Citizens of Humanity

Citizens of Humanity’s rocket ascent to the firmament of denim stardom is a direct result of its universal fit. Think jeans never fit you right? You have to try these. Unlike Paper Denim, the Humanity waistband is not contoured, meaning it is much more accommodating of hips, thighs and booty. A low rise that’s not too low flatters most figures.

Rigid construction (100% cotton, no stretch) tends to run shorter. The stretch (2%) denim tends to give significantly. To maintain a tight fit, most women size down. Humanity is broken down into four body styles, each of which has unique points:

The Ingrid body is slim through the knee, then breaks into a flared leg. This helps lengthen the look of your legs for an illusion of height.

Clean. Simple. Basic. The Kelly is a great five pocket, bootcut jean cut slightly higher than the Ingrid that’s versatile enough to dress up or down. The denim is soft and stretchy and allows for a lot of movement. You won't feel the need to scramble out of them at the end of the day. They fit true-to-size but the waist is very forgiving (it almost feels as though its elastic). If you are a 29, buy them in a 29. They are not giving enough to go down a full size.

The large and low pockets lift and round the rear and the V-shaped stitching beneath the waistband decreases your size. (Or, as our model put it, “my ass looked great.”) A subtle flare from the knee doesn't make you appear "bulky" on top like a slender boot cut can.

These jeans aren't terribly unique, but the Kelly cut stands out because it is a great fitting, versatile jean. These jeans are what you wear everyday and that, in the end, is what makes them a favorite. Truly a great everyday jean.

Elle Stretch – Dark Cordoba
Admit it: you’ve bought jeans before because they have a great pocket design. It’s ok; we do too. The Elle’s argyle stitch is one of the best we’ve seen. It’s sewn on back pockets that are set wide apart, giving your rear a bit of a visual boost.

The Elle’s bootcut is great for accentuating the line of your legs, but if you have muscular quads, the cut may make them appear larger than you like. The flare breaks at the knee. While this helps balance out the look, giving an overall slimming effect to longer legs, our petite model (5’ 4” with pipe cleaners) thought it bagged behind her knee.

The waist fits true-to-size and will give, but not as much as some other Citizens cuts like the Kelly. The Elle is 98 percent cotton, 2 percent poly. The contoured waistband is higher in back. You can bend over in this one without embarrassment. We found the waist to sit fairly low on the hips. Both curvy girls and those with boy-hips said the Elle fits snug in the butt and thigh. Our skinnier model thought it was not flattering for stick legs.

While this is a superb going-out denim, it’s less of an everyday lounger. The fantastic stitching is an eye-catcher, so save it for special occasions and weekends. Pair it with a less ornate top to avoid fashion overkill.

A dark wash and heavy, ridged denim make the Elle great for colder climes or dressier occasions. It’s also a sign that they’ll last through many wears so you’ll get your money’s worth. Our taller model (5’ 9”, athletic) sports a 33-inch inseam and found the Elle perfect for flats or heels – no tailoring required. Verdict? Really well-made, classy denim that will last.

Elle Stretch – Light Cordoba
The Elle – Light Cordoba is softer than its dark wash sister and our models liked these better for it. The Elle is a tight-fitting jean and, even though it’s stretch, it’s not very forgiving. More casual than the dark wash (they have additional distressing on pockets and hems), they are nonetheless a great jean for nights out. The same bootcut and low rise apply.

The Elle is cut true enough that sizing down will probably be too tight. The leg-slimming, thigh accentuating bootcut is very purist here. If you don’t want to draw attention to your thighs, the Elle is not for you. Great for those of the long and lean legs.

The Ashbury is a retro-vintage jean with a lot of bells and whistles. To start, we have straight-cut welt pockets in front with a decorative chevron stitch. Smaller rear pockets with clipped corners sport the standard brace of Hs. A two-inch yoke emphasizes the hips, making it great for hourglass figures. Snug leg explodes into a wicked bootcut. Trust us; it’s hot.

On our athletic model (tall, healthy figure with some curves), the (very) shallow welt pockets don't make your thighs look huge. A two-inch yoke wraps around the hips and flatters your curves. The length and cut works best for flats. The inseam isn't really long enough for stilettos and the jean itself is more casual. The Ashbury looks fabulous with flip-flops while running errands or lounging.

The fabric of this jean is soft and stretchy. She found the cut true-to-size but very giving. The waist rode down (she recommended low rise undies). The denim gives a lot in the thigh, which made them as comfortable as Juicy pants.

Our petite model (5’ 4” with stick legs and boy-hips) loved the Ashbury, but thought it looked better tighter, so she sized down (girls with curvier figures will find Ashbury true-to-size). The tighter fit on narrower frames will accentuate the thighs and look better through the leg. The overall fit is looser – evenly relaxed across the hips and roomy in the leg.

The Faye is a trouser-style denim with a wide leg. This body is exceptionally good for rounder booties because the waist is constructed with a darted fit instead of the standard yoke of most jeans.

The Humanity Pocket is cut very slim. In our experience, many people size up.