The Substack Universe's Jeans
26 style writers share what they're wearing for fall.
I did a post similar to this one last year and it was so much fun I decided to do it again. Only now with even more contributors and some dudes. What I love about this survey-style story – aside from all the awesome jeans within – is the variety of answers I received. No two people picked the exact same jean. And what a great mix of high and low – from Free People to Dior and Rachel Comey. A single pervasive trend, there is not. Below, the cup of individual style runneth over…
Christene Barberich, A Tiny Apt.
I'm going to go with Rentrayage, either the Brix City or the Workman jean. They’re both so good and not too trendy, and also interestingly an everyday basic that's also kind of luxurious. Plus, I'm a big fan of Rentrayage's approach to reducing waste and making good re-use of second-hand/discarded pieces and giving them a completely new life. This is a photo of me in the Workman. I'm waiting for the Brix to come back in my size.
Derek C. Blasberg, And Another Thing:
My absolute number 1 favorite pair of jeans are very old Levi's I got out of a dumpster when I was visiting my parents in St Louis, MO.
Noora Raj Brown, Objects of Desire
I've been in a slouchy denim mood for fall. There's something so satisfying about a relaxed fit on the hip and perfect puddle on the ankle, almost like a trouser, in jean form. My current favorite happens to be the Georgia in white from Jane's line (a kismet coincidence!). Despite its ease, there's a formality to it, especially when paired with a patent flat with a high vamp (I alternate between two: Old Prada and the Bala from Soeur). Here I am on hour seven of scouring the Paris flea market in August. Note the coffee.
PRO TIP: This jean is now 30% off. Shop It here.
Viv Chen, The Molehill
I found these vintage Levi's last summer at a 2nd Street store in Osaka for $40. I'm not a Levi's expert so I have no idea what style or year they are from, but what stood out to me was the incredible wash, purple-indigo stitching, and the fact that I didn't have to hem them! So yeah, these are the jeans I'm most excited to wear this fall—they work really well with ballet flats, baby tees and light sweaters. But what really makes them special is the memory of buying them. Brings me back to warm nights with a light drizzle of rain, soufflé pancake cafes open till midnight, glowing city lights everywhere.
Lauren Collins, Lettre Recommandée:
I'm sticking with Kallmeyer's Column Leg jean, with a polished, trouser-like cut that legitimizes my habit of wearing denim places where maybe one ought not. I have the Acid Fadeout wash, a good counterpoint to blazers and knits and the rest of the preppy, apple-picking fare of fall. I would like to have the Tea Stain version, too. Not a jean, but jean-adjacent: Carhartt WIP's candystriped Rylan jacket looked awfully nice when I tried it on the other day at Merci.
Jennifer Cook, Mom Friend:
It’s impossible for me to choose just one denim piece I’m excited about for fall, so I have two. The first is this oversized denim shacket I bought right as we were getting into summer weather, so I’m looking forward to having a full season to wear it. I’m also really excited to move back into more classic denim silhouettes. For the last couple of years I’ve been wearing so many barrel jeans or high rise wide leg styles - which I still love, don’t get me wrong - but am feeling this pull back to a classic, dark wash, straight-ish leg, like these Levi’s dad jeans. As a working mom, most of my life is spent between toddler drop-off, playground visits, and sitting at a desk, so I need outfits that can travel with me through all of that. I love a simple jean, tee, sweater, and flat to get me through long days of running around NYC and chasing my kid.
Kim France, Girls of a Certain Age:
Just as soon as the weather cools off, I'll be throwing on Frame's Le Sleek Straight jean—the silhouette is so flattering, and they have a bit of stretch without looking like they do, which I always appreciate.
Jess Graves, The Love List
I'm excited to wear my CO patchwork denim jacket styled over simple black slacks (like The Row's Gala pant) and my black Louboutin Tabis. I love the high collar for the cooler weather, it looks great with my hair tucked into it, Phoebe Philo-style.
