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Let’s talk denim! The past couple of decades have consisted of stretchy jeans, which don’t get me wrong… is great! In the last couple of years we have gone back to non-stretchy, true denim. That’s right! To be considered denim, it must be 100% cotton. This isn’t that mind blowing considering that denim just gets darker / lighter, shorter / longer, wider / skinnier as far as trends go. It was bound to happen! Agolde jeans is one of the main and (one of the best IMO) brands doing the stiffer, more classic style denim / shorts right now.

I first purchased Agolde shorts a couple of years ago and was instantly hooked. (Bought my first pair of Agolde jeans this year though!) I honestly wasn’t sure how I would like them, but they are they shorts I always find myself reaching for. Their fit is kind of tricky, but once you find yours, they are truly golden. Sure they are on the pricier side of denim, but in my opinion they are worth it. They are based in Los Angeles; some of their jeans are made in the USA and some aren’t. Regardless of where they are made, they are always made with the environment in mind and try to do more sustainable business practices.

Keep reading for how Agolde jeans fit, if they are true to size, and actual photos of different silhouettes!

Side note, this review was posted before the loose fit 90’s and pinch waist 90’s jeans came out. You can read a review about them here as they are not included in this article.

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Agolde Jamie Jeans (cheaper option here and here) | Madewell Whisper Tee | Emu Australia Mayberry Criss-Cross Slippers

Okay now to why you clicked on this post…how do they fit? Are they true to size? To be honest, to figure my Agolde fit out I ordered multiple sizes at a time. My background is apparel merchandising and I know how to read a size chart; however, Agolde doesn’t have one (that I have been able to find) and the retailers that sell them only have generic size guides. Additionally, I feel like people always talk about women wearing the wrong size of bra, but why is no one talking about us wearing the wrong size in jeans. I wrote about this body dysmorphia I have here, but basically in my head I’m larger than I actually am. I don’t have a negative relationship with my body, but I have thought that I should be wearing bigger, baggier clothes for the longest time. My point in saying all of this is that what does true to size mean anyway?! As women we have all different brands that size differently, so how the heck are we supposed to know what size we actually are?! Typically I look at the size guide for this, but again, I haven’t been able to find one.

To give you some background, before this year I was wearing a 28 in Madewell and a 29 in Agolde shorts. As of right now I’m actually a 26 in Madewell bottoms and a 26 in Agolde shorts. I will say that I originally got a 29 in Agolde shorts because I liked that they hit lower on my hips, but I’ve realized that isn’t very flattering on me. The larger size was nice if I wanted to wear them over a swimsuit or something comfy like that, but I was mostly wearing the shorts out and they tend to look better on me when they are more form fitting. Additionally, I bought a size 28 in Agolde jeans this year, but really needed a size 27 because of how they wear. If you’re looking size recommendations, I would say to get your typical size in shorts, but size up in the jeans. You might need to adjust this recommendation if say you have larger thighs or calf muscles, but I would say you already know this if it is something you need to do. For the record, I obviously like the size 26 shorts, so I tried the 26 on in jeans. I couldn’t even button the size 26 up. Hah!

I actually wrote 6 tips to consider when buying Agolde jeans here, but the main thing I want to bring to your attention is that these are not like Madewell, American Eagle, or whatever stretchy jeans you are used to. The bulk of them are stiff, 100% cotton. Keep in mind though that the the cotton fibers will naturally loosen as you wear them, so you may need to size smaller than you think. Oh but larger than your stretchy size. Hah! Have I confused you yet? Again I wear a 26 in stretchy Madewell jeans, but wear a 27 in Agoldes jeans. (Reminder - I do wear a 26 in the Agolde shorts. In Madewell I wear the same size in shorts / jeans due to the stretch.) A good thing to note is that the cotton fibers in my Agolde jeans “shrink” back up when you wash them AND they wear to your exact body overtime. My Madewell jeans do not do that. I’d even go as far as saying that my Madewells actually get larger over time. I do not machine dry any of my jeans, especially not my 100% cotton ones.

Gigi Pip Miller Fedora (c/o, use discount code ELLEMULENOS10 for 10% off) | Everlane Air Tee (c/o) | Agolde Jamie Jeans (cheaper option here and here) | Stud Sandals (similar here) | Madewell Olive Army Jacket (similar here and here)

So how do Agolde Jeans fit?

I do think they run true to size within their own brand for the most part, the only exception being that the shorts and jeans fit differently. I wear a size up in the jeans in comparison to the shorts.I will say that my black Agolde shorts were somehow tighter than my blue denim shorts? I have also read other people have had this occur too, so it is something to keep in mind. Since I got rid of my larger shorts I haven’t replaced those yet, but will update this when I do with my findings. Previously it didn’t really affect me because I had sized up already. Also note that though most Agolde denim pieces do not have any spandex / elastane. (The Nico fit for sure has stretch though.) Just be sure to read the fiber contents! If I had to give a blanket statement on how Agolde Jeans fit, I would say go up one size from your stretchy jeans and you should be good! I would order the same size in shorts that you normally would in your stretchy jeans versus one size up for denim. Again, I like a size 27 in Agolde jeans, but a size 26 in Agolde shorts.

