I love these pants but something I’ve struggled with is that almost every newsletterer mentioned here (who I also follow and love!) has admitted to getting pairs for free or at a big discount. This is a perk of the job and makes sense but it makes it hard to hear someone tell you how “worth it” these pants are when they didn’t actually pay $860 per pair. I’m certain the quality/style/fit is still excellent but it’s just a tough pill to swallow!
yeah, i hear that! i tried to be sensitive to the fact that these pants (at this price) really might not be for everyone. for fashion writers, a big part of getting those pieces as testers or at a discount is to be able to speak to the product from an experiential perspective, just like a beauty blogger might test out a toner or whatever. what i keep in mind is that a lot of the writers featured here have tried/been gifted a LOT more than just these pants, so the fact that they stand out so much is meaningful to me! ultimately, everyone's purchasing decisions are their own, and there's no pressure to spend that kind of money on anything if they're not comfortable with it
That’s a good point that among the other freebies these are standout winners! And to be clear if I had $860 spare dollars I would spend every last one on these pants 😂 might try the Donni kick flare for now!
The pants are almost identical to a pair I bought from Banana Republic circa 1995. And therefore I cannot consider them again (even the cheaper Everlane dupe). Which is a me problem. They are very comfy, tho!
Thank you for demystifying this, and providing less expensive options! I have a pair of the everlane ones on the way to try. Curious about the Spanx ones too, but those don’t seem to have the pleat.
i hadn't seen the spanx ones before, but i actually kind of like the little back pockets they have! im pretty sure they're fake, but still a cute detail for your butt
Such a helpful post! And the comments section is super helpful. I just ordered the Faye Ann Mashburn pants to see what I thought of those. I’ve found some good theory and Vince options in the past. I ordered the Everlane but returned - didn’t like the side zipper. Felt too awkward and uncomfortable
I bought them & returned them & then bought them again. The reason being that I am a shortie (5’2”) & the kick doesn’t hit right for my proportions. So I reached out to Alyssa Zachary& she told me that they will be coming out with a petite version. I wrote her again & she hasn’t answered me yet so I bought them again. In between pairs I bought a pair of dupes by COS, which had enough flare to shorten, so I shortened them. The material is no comparison, more like a thin legging but more elegant due to the flare. I told Alyssa I was just going to cut them, as I do with some of my pants, but she advised me not to. But I still ugly. I noticed in your photos that they are quite long on you too. How do you feel about that? It’s not how it’s shown on the models & it gives a different vibe. Not bad, just different. 😊
what about the row’s thilde pant? wondering how those (which are a few hundred cheaper, and pop up on resale sites for much less) compare? also stretchy, front seam, cropped kick flare. maybe they give off more legging vibes though? has anyone compared the two?
i havent tried the thildes on personally, so i cant speak to this, but i love their little slit hem. thats a great detail! they seem a bit less structured than the HSs
Super late here, but fwiw Laurel Pantin has previously, and frequently, sung the praises of the Row Thildes. I’ve been meaning to try them for that reason alone (our style preferences tend to align more often than not!)
I have them and adore them! I wear them almost daily: it’s like a legging but very chic; most people think they’re trousers! They are very stretchy, though. I got an XS and even that is a little loose around the waist. I have to pull them up every now and then, but so worth it. It’s a staple for me.
I bought them and somehow got some sort of discount-- like shopping through an app for 15% off (I can’t remember) and haven’t worn them once! It just feels, as Cher Horowitz once said about her party clothes “so binding!” ... I like the look of the Thilde and the feel (so soft and easy to wear) but I was pulling them up all the time so I sold them. I do like Tibi’s new stirrup. Somehow that feels supportive versus a pain. I look at the high sports and think “I don’t wanna shimmy into you!” -- so thick/tight ... anyway. I do wonder about how suddenly they were everywhere -- how does this happen? Like the Savette bag... Anyhow. Currently ordering pants and writing on them. We need a pant right now. Using “need” very loosely 😂
These are a tough fit if you are taller than 5’7”. They cut you off at a weird place; i think she started making them with a longer inseam for that reason-but the regular length ones were a nonstarter for me for that reason.
