Of course, we’re talking about baking in a story purportedly about jeans, but this quote comes to mind every time I have to shop for new denim. See, for something that’s so utterly classic, simple, and essential in every person’s closet, jeans are surprisingly hard to get right. They can be too tight, too stiff, too restrictive, too scratchy, too structured, too lacking in pockets, too prone to fading—the list goes on. I’m sure I’m not the only one who dreads finding a hole in a pair of well-worn favorites because it usually signifies the beginning of a long and difficult search for the perfect new jean. However, as with anything that’s perfect, you tend to not stray from it once you find it. And that’s why I own, at this point, five pairs of the absolute best jeans on the Internet I’ve ever come across: Madewell’s Cali Demi-Boot Jeans. I’ve accumulated these jeans in various washes, material, and length over the years. Stocking up on them whenever I get the chance is pretty much the reason I’ve managed to join the top tier of Madewell’s rewards program (sorry, bank account). A ’60s and ’70s mainstay, comfortable boot-cut jeans have been at the receiving end of a renaissance of late (good riddance to corset-like skinny jeans), and no other brand has managed to create something as good as Madewell’s Cali denim for me. Usually made with Tencel lyocell fabric, a type of fiber that’s buttery soft, these jeans have just the right amount of give. The jeans’ stretch never loses shape even after years of wear—my oldest pair is four years old at this point—and their high-waisted cuts are so flattering that they accentuate my curves in all the right places. The way these jeans conform and flatter is almost like magic, and even through my many weight fluctuations over the years (and in quarantine), they’ve managed to fit and look great. Simply put, Madewell’s Cali Boot-Cut jeans are truly spectacular, and I’m not the only one who thinks so: When a fellow shopping writer on my team heard I was writing this story, she reached out to me singing their praises as well. You know Madewell’s jeans are really something when people who write about the best things to buy on the Internet are actually raving about them in private. Shop the Cali Demi-Boot Jeans below in various washes while they’re on sale. To buy: $95 with code BIGTIME (was $135); madewell.com. To buy: $90 with code BIGTIME (was $128); madewell.com. To buy: $90 with code BIGTIME (was $128); madewell.com. To buy: $77 with code BIGTIME (was $128); madewell.com. To buy: $70 with code BIGTIME (was $135); madewell.com. To buy: $95 with code BIGTIME (was $135); madewell.com. See what else I swear by.
