May 26, 2020

Blackhorse Lane Denim Fit Guide

UNDERSTAND OUR FITS

Our jeans are made in E17 at our factory. We previously had a shop here, so customers would see the jeans being made as they walked on through to the back of the factory to try on jeans themselves. As we moved into our Coal Drops Yard store, this is sadly no longer possible. However, our King's Cross shop is an extension of the factory in that we still have the crafted products, denim fabrics and alteration machinery. You can still visit the factory, but please adhere to some rules.

In our shop we will show you our range of ready-to-wear jeans. They're organised on our handmade London Plane tree cutting table so you can see each style and denim available. We don't make each jean in each type of denim, as it depends on the character of the style. We also have rolls of fabric that you can look at in case you would like a Made To Order jean. 95% of the time, a customer's first question when seeing the jeans is: "Can you explain the different fits to me?"

The answer is yes. This blog post aims to do just that. We'll cover the fit details of the four jeans, body types that the fits work well for, and also a bit of style advice.

Please note: since this article was posted, we have created many new styles and need to update.

E8 SLIM TAPERED

The E8 is a higher-rise jean that tapers throughout the entire leg. It's rather slim, but not quite a skinny jean.

Fit:

Rise: Higher rise, generally sits just above the hip bone. This is higher than most jeans on the market today.
Hip: Slim but not tight. Definitely a fitted look due to the curvature of the cut.
Thigh: Slim but not too tight. Definitely a fitted look.
Calf: Pretty slim throughout the calf.
Hem Opening: Narrow at the opening.

Who It's For:

The E8 works well for pretty much anyone looking for a slim, modern cut.
Though slim fit jeans usually look great on slim persons, this jean works well even at larger waist sizes.
If you're someone with large thighs (ex: a cyclist or weight lifter), you might prefer the E5.

How To Style It:

Due to the narrow opening, this jean looks great with a pair of casual trainers (ex: Common Projects, Converse) or even a pair of Nikes.
The jean also looks great with a pair of moccasins (ex: Quoddy, Rancourt).
It's easy to dress this jean up with a tucked-in shirt and blazer.

Shop the E8 Slim Tapered Black Selvedge Jean
Shop the E8 Slim Tapered Turkish Indigo Selvedge Jean
Shop the E8 Slim Tapered Indigo Selvedge Jean

E5 RELAXED TAPERED

The E5 is a medium-rise jean that tapers throughout the entire leg. That being said, it's relaxed in the hip and thigh area, so the taper never feels slim. This jean fits more customers than any other, but if you have a particularly deep back, you may prefer one of our styles with a more significant rise difference.

Fit:

Rise: Medium rise, sits right at the hip bone. It's the most 'standard' of our fits.
Hip: Relaxed. The hip has a strong curve from the waistband allowing for more room.
Thigh: Relaxed, but still tapered.
Calf: Relaxed, but still tapered.
Hem Opening: Narrow at the opening.

Who It's For:

This jean works great for gents with larger legs from cycling or weight lifting. We've also seen it on leaner women.
Due to it's taper, this jean looks great on guys with broad shoulders and chest.
Anyone looking for a relaxed jean that's not too tight in any area.

How To Style It:

This jean can really work with any outfit. Dress it up, dress it down, or somewhere in the middle.

Shop the E5 Relaxed Tapered 14oz Turkish Indigo Selvedge Jean
Shop the E5 Relaxed Tapered 14oz Japanese Indigo Selvedge Jean
Shop the E5 Relaxed Tapered 14.5oz Turkish Indigo Organic Jean
Shop the E5 Relaxed Tapered 13oz Italian Ecru Jean

NW1 RELAXED STRAIGHT

Our fit inspired by rebels from the 1950s. Medium front rise, high back rise, relaxed silhouette, straightening from the knee down.

Fit:

Rise: Medium front rise, high back rise. Hugs the waist nicely.
Hip: Relaxed. The hip has a curve from the waistband allowing for more room.
Thigh: Relaxed, but slightly tapered to the knee.
Calf: Straight. A tad more tapered than the NW3, from the knee to the hem.
Hem Opening: In between the E5 and NW3.

Who's It For:

Customers who like our E5, but want more of a straight leg cut. Or if you require a higher back rise.
Perfect for stronger guys who need a bit of hip and thigh room.
Those who want a heritage cut.

How To Style It:

Since it's a 1950's fit, why not rock it with a leather motorcycle jacket and white t-shirt?
Cuff it high to show off your best Goodyear-Welted shoes (ex: Redwing, Alden, Joseph Cheaney).

Shop the NW1 Relaxed Straight 14oz Japanese Indigo Selvedge
Shop the NW1 Relaxed Straight 14oz Turkish Indigo Selvedge
Shop the NW1 Relaxed Straight 18oz Japanese Indigo Selvedge

NW3 SLIM STRAIGHT

The NW3 is styled after a 1940's jean fit. Jeans of this era had a high-rise, were slim in the hip area, then were straight from the thigh to bottom hem.

Fit:

Rise: High-rise, sitting slightly above the hips.
Hip: Slim. This fit is intended to hug the hips.
Thigh: Slim but straight.
Calf: Straight, but not loose. This has a slightly wider leg than our NW1.
Hem Opening: Straight, but not loose.

Who's It For:

Gents who embrace a mid-century vintage or workwear style.
Guys who dress-up their jeans with a sartorial or tailoring style.
Tall and slim persons who want to "fill-out" their look a bit.
If you want a slim look but not skinny.

How To Style It:

Cuff it high to show off your best Goodyear-Welted shoes (ex: Redwing, Alden, Joseph Cheaney).
Embrace the high-rise, tucking in your shirt with a necktie and your favourite blazer.

Shop the NW3 Slim Straight 14oz Turkish Indigo Selvedge Jean
Shop the NW3 Slim Straight 14.5oz Indigo Organic Jean
Shop the NW3 Slim Straight Italian Ecru Jean