We tried the skinny jeans the internet has been raving about — and they really are that slimming
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Mott & BowIf you've been reading Insider Picks for awhile, you may have stumbled across one or two articles about Mott & Bow jeans before. Our senior director, Breton Fischetti even found them as comfortable as sweatpants for his 6-hour flight. Even after trying dozens of others, somehow they always came out on top as the best (in part due to their smart dynamic stretch).
And now, in a long-awaited release, Mott & Bow is starting to make women's jeans.
The company was built upon the idea that it is possible to get premium denim into people's hands for far less than they're used to spending, and while most comparable jeans float somewhere around the $200 range, Mott & Bow's most expensive pair retails at $128. For the comfort, style, and fit, both the men and women alike on the Insider Picks team found that a reasonable ask.
You can find our thoughts on the women's collection below, but for all of us, the standout feature (aside from the quality denim) was how uniquely flattering and slimming the female cuts were.
Shop all the women's jeans here, or continue on to read what we thought while reviewing:
Mott and Bow
Ellen Hoffman, Insider Picks editor: Jane Mid Rise Skinny Jean in medium/dark blue, $108
A 30-inch inseam is the industry standard for women's jeans, so as a petite woman, I really like that Mott & Bow offers a shorter 28-inch inseam for some of its jeans. I also appreciate the online-only company’s "free try-on size" option since jeans are a notoriously difficult article of clothing to shop for, especially from behind a computer screen.
The mid-rise skinny jeans I tried were made of a "power stretch" dark indigo denim that was both comfortable and stylish — and I have to add quite flattering. I see Facebook ads for these jeans all the time that bill them as "the world’s most slimming skinny jeans," and true to that description, their dark wash and thoughtful seam placement managed to effortlessly elongate my 5-3 frame. The ankle opening on them was strangely small, but the overall look of these jeans is one I liked a lot.
Mott and Bow
Mara Leighton, Insider Picks reporter: Eldridge Mid Rise Skinny Jean in medium blue, $96
I love a structured skinny jean in a flattering, somewhat unusual wash. In fact, I love exactly this wash — which is oddly hard to find. The last time I had a pair that walked the line between indigo and baby blue like this was a Rag & Bone pair that ended up ripping in two spots before I could muster retiring them.
There weren’t reviews for this pair yet, so I took advantage of Mott & Bow’s great "free try-on size" option and got my typical size and the one below it. While both fit, I ended up liking the fit of my usual size much more. So, in my experience, they were true to size. Thankfully, you can decide for yourself just like I did.
The material is soft and feels high-quality, which is great insurance for a fit this "skinny." However, while I was pleasantly surprised by the material, it’s really the flattering fit that will be the reason I keep wearing them. The color, construction, and seams are nicely slimming. I also appreciate that they certainly feel structured without also feeling like Chinese Finger Traps. I wore them on a 6-hour bus ride and didn’t even once feel uncomfortable.
The ankle openings are oddly tight (don’t worry, fight through it), but I suppose that’s the price you might be paying for such a tailored look — in my opinion, that small inconvenience is worth it for the quality and fit at this price (which is considerably lower than what I paid for the jeans I’d compare them to).
Mott and Bow
Connie Chen, Insider Picks intern: Jane Mid Rise Skinny Jean in faded medium/dark blue, $108
I’ve been looking for a good pair of darker wash jeans to round out my jeans collection, and these dark indigo skinny jeans definitely fit the bill. The wash is smooth, uniform, and sleek, making them perfect for when you want to look a little more put-together. They have a comfortable mid-rise fit, and the waistband is stretchy, so I never feel like I’m about to burst out of my pants when I’m sitting down after a big meal.
In my experience, the legs weren’t the most stretchy or comfortable compared to other jeans I’ve tried, so depending on your personal preference, these jeans may not be for you. Some reviewers said they were too stretchy, while others said they were too tight. The nice thing about Mott & Bow is that if you’re hesitant about the fit, you can also choose a free try-on size in the nearby measurements.
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