There is so much hype about these pants! They looked terrible on me. I’m too short and not thin enough. I’d like to see them modeled by someone who isn’t super thin, or see some indication that High Sport is trying to make clothes for all women, not just thin women. I know this is an industry wide issue, but I like to keep the dream alive!
Alyssa Zachary actually advised me to hem them rather than just cut the bottom off. What I did was hold the hem up with little Velcro dots that I got on Amazon. Which stays but doesn’t remove the knit hem if you want to wear them longer. But she is coming out with a petite version for us shorties.
I don't own a pair, but it appears that the hem is just a normal folded up hem, which is standard for double knit like that. A good tailor should be able to do a blind hem on them. Although there's no getting around making the hem a little more narrow.
Update‼️ I hated the Velcro dots idea after I did it. Too bulky. So I got out the shears & just cut off the 3” that I had turned up. It worked fine! Still had the kick flare, & I already washed them on the hand wash cycle in my washer and they did not fray. I am perfectly happy with the way it turned out.
I admire the idea but as one of four soccer-playing siblings, all I can hear is my mom’s voice insisting that we take our cleats off immediately lest we ruin the hardwood floors 🥴
I love these pants but something I’ve struggled with is that almost every newsletterer mentioned here (who I also follow and love!) has admitted to getting pairs for free or at a big discount. This is a perk of the job and makes sense but it makes it hard to hear someone tell you how “worth it” these pants are when they didn’t actually pay $860 per pair. I’m certain the quality/style/fit is still excellent but it’s just a tough pill to swallow!
yeah, i hear that! i tried to be sensitive to the fact that these pants (at this price) really might not be for everyone. for fashion writers, a big part of getting those pieces as testers or at a discount is to be able to speak to the product from an experiential perspective, just like a beauty blogger might test out a toner or whatever. what i keep in mind is that a lot of the writers featured here have tried/been gifted a LOT more than just these pants, so the fact that they stand out so much is meaningful to me! ultimately, everyone's purchasing decisions are their own, and there's no pressure to spend that kind of money on anything if they're not comfortable with it
That’s a good point that among the other freebies these are standout winners! And to be clear if I had $860 spare dollars I would spend every last one on these pants 😂 might try the Donni kick flare for now!
please report back! ive found donni's quality to be middling tbh but who knows, maybe their kick flares are one of the hits
Will do! I can tell ya the everlane ones are badddddddddddd :(((( they’re very lulu Lemon flared leggings from 2007
I can’t tell you how much I love your newsletter!! Truly, it’s like getting a fresh little magazine everyday!
omg!! this is the best compliment ever, thank you so much <3
Oh! And btw, I bought the Everlane flare pant - my first ever purchase from them. $60 is a much easier pill to swallow 😉
Do you love them?
Just ordered them this morning after reading the post 😆
The pants are almost identical to a pair I bought from Banana Republic circa 1995. And therefore I cannot consider them again (even the cheaper Everlane dupe). Which is a me problem. They are very comfy, tho!
do you still have the BRs? feels like a testament that this style is timeless (or at least cyclical)
I do not! I wore them to death. They were perfect for the moment.
I feel the same way -- there was a time when I had pants like this and I’m struggling to go back!
Thank you for demystifying this, and providing less expensive options! I have a pair of the everlane ones on the way to try. Curious about the Spanx ones too, but those don’t seem to have the pleat.
i hadn't seen the spanx ones before, but i actually kind of like the little back pockets they have! im pretty sure they're fake, but still a cute detail for your butt
Love this 🙌🏻
oh gosh, great review! We just wrote about these: https://open.substack.com/pub/auxetoiles/p/pant-math?r=1rgl42&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web. Also, for vintage people, Alex Coleman made pretty much the exact same style back in the 70s, can find on eBay. The material in those is def not a cotton blend!
