I packed one pair of jeans for this whole trip. One. And I figured if I’m going to talk about how versatile the Tibi Ryders are, I should prove it. So I did a live where I tried them on with nearly every top I brought. No plan, no notes, just vibes, a clothing rack, and a few pairs of shoes behind me.
And the theory held up!
So what makes these jeans work so well?
They’re chill. That’s really it. Chill but not lazy. The shape is straight, but the proportions are off enough (hello, long crotch) that it looks intentional. Like, oh, you meant for the jeans to look a little weird. Got it.
Mine are the vintage black version. I love them more than the blue, personally, because I’m not really a denim person. Blue jeans feel a little too denim-y. The black ones, especially with the rips, feel friction-y. There’s a tiny bit of elegance in them, which is absurd because they’re ripped jeans. But I stand by it.
They're also very easy to style if your job, like mine, doesn’t care what you wear. I’ve worn them to work, out to dinner, running errands, to holiday parties (thanks, Amy). They’re not just PDW. They’re PDWDT: play, dinner, work, dry cleaner, therapy.
Sizing tips!
I wear a 29 Short. Same size I wear in the Sid jeans.
They’re supposed to sit lower, but I pull them up to my belly button. I don’t have hips. If I wear low-rise, the pants are not staying on.
I like the short length even though I’m 5'7". The rips fall just under my knees, which is where I want them.
If you're figuring out your size: don’t just copy someone online. Use a tape measure. Decide where you want the jeans to hit. Measure there. Buy that size. Especially if you, like me, cannot be trusted to keep pants up without anchoring them somewhere reliable.
One thing to watch out for: cuffing. If your cuff is the same size as the space between the cuff and the rip? No. It looks like stacked Lego blocks. Just trust me. Either do a tiny roll, get them hemmed, or go full-length.
I didn’t go into this live with outfits in mind. I just started pulling tops from the rack and asked myself one question:
What’s missing here to make this feel like me?
And by “me” I mean my style words: chill, modern, commanding.
Here’s how I fix things when a look feels off:
Too casual? Add structure. A vest, a blazer, a sharper shoe. Maybe a necklace.
Too “pretty”? Ground it with a boyish shoe or leave a few buttons undone.
Too bland? Add friction. A weird color. A strange proportion. A brooch. Anything that messes it up on purpose.
Honestly, that’s the method. Just: start with what you want to wear, then keep tweaking until it feels like you chose the outfit instead of settling for it.
Here’s what I love about these jeans: they don’t make a big fuss. But they let you do whatever you want around them. They’ll chill out in the background or hold their own. They’re stable but and slightly off in the best way.
Drop your questions in the comments! Thank you to everyone who joined the LIVE.
Here is everything I mentioned in this video. Some of the older stuff is sold out, but I included the links anyway in case it helps you find those items pre-loved. This post contains affiliate links, which support this newsletter at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.
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