Mommy Bloggers Are Obsessed with These Mom Jeans (And They're Under $100!)

Before I was a mom, I swore I’d never, ever wear mom jeans. You remember them. One of the least-flattering fashions to emerge from the ’90s — which says a lot, because the competition that decade was stiff — mom jeans’ signature detail was that they went over the belly button while others had elastic waistbands, were stonewashed or even had pleats. Mom jeans defined an entire generation of moms as being, well, moms ... who were blissfully unaware about how unsexy their pants were. Which was fine (I guess?) because they were our moms, and they loved us and we loved them. But as history has proved, those jeans were tragic and they did nothing for our poor moms’ figures.

But now that I spend my days chasing after bambinos, I can say that the mom jeans of yore were, at the very least, practical. I spent my 20s in low-slung denim and teensy tops baring my taut tummy. Then I had a baby. And gone was the taut tummy, but also, my lifestyle was turned upside down. No longer was I spending three hours at brunch before embarking on a leisurely shopping excursion with friends. Now I was on the floor encouraging a baby to roll over, bending over a sand box and picking up a pacifier off the floor every two minutes. You know what doesn’t work when you’re doing all that bending over? Low-slung jeans. Mommy thong is not cute at the park. Mommy butt crack is never a good look at school pickup.

Hence why I’m constantly on the prowl for Mom Jeans 2.0. The requirements? Something with a higher rise that is also flattering, comfortable and — I know I’m asking for a lot here — on-trend, too. So I was stoked when I recently saw that a slew of mommy bloggers were raving about Levi’s 721 High Rise Skinny Jeans. What piqued my interest was how cute and stylish the jeans were — they come in more than 40 washes and styles, so if major rips aren’t for you, fear not! — and that even at their most expensive, they’re still under a hundred bucks (and go as low as $20!).

We talked to Lindsey Schuster, the fashion, parenting and lifestyle blogger behind The Motherchic (who is also mom to four boys!) about why she’s obsessing over 721s. “I love these Levi’s because they are true, old school denim,” she told Most Wanted. “There is very little stretch but they hug your curves to perfection after a few wears. The rips give my mom uniform just enough edge without making me feel like I’m trying too hard. I love pairing these jeans with feminine top to balance out the distressed look.”

Among the other influencers lauding the 721 is Pure Joy Home’s Liz Joy, who told her audience, “The Distressed Super Skinny Levi’s from ShopBop are my absolute fav! I would recommend getting them true to size and they are THE most flattering jeans I’ve ever seen. There is also the non-distressed version of those same jeans (so my second favorite – in the wash called “shut the front door”), same fit, same everything!”

Other mommy bloggers on the 721 bandwagon include Cella Jane, Stacy Rody, and The Modern Savvy. So, there you have it kids ... er, moms. The Levi’s 721s fit my Mom Jeans 2.0 criteria — functional, flattering and super chic — so much so that I had to try them myself. While I found the sizing to be exact, if not a wee bit on the small side, the rise was high (but not too high) and the jeans suck you in a way that feels old school, probably due to the lack of elasticity and the abundance of plain ol' denim. The Rugged Indigo style's rips in the knees are a lot to handle at first and they look way bigger from above than from straight on, to the point that I had to walk by the mirror about a dozen times the first day I wore them to reassure myself they didn't look weird. But after that, I was hooked, and can't wait to stock up on some of the other washes, which will be easy peasy since the price points are so palatable. I’ve rounded up a handful of the bloggers' favorite washes and styles below (for the full collection, head to Levi’s), and I’ve also included a few of my own personal favorites (and why I love them!). Because this mom life ain't easy, and we got to stick together and hook each other up with flattering jeans whenever we find 'em!

At first sight, I thought "no way" when I saw these pull-on puppies. Then I pulled them on and holy bejesus are they flattering. Not like those hideous jeggings from a few years ago, these are constructed of real, thick denim but are without front pockets, zippers or buttons, which altogether has an incredibly slimming effect. And they're comfortable and don't grow on you as the day goes on. Back pockets make appear like traditional jeans ... woot woot!

These cuties have a relaxed boyfriend-fit, but without all the extra material (read you won't look schlubby!), thanks to a fitted hip and thigh and a straight leg cut. I love how the hem is a bit cropped and that the rips have denim patches — so you can have a distressed look without showing a whole lot of skin. A great alternative to super skinny (and tight) mom jeans.

The Toothpicks have been my go-to jeans since I had my first baby five years ago, and I love them for their higher rise, and their ability to make my short legs appear longer and skinnier than they actually are. I swear they create a thigh gap out of thin air, because I don't have one without them! My favorite part? You can wear them for a week straight and they won't stretch — no constantly pulling up the waist as your bending over! Also, regardless of the wash or waist rise (they also come in 9" and 10"), the material is crazy soft. Oh, and the waist line skims your tummy instead of pinching, which is a major win for me.

You might think jeans this flattering have to be painful to wear, but it's the opposite! Part of Paige's Transcend collection, the Hoxton's legit do not stretch out and I'm not kidding when I say people have told me I look fabulous — and how did I lose the baby weight? (I have an 8-month old and um, I haven't lost all the baby weight!) Regardless of the wash you choose, the collection boasts super soft demin that makes wearing the jeans 24/7 — from playing on the ground with baby to chatting with moms at school pick-up — a dream.