Ali Grace Custom Levi's Review
Custom Jeans
I first heard of Ali Grace jeans from vlogger Maggie MacDonald, who talked about getting custom Levi's from this girl on Instagram. The idea of having a pair of jeans custom made sounded really bougie to me at first. But the more I have been pairing down my closet and toying with the idea of having a capsule wardrobe, I began to see the point of custom jeans.
I spend most summers looking for the perfect pair of jean shorts from stores like American Eagle and Target. The sad part is that these shorts either go out of style quickly, I outgrow them or they just don’t hold up over the years. Instead of spending money on fast fashion jean shorts every summer, I realized that if I invest in a pair of high quality denim shorts with a classic look that were made to fit me specifically, they might last me way longer. I can buy one good, sturdy pair of jean shorts instead of maybe five cheaper ones over the next five years. Seems like a no-brainer!
With the hope to clothes-shop more ethically, I decided to take the plunge and buy a pair of custom cutoffs from the brand Maggie MacDonald was always raving about, Ali Grace. Founded by CEO Ali in 2016, Ali Grace creates size-inclusive custom vintage Levi's. The brand has been gradually growing and now that I follow them on Instagram, I see so many influencers who have jeans and cutoffs made by Ali Grace.
Order Process
Ali Grace opens a limited custom order form at specific times. Because it is limited, it is helpful to set reminders for yourself or follow the brand on Instagram so you don’t miss their latest custom order openings.
Before the order form opens up, maybe even a few weeks before, I think it’s a good idea to start brainstorming what kind of denim you want and record all your measurements. The Ali Grace website has a very detailed video instructing exactly how to take each required measurement to ensure the best fit for your custom Levi's. The website also shows you all the different denim washes, distressing and other styling details you can have customized.
When you go to place your order, you can submit up to six example photos of how you’d like your jeans to look if you’re trying to mimic a specific style.
My Order
I figured I should order shorts in the winter if I wanted to have them ready to wear in the summer, so I ordered my custom pair of cutoffs in March as a birthday present to myself. I chose to get a light/medium wash with minimal distressing, no waistline distressing or butt rips, a raw hem, no split seams and no exposed seams.
In the distressing inspo section I added a photo of Emma MacDonald in a pair of Ali Grace cutoffs that I liked the distressing of (see above).
By mistake I gave them my pant leg inseam, which prompted someone from the Ali Grace team to reach out to me via text to get my correct shorts inseam. I had no idea what length I wanted my shorts to be. On the site, it says that cutoffs are usually around a 2.75 inch inseam, but sometimes they recommend a 2.5 inch in-
seam for people under a certain height. Because I wanted these jean shorts to last me a long time, and I knew I probably wouldn’t want to be rocking a booty-short look forever, I knew I wanted a slightly longer inseam. I have also been inspired by Sivan Ayla’s oversized shorts looks recently (see right). They look so cute and comfy. I measured where I wanted the shorts to hit and decided on a four inch inseam. The total came out to be $172 after shipping and taxes.
Review
My custom cutoff Levi's came about a month to six weeks later (at this point I forget exactly how long it took). They looked so beautiful, the packaging was clean and the denim definitely felt sturdy. Despite measuring it out, I was nervous that the four inch inseam would be too long. I was very pleasantly surprised that the length was perfect. If I want them a bit shorter, I am able to roll the hem up, and if I want a longer look, I can leave them un-rolled.
I was also very nervous that the waist of the shorts wouldn’t go over my hips because my waist is so much smaller than my hips (an issue I think a lot of women have). I will say, it was HARD to get them over my hips at first. There was a lot of wriggling involved, but once they were on they fit amazingly. I reached out to Ali Grace on Instagram and asked them about this issue and they suggested in the future, add one extra inch on my butt measurement to avoid so much wriggling. I am happy that I have a solution when I want to order from them again. I have found that after some wears, the denim gets looser and it’s easier to take the shorts on and off, although there is still some wriggling.
I really like the distressing on my cutoffs, but I think in the future if I order another pair, I would do less distressing or even no distressing at all just to ensure less shredding over time so they last as long as they can.
I love these cutoffs so much. Beside biker shorts and workout shorts, these are actually the only shorts I have worn the entire season. I get so many compliments on them each time I wear them- and how could I not? When you have clothing that fits you so perfectly, it’s hard to not look good. I hope these shorts last a long time (I think they will) so that I don’t have to buy any more denim shorts for a while. I am very happy with my purchase and I hope to order a pair of jeans from Ali Grace for the Fall/Winter seasons. Hopefully after that I won’t have to buy more denim for a long time!