I've been a long time fan of Old Navy Jeans. They've always fit me well, I can get them in trendy colors or prints, and the price is always right. Recently, I've been reading several fashion blogs that focus on a minimal wardrobe. Their main argument is that buy purchasing items of better quality, they can reduce the size of their wardrobe and spend less on having to replace items. In other words, they spend a lot less time trying to decide what to wear in the morning because they know everything works well together. While in the "minimalist" spirit to to speak, I broke down and bought a pair of NYDJ skinny jeans, despite having bought a pair of the ON Rockstars less than a month ago.
Judging criteria: I wore each pair on my weekly errand day. I wore them to the grocery store, bank, and a few other odd places.
Fit | The Rockstars say their low rise, but I found them to have a mid-rise. The NYDJ has a majorly high rise. I'm pretty tall (5'11") with an average sized torso and the rise came up to damn near the bottom band of my bra . Remember Urkel and his highwaters from from Family Matters? Yeah, it was like that. I also found them to run rather large in the hips and rear. On the Rockstars, they aren't nearly as baggy in the hips nor rear and they stretch out as well (I do recommend getting the Rockstars in your size). The legs in the Rockstars are very skinny, like legging-skinny. The legs for NYDJ are skinny, but not clingy-skinny.
Craftsmanship | Both pairs are made of very stretchy denim. They seem very similar and both pairs are holding up quite nicely after washing (inside out in cold water, air dry). I know with just about any other pair of ON jeans I've bought, they look good for about a year or slightly longer, and then they almost immediately fall apart and look like crap. I really think the NYDJ jeans will last much longer.
Overall | If your hips and rear are a concern area for you, the NYDJ Alina skinnies are perfect for you. I really do like them and aside from the super-high rise, they're comfortable as hell. If you're like me and have an average size butt and hip measurement, the Rockstars will fit better.
Verdict | It's a draw. For me, the Rockstars win because I can get them in different colors and even prints at a great price. If you're into classic denim and don't need colors or prints (and don't sneeze at the $130 price) the NYDJ will work great for you.
