New Rigid Styles by 7 For All Mankind

Before all of the stretchy, form-hugging, legging-like jeans of today, rigid (100% cotton) denim dominated the market. These vintage pieces, as well as jeans that are inspired by them, have once again re-emerged onto the market over the years as super stretchy fabric technologies exploded to compete against the growing activewear industry. Not everyone jives with those stretchy fabrics, and vintage denim has spawned quite a strong cult following of sorts. Brands like Levi’s and their new 501 Skinny, as well as brands like RE/DONE which revamps pre-loved Levi’s jeans into modern fits, have helped bring rigid denim back into the mainstream, and other premium brands have taken notice. 7 For All Mankind is one of those names that excelled in the super soft, stretchy and lightweight fabrics, most notably with their introduction of their b(air) Denim line in 2016. However, big name brands like this stay on top for a reason: they know it’s important to move with demand and stay open to new innovations. So with that said, I am excited to see a few brand new rigid styles by 7 For All Mankind!

This new release includes two styles for women and two for men. On the women’s side, the Edie with Bleach and Holes in Mineral Desert Springs and Ali in Mineral Desert Springs are both modern versions of vintage jeans with comfort stretch denim, featuring a rigid look and feel with a luxurious softness. Both are 98% Cotton and 2% Spandex with a solid 12oz fabric, washed to a nice casual light blue to bring on Springtime (I can’t believe that’s right around the corner already), and cut with higher rises for a true vintage fit. On the men’s side, we’ve got the Slimmy with Clean Pocket in Redemption Clean and the The Straight with Clean Pocket in Legend, both medium blue 100% cotton Italian denim styles made to break in and fit to the wearer’s body and lifestyle over time. I was slightly put off initially by the fact that the women’s jeans aren’t true 100% cotton rigid styles, but then I remembered my lovely Levi’s 501 Skinny in Black Coast, a rigid style with just a slight amount of stretch for that comfort that 7 For All Mankind is going for. They definitely feel rigid, being a 1% stretch rather than 2%, but I feel I can put my trust into this brand after all the amazing work I’ve seen them do over the years. I also understand that women tend to like jeans more fitted and flattering, so sometimes a slight amount of stretch is necessary. I still do hope to see a few more 100% cotton pairs for women in the future, though! As someone who loves the stretchy legging-like styles, I’m hooked after trying out some of these for myself and I’m glad to see vintage denim making a comeback.