The Budget Fashionista

What: Angela slips into the new Totally Slimming Jeans from Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™, which will be available at Wal-Mart stores nationwide starting this August, for under $20 a pair.

The Lowdown: Here’s the deal—the traditional five-pocket style Totally Slimming Jeans were designed to address women’s typical problem areas—stomach, thighs, rear end—using a high-stretch fabric (more than the typical 1%) and including a built-in tummy control panel. I must admit, the pair I received was just a wee bit too big on me (one of the pitfalls of sample products) but I gave them a go anyway.
Here’s what I loved: the denim (in a really nice dark wash) felt great—soft but substantial, with plenty of give and stretch without becoming shapeless. Here’s what I did not love: the design is deemed to be “at the waist”, which, on me at least, turned out to be high-waisted. And not in an edgy, LA cool kind of way, but instead in a super-high mommy jean kind of way. According to an article on the jeans in the Wall Street Journal, testers liked where these jeans hit higher on the back, in order to avoid over-exposure when bending down, etc., but for me? The rise just seemed waaaay too long.

The big question, of course, is are the jeans slimming? Overall, probably yes—partly because of the fabric and partly because of the dark wash and lack of embellishment to break up the long visual line of the jean. Are they a miracle jean? Uh, no, but we didn’t really expect them to be.

Yea or Nay: If the high-waistedness of them doesn’t bother you, or they fit you differently than they fit me, then I would say they’re a yea, especially for the price. Just try them on before you buy, to be sure.

Buy It: Coming in August to your local WalMart.