Joe's Coated Skinny Ankle Jeans

I'd been looking for a pair of coated denim jeans that had a real leather look - not too shiny, not too matte - and these are it:

Joe's Coated Skinny Ankle Jeans in Black

$165

www.piperlime.com

I found these at Dillard's the other night and I was immediately drawn to the fact that they actually looked like real leather. Most of the coated denim I've tried looks so fake - too plastic-y and shiny and oftentimes way too shimmery. But these looked very matte and almost had the texture and feel of real leather. I found my usual size 26 to be the better fit. At first I thought the 27s would be better, but I wanted them to have a more fitted look and I feel the 26s will be stretchy enough (I've read all the reviews on Joe's website and a majority claimed that these pants stretched out a little over time). The rise was great - I'd say it's about mid-rise, not too low and not too high, which is PERFECT. Oh, and the length is fantastic for my 5'3" height. No hemming necessary so I can actually where these right after I buy them (something I hate about buying pants is that I often have to wait an additional week or so while they're being hemmed by my tailor). 

Size 27 on the left, 26 on the right:

The ONLY thing I don't like about these pants are the front pockets. I guess due to the coating process, you can see an outline of the front pockets, but this varied from pair to pair. The ones I tried on were really obvious, but there were others where you couldn't see anything at all. So I would definitely recommend trying these on in person so you can choose the pair that does not have an outline.

These pants are machine-washable, but I'm a little worried about how they'll turn out after a few washings. There was one pair at Dillards that already had a small portion of the coating peeling off. I also read one review on the Joe's website that said the entire coating came off in one wash, even after following the care instructions. However, one person advised not washing them at all and just placing the jeans in a ziplock back in the freezer. Somehow freezing them kills the bacteria and they're magically clean again. I'm a little skeptical about this one because I've NEVER heard of anyone doing this, but I guess it's worth a shot. 

I think faux-leather pants are fantastic for this fall season. I know they're super trendy, but as I always say, that's the fun of fashion! I can see these pants paired with super feminine tops and a great pair of heels, or dressed down with a slouchy tee and boots. They're super versatile and right on trend for the upcoming season.