didn't feel like denim. The fit through the legs wasn't as snug as I normally wear (I favor the super skinny), but narrow enough to make me happy. However, I knew even before they made their way up over my hips that they would be too big in the waist. Once zipped and buttoned, my suspicions were confirmed. The pair I tried on was a 25/0, and since I normally wear a 24 or 25 in other brands, this cut was obviously a bit too generous. Though they weren't falling off, there was room enough that they moved around on my hips and wouldn't sit right. Also, the stretchy fabrication seemed to foretell an inevitable stretching out to the point of unwearable mess. It's too bad, because for the price, I totally would have bought a pair were it not for the waist situation. According to their website, there is a such thing as a size 00, so I'll think about it.
The verdict: though there were a couple of nice washes, the fit wasn't mind-blowingly amazing. However, at these prices, it might not be a bad idea to get a pair as comfy, back up jeans.
My apologies for the poor quality of the camera phone photo, but it's all I could manage in the poorly lit dressing room.
Always Skinny Jeans in Saturated Dark Wash, now $49.50 (was $69.50).
