i hate shopping for denim.  there, i said it.  i’d rather shop for swimsuits, even in january when my legs are pasty and utterly unattractive.  finding the right cut, the right rise, the right waist, the right wash, stripping 15 times in the dressing room and doing power squats to check for stretch…talk about cardio!  and so, lately, i’ve stopped looking and relied on my old standbys, my paige hidden hills jeans.  and i do love my paiges.  but recently, i decided it was time to look for a new love…after all, i can only own so many pairs of the exact same jeans (ahem, four…but who’s counting).

and so, when DL1961 offered to let me give their jeans a spin, i couldn’t resist.  if you haven’t heard of them, you’re not alone…they’re new to the scene.  but i’ve been seeing celebs wearing them right and left, and who am i to argue with professional stylists?

i tried a straight leg and a boot cut, both in their “high rise” (yes, i know it sounds like a mom jean, but i am just not a fan of the 7-inch rise on most premium denim). it’s a very respectable 8.5-inch rise, which is perfect for my high-waisted torso.  they still sit well below my bellybutton, but with very little chance of showing off my granny panties when i bend over. (by the way, higher rises also dramatically reduce muffin top risk.  just sayin’.)

as i said, i’m annoyingly picky about my denim – i am the queen of “buy and return” because i get irritated with nearly every pair i buy after one or two wears (thank god for nordstrom).  but these DL1961s have seriously impressed me…in fact, they’re the first brand i’ve tried in ages that i would actually recommend.  the fit is simply perfect, both on the straight and boot cut styles.  and they’re using some sort of magic voodoo blend of cotton and stretch (they call it x-fit 360) that does something amazing:  total butt sag prevention.  seriously.  after four wears of the straight-leg style, these jeans still have zero butt sag.  compared to, say, my j.crew matchsticks or my citizen elsons, which are completely stretched out after 1-2 wears, that’s downright miraculous.  ultimately, that means i can wear them more between washes, and therefore they’ll last longer.  sweet!  plus, all that stretch makes these really flattering and nearly as comfy as yoga pants.

pricing is right in line with all of my other (hideously expensive) premium denim…they run about $158/pair.  (does anyone remember when $65 guess jeans were a total extravagance? anyway…)   you can buy these at nordstrom, bloomingdales, or direct from DL1961 – though i wasn’t able to find the high rise styles anywhere other than DL1961′s website.

one little note about sizing:  their boot-cut denim runs very true to size, but the straight-leg is a little on the trim side, so if you’re worried, try going up one size.

ever since these arrived, i’ve noticed my paige jeans migrating to the bottom of my denim drawer…because, well, these DL1961s are just so freaking good.  if you’re in the market for a new love, these are definitely worth a try!