Such a helpful post! And the comments section is super helpful. I just ordered the Faye Ann Mashburn pants to see what I thought of those. I’ve found some good theory and Vince options in the past. I ordered the Everlane but returned - didn’t like the side zipper. Felt too awkward and uncomfortable
I bought them & returned them & then bought them again. The reason being that I am a shortie (5’2”) & the kick doesn’t hit right for my proportions. So I reached out to Alyssa Zachary& she told me that they will be coming out with a petite version. I wrote her again & she hasn’t answered me yet so I bought them again. In between pairs I bought a pair of dupes by COS, which had enough flare to shorten, so I shortened them. The material is no comparison, more like a thin legging but more elegant due to the flare. I told Alyssa I was just going to cut them, as I do with some of my pants, but she advised me not to. But I still ugly. I noticed in your photos that they are quite long on you too. How do you feel about that? It’s not how it’s shown on the models & it gives a different vibe. Not bad, just different. 😊
what about the row’s thilde pant? wondering how those (which are a few hundred cheaper, and pop up on resale sites for much less) compare? also stretchy, front seam, cropped kick flare. maybe they give off more legging vibes though? has anyone compared the two?
i havent tried the thildes on personally, so i cant speak to this, but i love their little slit hem. thats a great detail! they seem a bit less structured than the HSs
Super late here, but fwiw Laurel Pantin has previously, and frequently, sung the praises of the Row Thildes. I’ve been meaning to try them for that reason alone (our style preferences tend to align more often than not!)
I have them and adore them! I wear them almost daily: it’s like a legging but very chic; most people think they’re trousers! They are very stretchy, though. I got an XS and even that is a little loose around the waist. I have to pull them up every now and then, but so worth it. It’s a staple for me.
Also, I see them on TRR almost daily for 1/3 the original price
I bought them and somehow got some sort of discount-- like shopping through an app for 15% off (I can’t remember) and haven’t worn them once! It just feels, as Cher Horowitz once said about her party clothes “so binding!” ... I like the look of the Thilde and the feel (so soft and easy to wear) but I was pulling them up all the time so I sold them. I do like Tibi’s new stirrup. Somehow that feels supportive versus a pain. I look at the high sports and think “I don’t wanna shimmy into you!” -- so thick/tight ... anyway. I do wonder about how suddenly they were everywhere -- how does this happen? Like the Savette bag... Anyhow. Currently ordering pants and writing on them. We need a pant right now. Using “need” very loosely 😂
How is the Ann Mashburn dupe, I wonder?
These are a tough fit if you are taller than 5’7”. They cut you off at a weird place; i think she started making them with a longer inseam for that reason-but the regular length ones were a nonstarter for me for that reason.
There is so much hype about these pants! They looked terrible on me. I’m too short and not thin enough. I’d like to see them modeled by someone who isn’t super thin, or see some indication that High Sport is trying to make clothes for all women, not just thin women. I know this is an industry wide issue, but I like to keep the dream alive!
Could someone petite wear these pants? Or would hemming ruin the proportions?
Alyssa Zachary actually advised me to hem them rather than just cut the bottom off. What I did was hold the hem up with little Velcro dots that I got on Amazon. Which stays but doesn’t remove the knit hem if you want to wear them longer. But she is coming out with a petite version for us shorties.
See my comment below. They are coming out so the a petite version.
I wonder about this too! It seemed to me that hemming them would ruin the knit hem...
I don't own a pair, but it appears that the hem is just a normal folded up hem, which is standard for double knit like that. A good tailor should be able to do a blind hem on them. Although there's no getting around making the hem a little more narrow.
It’s not a folded up hem- it’s just knit & finished off like the edge of a sweater. You can hem them, but it won’t be the same kind of hem.
Typo. I still might.
Update‼️ I hated the Velcro dots idea after I did it. Too bulky. So I got out the shears & just cut off the 3” that I had turned up. It worked fine! Still had the kick flare, & I already washed them on the hand wash cycle in my washer and they did not fray. I am perfectly happy with the way it turned out.
are we wearing cleats now?? 👀📈
I admire the idea but as one of four soccer-playing siblings, all I can hear is my mom’s voice insisting that we take our cleats off immediately lest we ruin the hardwood floors 🥴
Are these not fancy "yoga pants?" Remember those? Now I feel old.