Trust Me—This Is the Most Elevated Denim Style There Is

There's nothing revolutionary about saying that shopping for jeans is hard. Though practically every fashion brand on the planet has tried its hand at denim, very few manage to get it right. And I'm only talking about the very basic specs of a pair of jeans, not yet taking into account the ever-changing trend cycle in this genre. All that's to say that when you do find a keeper in the denim department, it's natural to want to 1) wear it multiple times per week, and 2) tell everyone you've ever met (or in this case, a ton of people I've never once come into physical contact with) about it, including, but not limited to, how the sizing runs, what washes to buy, where it's available in the most sizes, and how to style it. I'm guilty of gatekeeping a lot of things, but great jeans will never be one of them.

If all that weren't obvious enough, the reason I'm here writing to you today is to share the good news that for almost a year now, I've owned a truly perfect pair of jeans. I'm 29 years old, and in my nearly three decades of living (and shopping), I've only experienced this twice: once with a pair of vintage 501s that fit just right and again now. The denim in question? Citizens of Humanity's Zurie jeans.

The Zurie is a stovepipe jean, a fit category that doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves. I've always considered myself a straight-jeans person, but lately, straight-leg jeans seem to have strayed away from their name, becoming baggier and wider than they once were. Stovepipe jeans fill that hole in the market perfectly, with their more fitted silhouette that looks tailored and refined without erring too close to the skinny-jeans realm. They work with boots, heels, flats, and even sneakers, making them perfect for anyone who wants a workhorse pair of denim that can just as easily be worn to a nice dinner as they can for a rigorous workday outdoors.

My coworker, WWW's associate director of special projects, Kristen Nichols, agrees, and we both regularly show up to the office in our stovepipe Zuries. Scroll down for our reviews of the jeans, and after, shop more of the best stovepipe jeans on the market this season.

My Review:

"The Zurie jeans come in a variety of washes, some made of a stretchier material than others. My favorite by far is Stormy, a washed black hue that's proven to be elevated and elegant no matter what colors I pair with it. As I mentioned, some of the washes are made of different materials, changing their fit. For Stormy, COH used 98% cotton and 2% polyurethane, so the jeans have a touch of stretch to them, but not too much that they lose their shape as you wear them. I've always heard that washing denim isn't good for it, so I like to wear my jeans a bit before I wash them, and the Zurie jeans are some of the few pairs I've tried that keep the same fit wear after wear. All the while, the denim specifically is rigid, so it feels substantial and expensive. Other winning qualities are the high waist that doesn't gap and the fact that they're long enough for someone of my height (5'8'').

"When it comes to styling, the possibilities are endless with a jean like this. I've worn them with oversize sweaters and blazers, as well as with more fitted tops tucked in. As I mentioned earlier, the fit through the leg and length of the inseam allows them to work with a variety of different shoe options. Though my favorite is to wear a kitten-heel pump with mine, further emphasizing the formal qualities of stovepipe jeans like this pair." — Eliza Huber, Senior Fashion Editor

Kristen's Review:

"There are some pieces that enter my closet and I wonder how I ever got dressed without them. The Citizens of Humanity Zurie jeans are one of those pieces. They're designed with a stovepipe silhouette—a sleek, timeless cut that feels elevated and instantly elongates the legs. They're such a versatile staple that I've worn them everywhere from New York Fashion Week to the Who What Wear office to a trip to Paris." — Kristen Nichols, Associate Director of Special Projects

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