We tried the viral M&S ‘carrot jeans’ as a petite 5’1, pear-shape 5’4 and curvy 5’11 to see if they do ‘suit everyone’

DENIM is a big player on the high street and M&S in particular has a huge share of the market. 

The retailer is the number one for womenswear denim, with one in every five women who bought a pair of jeans in the last year bought from M&S.

M&SThe Ankle Grazer ‘Carrot jeans’ have sold over 20,000 pairs[/caption]

High Waisted Carrot Leg Ankle Grazer Jeans, £39.50, Marks & Spencer

BUY HERE FOR £39.50

So it’s no surprise that its Ankle Grazer Carrot Jeans have gone viral on social media, selling over 20,000 pairs.

Reviews and comments seem to suggest that they suit every shape and size. 

But do they? 

Here at Fabulous we decided to put them to the test, with five members of the team all different shapes, sizes and ages trying them on and giving their verdict. 

Abby McHale, 29, Deputy Fashion Editor 

Abby, 5’4, size 14 loved the jeans on her shapeFabulous

With my job I’ve tried on a lot of pairs of jeans over the years and M&S is one of my go to brands as I find they fit true to size, so I had pretty high hopes with these jeans. 

What I love about M&S is that its jeans all come in three different sizes, petite, regular and tall. 

At 5ft4 I just fall on the regular length as for my height I have fairly long legs. 

These jeans are ankle-grazing and for me they were the perfect length, they looked great on with sandals or trainers for the summer.

I’m a size 14 and around the waist they fit perfectly and whilst denim does stretch eventually they weren’t too tight that they were cutting my circulation off. 

The style of jean itself I personally really liked, slightly wide around my thigh but not overly wide leg, a bit like a ‘Mom’ jean.

I also only really wear high waist jeans too, so these are a big tick in my book. 

5/5 

Anna Clarke, Writer 

FabulousAnna, 5’6, size 12 feels like she needs to wear heels with the jeans[/caption]

When you’re a fully paid up member of the big booty club, like I am, finding a flattering pair of jeans can sometimes feel like a bit of a slog.

But thankfully the carrot top cut of this pair lent itself nicely to my shape – with a little extra room atop and a thinner, slightly tapered leg.

Hovering between a size 10 and 12, I sized up, but if you’re a fan of tighter, more snug, fit then I’d recommend to keep to your usual size.

The ankle-grazer length is perfect for pairing with a boxy blazer, white t-shirt and a pair of heels for an elevated office-casual look like I did.

Though keep in mind the skimmed cut means legs can be left looking a little stumpy – I’m 5ft6 and would avoid pairing these with flats for that reason.

4/5

Lydia Major, 39, Fabulous Digital Editor 

Lydia, size 8, 5ft1, was pleasantly surprised by the fitFabulous

Buying jeans has never been an enjoyable experience for me.

I’m 5ft1, big thighs, a booty and have a petite frame, so when M&S said they’ve invented a style that flattered every shape, I was excited to try them on.

I was hoping my endless days of changing room disappointment with piles of ‘Mom’ jeans were finally over. 

Holding them up to my body I was sadly filled with the usual dread, they look too long and too baggy. 

But when they were on, I was surprised. The fit around the waist and butt is snug, comfy but flattering.

I like the way they fall away from my bum and the leg-cut, that almost comes around to the front of the ankle-grazing bottom, is a cool twist. 

But it’s the look from the side that made me grimace. I felt like a dumpy, Oompa Loompa circus clown. Sigh.  

I definitely couldn’t wear them with my white-trainer staples, maybe with a heel or a sandal they’d look better but I’m very on the fence.  

The quality is nice – they’re proper denim, not anything like flimsy, stretch stuff but are soft not stiff. 

3/5 stars 

Harriet Flook, 32, Senior Commerce Writer 

Fabulous Harriet, 5’11, size 16 wore the ‘tall’ length which suited her perfectly[/caption]

I practically live in jeans so I’m always on the hunt for a new pair so when asked to try out M&S’ new Carrot Leg jeans, I had to oblige. 

I was a bit dubious at first, I’ve got large thighs, so would the Carrot cut be flattering?

Plus, at 5’11 tall, I have tended to avoid ankle-grazing jeans on account of them usually being way off base (If I wanted pedal pushers, I’d buy them).

However, I’m pleasantly surprised with these.

I was worried that the carrot style would hug my legs, but instead, it skims them, and the straight cut is more flattering than I first expected.

The length is just right, making them the perfect pair to fit with sandals and ballet flats this summer, and the carrot style isn’t too pronounced while remaining flattering.  

The material is super soft which makes them super comfortable but also really easy to dress up and down – I’d probably pair them with a loose shirt or overshirt and chunky sandals for an off-duty weekend look but I think they’d look fab paired with kitten heels and a blazer for the office too.

Well done M&S, you’ve swayed me. 

4/5

Danielle Woodward, Deputy Chief Sub-Editor 

Danielle, size 16, thought the jeans had too much material for herFabulous

I usually flit between a size 14/16 but the size 16 were a good fit for me.

The jeans were comfy and the denim felt soft and thick, and not restrictive when walking or sitting down.

It fitted well over my waist and I felt my stomach was ‘held in’ which was nice, but I thought there was a bit too much material/too roomy on the thighs.

I liked the look of the carrot cut on the ankle too which feels very on-trend.

3/5

M&SM&s sell ten pairs of jeans every minute[/caption]

High Waisted Carrot Leg Ankle Grazer Jeans, £39.50, Marks & Spencer

BUY NOW FOR £39.50

Jeans are a wardrobe staple for everyone, but do the supermarket brands compare to the iconic Levi’s?

Fabulous‘ Deputy Fashion Editor, Abby McHale tested four styles and compared them , here’s her verdict…
“As a teenager, I lived in Topshop’s Joni skinny jeans and I got my first pair of Levi’s when I was in my early twenties.
But now, nearing 30, I love nothing more than supermarket jeans. They are great value and really comfortable. They also last well, which my £100 Levi’s didn’t (so much for them staying good for ever).
But while I am a convert to supermarket denim, how well do pairs compare with those at high-end, high street stores?
Here I compare a series of styles, from skinny and straight to cargo and wide leg, and give my verdict and ratings. 

Bleached Wide Leg, F&F at Tesco, £22.50 – 5/5
Skinny, George at Asda, £17 – 3/5
Cargo, M&S, £45 – 4/5
Straight Leg, Tu at Sainsbury’s, £20 – 4/5

I knew there was a reason why I loved supermarket jeans so much and I don’t think this comparison test has changed that much. And with some of the styles, it is really hard to spot the difference.
Sainsbury’s Straight Leg jeans are a Levi’s dupe but cost £20 instead of £100!”