Elizabeth Holmes, So Many Thoughts:
I love the versatility of Ayr’s Secret Sauce. The relaxed cut works well with easy tops, including my softest T-shirts and simplest slides. The drape of the leg, however, can give a more trouser-esque feel if I wear the jeans with a more tailored vest and loafers. I also appreciate how the waist is fitted while the leg is wider — but not too-wide! That means the proportions of an outfit don't get out of balance when I pair the Secret Sauce with a larger, slouchier sweater or long, loose linen shirt.
Aurora James, Curious:
I wear these Levi’s Ribcage jeans that are pretty flared all the time. But I’ve also been wearing these bell bottoms from Chloé a lot. I love jeans!! But I was not wearing them for a few years. But now I’m BACK and maybe overdosing.
John Jannuzzi, Browser History:
I like to trot out a light pair of blue jeans for the first few weeks of fall. They're still kind of summery, so it's like my legs are holding a transitional vigil. I'm not fully committed to skinny jeans which are apparently back but these from Acne seem like a nice tradeoff. It's a toss up of whether I'll go cuffed, or hemmed for now but I'll definitely be revisiting the world of rugbys and long sleeved polos this year. They were the sleeper hit of last year for me.
One of my all time favorite pieces is my old denim jacket. I lucked out with this one. A friend of mine knew I wanted it and saw it on the sale rack at Saks. Even luckier, somebody returned it during sale season so I got it for a very good price. Fate! I wear it everywhere (I proposed in it, even) and it's maybe 14 years old now — it's worn in all the right places. It's a Dior trucker style with pockets, which is fairly rare and so great. You can find this exact one on resale sites occasionally, but honestly any good denim jacket will last you forever.
Jalil Johnson, Consider Yourself Cultured:
For most of the summer I’ve been practically living in the Rùadh Nola short, which is a raw-hemmed Bermuda that only seems to get better with every wash. As fall creeps in, my goal is to stretch their wear for as long as possible, right up until the moment where it starts to feel unacceptable. At that point, I’ll likely swap them for my vintage white Levi’s 501s. I’m feeling more white denim this fall and winter.
Kelsey Keith, Ground Condition:
As I've gotten older I've come to realize that I'm not really a jeans wearer, per se. I am not that casual, for one, and I am not that effortless. Living in California has made me slightly more of the former, but it still doesn't translate to feeling at ease in perfectly faded denim jeans. Denim, though... denim is American ingenuity and material precision woven together in a beautifully utilitarian fabric. I can't get enough denim tops, shirts, jackets, and dresses. If you've seen me at any point in the last several years, you've seen this Tibi sleeveless top or this oversized, dropped-shoulder jacket from SF's own Gravel & Gold. More recently, this surprisingly well-detailed ranch jacket in denim from Everlane and current-season Rachel Comey in a style called the Dare Dress. I'm on the hunt for a super-dark, possibly raw denim button-up shirt for this fall and winter, so if anyone has recs, this non-jeans denim lover is all ears.
Hillary Kerr, Hi Everyone:
For fall, I’m really enjoying extremely dark denim and keep finding myself reaching for this mid-rise barrel pair from TWP. They’re not stretchy, but still devastatingly soft. I love the exaggerated leg, and the length is cropped enough to show off my shoes, which is a selling point for me.
Joyce Lee, Time Less:
I have these slouch jeans from Jamie Haller in Ecru and they fit me great as an easy jean. I sized up 1 size to make sure they would feel relaxed. I have my eye on the worn indigo as my next pair and think they could become my most lived-in jeans for the season, as I love a relaxed leg.
Andrea Linett, I Want to be Her:
I have more pairs of jeans that I care to admit – from new to 70s vintage, baggy to skinny. These are my new favorites, a super old pair (maybe 70s-80s) Levi's Student Fits that are a perfect crop to show off my vintage boots (and they fit so nicely underneath!).
