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One of my favourite purchases this year has been this pair of Scanlan Theodore jeans I picked up during this shopping adventure while spending a long weekend in Melbourne with my husband. You might recall I’d been travelling quite a bit for work around that time, but this particular trip was all leisure as I was a tag-along for my husband’s work trip. It was also our longest stint away from the kids (3 nights haha), so I was in a particularly happy and carefree spending mood. There was very little deliberation involved in this purchase at the time.
Melbourne me in the jeans and top I ended up buying
And look, the jeans have been amazing – I completely stand by my purchase. They’re a super high-waisted style with a wide leg and a really clean silhouette. The indigo makes them feel a lot dressier than most of the denim that lives in my wardrobe and they look incredible with heels. I actually think there’s a case for having a pair of dressy jeans in your wardrobe specifically to wear with heels. Despite those intentions, I ended up getting them hemmed a few months later (only by a couple of inches) but that has meant I’ve been able to include in my regular rotation (as you’ve seen on my Instagram feed).
What I hadn’t appreciated when I bought them was that, all this time, a cropped version of the exact style existed. And wouldn’t you know it, the cropped version is basically the same length I’d just paid to have mine hemmed to. Oh the irony.
So, in the name of science, I needed to try them on for myself. And that my friends, is the backstory for why this blog post exists. You’re welcome.
Okie dokie – the jeans were the priority, so let’s address those first. I did, of course, try on some other stuff which I’ll also feature below.
The cropped jeans that have existed this entire time
The jeans in indigo:
Scanlan Theodore cropped indigo jeans (sz 8), Anna Quan top (sz 8), Scanlan Theodore pointed toe pumps
Well. I probably should have bought these in the first place. The cropped version is pretty much perfect on my 158cm frame straight off the rack which is very rare in a store like this.
I’m wearing an AU 8 across all the washes in this style. For reference, I’m currently wavering between a size 26 and 27 in jeans these days. They’re proper high waisted, wide through the leg and very clean in their overall look, which is why I think they make such a solid pair of dressier jeans. There’s also a little bit of stretch in the denim, so they’re really comfortable despite the more structured silhouette.
You’ll see that I tried them with both the Bared flats I wore into the store and a pair of Scanlan Theodore pointed toe pumps the sales associate brought out for me. The heels are only 6cm high, which is pretty much my limit these days, and the length works beautifully with both.
In other words: petite people, no tailoring required. Huzzah.
The jeans in black:
Scanlan Theodore cropped black jeans (sz 8), Anna Quan top (sz 8), Scanlan Theodore pointed toe pumps
You would absolutely get away with wearing these to the office.
The jeans in a lighter wash:
Scanlan Theodore lighter wash jeans (sz 8), Anna Quan top (sz 8)
I’m pretty into this colour. It sits somewhere between grey and a very pale blue and has a bit of a ’90s feel to it without being your standard light-wash denim. It’s also a wash I don’t already have in my collection, which obviously makes it more interesting to me.
The jeans in white:
Scanlan Theodore cropped white jeans (sz 8), Scanlan Theodore denim shirt (sz 8), Scanlan Theodore pointed toe pumps
I really like the white too, particularly paired with this denim shirt. The lighter colour also shows off just how clean the silhouette of these jeans is – no distressing or unnecessary bells and whistles, just a really good high-waisted, wide-leg shape.
So the outcome of this extremely important scientific research exercise is that yes, the cropped jeans are excellent. On my 158cm frame, the length is pretty much spot on straight off the rack and works with both flats and a low heel. I’m also a big fan of the fact that they come in several washes because they each give the same silhouette quite a different personality.
Do I regret buying the longer pair and then paying to have them hemmed? Not really. I loved them when I tried them on in Melbourne, they’ve become one of my favourite purchases of the year and they’re now tailored to exactly the length I want.
But if I were standing in the change room making that decision today? Cropped. Absolutely.
And some other stuff I tried…
Obviously I was already in the change room by this point.
Taffeta Top + Mini Skirt
Scanlan Theodore pink taffeta top (sz 8), Scanlan Theodore khaki mini skirt (sz 8), Scanlan Theodore pointed pumps
The pink and khaki combination here is excellent. And I quite like the skirt but I found the taffeta top didn’t sit quite right on me.
Shoulder Pad Tee + Mini Skirt
Scanlan Theodore shoulder pad striped tee (sz S), Scanlan Theodore khaki mini skirt (sz 8), Scanlan Theodore pointed pumps
This is much more my jam. I already own the plain version of this shoulder pad tee which I love, so I wanted to given this sport stripe version a go. I think I prefer the plain tees over this one, but the silhouette is a lot of fun – it’s giving this very simple outfit some shape without requiring much else.
Crepe Knit Navy Jacket
Scanlan Theodore crepe knit navy jacket (sz S)
Finally, I gave this crepe knit jacket a try – bit of a far cry from the crepe knit that’s sitting in my wardrobe from pre-Covid days! This is definitely a more relaxed style. I’m pretty lukewarm about this one, but I think the crepe knit fabric provides this otherwise casual jacket with the right amount of polish.
As always, thanks for stopping by!
