Note: this item was provided for review.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by every item I’ve received from Gustin, and this pair of denim is no different. I wasn’t sure what to expect — a herringbone denim is not something you see every day, but it’s quite a treat in person.
Materials & Fit
I took the same size as my last pair of Gustin — a 36″ waist (in most stores I would buy a 34). The 36 waist nets you a 36″ inseam on these, where 34 and below net a 34″ inseam. After a wash, the inseam did shrink up, and the fit was perfect for me.
The cut with the straight fit is the same as my last pair. As compared to Levi’s 501s, these are slightly wider through the leg starting just below the crotch but a little narrower through the hips, with a much higher rise. The rise on these is fantastic.
The fabric on these is 100% cotton, 13oz, Red ID. The materials are well executed and very nice in hand, especially after a wash.
This is good stuff.
The herringbone pattern, with the zig-zag running down the pants, is visually very interesting.
Wear & Style
I like the way Gustin describes this denim and pattern:
Keep the rugged, starchy 13 ounce base we love in a classic raw denim. Use indigo dye for the warp to get the fades we desire and love. Retain the crisp white weft for the classic denim styling. Now, change it up completely with a bold herringbone weave. This style does it all. The herringbone construction is really the star. The pattern is truly historic, with use in fabric dating back to the Roman Empire. The iconic zig-zag pattern gains prominence via the contrasting warp and weft colors letting you enjoy the full beauty of the weave. There is just so much visual character on display and it will just get better with your wear.
They are not underselling these. They are the same Gustin denim fit I had with the Okayama Standards, but visually they are a completely different pant. They feel, visually, like they should not be denim ‘jeans’, but you can wear them as 1:1 replacements with your standard denim and you are good to go.
That is: they are visually quite interesting and compelling, but not so far out there that they require any different thinking about how to style them. In fact, of all the pants I own, I get the most compliments when I wear these, which is quite something and unexpected.
I love the rise on these pants — they come up high and look good without making too much of a statement. Too many jeans these days trend low in the rise, and it’s almost universally more flattering to have a higher rise — Gustin delivers on that here.
The only complaint I have with these is that the pockets are simply too shallow. Give me another inch of depth and we are talking about a near-ideal pair of denim. As it is, my iPhone does not comfortably fit in the pocket when I am sitting. It’s a tradeoff, but man, these are so good-looking that I’ll take that tradeoff.
Overall
I am a huge fan of this pair of denim. Any time you can put on a pair of denim and grab a few compliments (including from your wife), that’s a good pair right there. And these do not disappoint.
And the real kicker: they are $129. Insane value.
I strongly recommend these.