Okay so words are one thing and are helpful, but actual photos speak! I guess I could say that a picture is worth more than 1000 words. Hah! For reference I am a little taller than 5’7” and weigh around 135lbs. My hips are 40” and my waist is about 29”. Here are some mirror selfies of different Agolde styles:

THE RILEY FIT AGOLDE JEANS: SIZE 28 vs 27

First I want to show you the difference between a size 27 and a 28 in the same style of jeans. Like I said, I purchased the jeans on the left (lighter wash) earlier this year and picked between a 28 and a 29. I almost even kept the size 29 instead of the 28. I am so glad I didn’t! Both are the Riley fit, though in different washes. You’ll see how the lighter / bigger pair kind of sags, whereas the smaller pair fits better. Keep scrolling because I share photos from the side, as well as share how much room is in the waist by doing the “thumb” test. The 27 fit is what I am happiest with in Agolde jeans. Because they are “mom”ish jeans, it’s not cute for them to be baggy on my body type (IMO), because most of the time, I wear baggier tops or even layer them with cardigans or blazers. I'm trying to not hide my body shape as much and the more form-fitting look makes me feel better about my outfits!

Topshop Bandeau | Riley in Zephyr Wash | Riley in Frequency Wash

Also available: Riley in Blur Wash | Riley in Air Blue | | Riley in Renewal Wash

DIFFERENT AGOLDE JEANS SILHOUETTES

Secondly I want to share different types of Agolde jeans, because they wear differently.

JAMIE FIT

Okay these ended up being my favorite!! When I was going for a “mom jean” look, this is what I envisioned them looking like… lighter wash, slight rippage. Anyway, so good! Note that you an find this fit without rips too if you’re wanting them to be a little “nicer”. They have all different kinds of rips and washes available. For example, here are different styles within the same Jamie fit. Also find different specific washes linked below the image. Overall I LOVE the relaxed fit of the Jamies.

Jamie in Arrival Wash

Also available: Jamie in Sizzle Wash | Jamie in Shakedown Wash | Jamie in Arrival Wash | Also Jamie in Sizzle | Also Jamie in Shakedown

RILEY FIT

I originally purchased this fit, so obviously I like it. I think what made me like the Jamie fit better was the lighter wash and rips. That’s not really a fair judgement, because these do come in lighter hues and are available with holes. These would be a great “nicer” mom jean, but I was more focused on replacing my lighter wash / casual pair of jeans. They have a great fit and are higher waisted than the other fits I tried.

Riley in Frequency Wash

Also available: Riley in Zephyr Wash | Riley in Blur Wash | Riley in Air Blue | | Riley in Renewal Wash

RIPLEY FIT

I realllly liked these! They didn’t win out as my favorite because I was looking to replace my basic light-wash jeans. These are straight legged crops and would for sure be more of a “second” pair of Agolde jeans for me versus a “first” meaning they aren’t as a priority to me as the other fit and vibe.

Ripley in Forfeit Wash

Also available: Ripley in Riptide Wash

NICO FIT

Okay so these were my least favorite. It’s not their fault though. I really wanted to love them because Nick’s Papou calls him Nico! These were my least favorite because of their fiber content. They are 66% lyocell/32% cotton/2% elastane whereas all of the other styles are 100% cotton. Note that I like them, they just aren’t what I was going for. I already have stretchy jeans. I wanted non-stretch jeans! These would be great if you want a mom-jean look but still want stretch. They come in lighter washes and darker washes, so whatever tickles your fancy is available!

Nico in Rooted Wash

AGOLDE DENIM SHORTS: PARKER VINTAGE VS DEE SUPER HIGH RISE

My previous Agolde shorts that were too big were Parkers in Swapmeet wash which I LOVED. I always like a good high waisted short, so I wanted to try the Dees out when I was buying my new size. The Dees are longer and have a bit more room the thigh. I really liked them, but similar to how I felt about the Ripley jeans, they are more of a second buy for me, not a first. I love the look and feel of the cut offs and that is what I was looking to replace. Even if I had grabbed the Dees in a lighter wash, I think I would still have reached for the Parkers. Both are great, I just want that washed up, cut off look!! Note that if you have larger thighs, I think that you would really like the Dees.

Parker Vintage Loose Cutoff Shorts in Swapmeet Wash | Dee Super High Rise Shorts in Precision Wash

Also available: Parker in Rock Steady Wash | Dee in Epic Wash | Dee in Riccochet Wash

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it wasn’t too much of an overload. I wrote this post because I was looking for a comparison of styles and a sizing guide and I couldn’t find one. I know it is a lot of information and I repeat myself at times, but I did that in hopes to help. I know that Agolde denim is on the pricier side, but I wear them at least once a week and their quality is great. I do think they are worth the price tag, because I reach more for these than other shorts, as they are what I feel good in and like wearing. Grabbing a similar style that is cheaper is fine, but can be a waste of money if you don’t like wearing it or it falls a part. Save up for them if you have to!! I like to buy my Agolde jeans from Revolve, Shopbop, or Net-A-Porter. They sell out a lot, so grab them when you can. You can also shop directly from the Agolde online store as they tend to have deeper stock in sizes, though not necessarily fits. I will say that all the different stores often have different washes, so be sure to shop around if you can’t find the one you want. The one exception is the Parker short in Swapmeet, which is pretty much their most popular wash. Agolde jeans do go on sale sometimes, so just be alert. Here are some that are marked down at Shopbop right now! They are also usually included in their big sales. If you can make time to go to a TJ Maxx, they sometimes have them in-store at a discounted rate! They don’t put them online. Here’s a link to the Agolde website which has a TON of different stock and options!

I get asked a lot if there is a cheaper option that is similar to Agolde. My short answer is no, BUT I will be sharing a post soon comparing them to Levi’s. Stay tuned!! Let me know if you have any questions I missed. Happy to help!

Enjoy a video reviewing most of the things I discuss in today’s post! I share details and also model all of the denim styles here via walking videos. I hope this helps!

P.S. If you liked this post, you’ll probably enjoy these:

Mom Jeans: Agolde Denim

How Madewell Jeans Fit

How Summersalt Swimsuits Fit