The 15 Best Good American Pieces That Our Entire Team Can’t Stop Wearing
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The jeans, tops, and jackets of our dreams.
InStyle / Marcus Millan
Good morning and good day, good Americans! We have a rather special announcement for you today: we sorted through almost all of Good American’s stylish everyday essentials to find the very best. Our team of six tested 22 of Good American’s most popular styles and ranked them based on their fit, comfort, and ease of wear. We’re no easy critics, however, so only 16 of those have made it onto this list of favorites. Take it from editors who have literally made a career out of reviewing clothes: It takes a lot to impress us, but these Good American jeans, shirts, sweaters, and dresses are on constant rotation.
A little background on the brand before we dive in, however: As you may already know, the label was founded by Khloé Kardashian and Emma Grede with a vision to create solution-based clothing for the modern woman. That meant showing up where size inclusivity is concerned and not holding back on flattering cuts or quality materials. Our team, who range in height and size, can wholeheartedly attest to this. Below, we’re proud to present to you the best of Good American.
Best Overall: Good American Power Stretch Pull-On Straight Jeans
What We Love: They feel stretchy, soft, and durable.
What We Don’t Love: The sizing can be confusing, so it’s vital to check the size guide.
Good American’s wide range of denim options did not disappoint. Writer Lauren Tappan found these pull-on jeans incredibly comfortable. “The material feels durable, stretchy, and blissfully soft. I can tell that they’re high quality, which in such soft pants is typically difficult to find,” she says. She does warn, however, to review the size guide before ordering these jeans. She went with a medium, which turned out to be far too small on her as it represents a size 2. Because they’re also a pull-on style, they don’t have any buttons or zips, so finding the right size becomes especially vital.
Otherwise, she found the Indigo490 shade stunning: “a perfect blend between a medium wash and a dark wash.” The cut is on the border between a skinny jean and a straight, looking more like the former on the top half and the latter on the bottom half.
Material: Cotton, recycled cotton, elastane-P, recycled polyester, elastane | Size: XS–5XL | Colors: 2
Best Skinny Jeans: Good American Good Legs Skinny Jeans
What We Love: They’re decently thick, so they’re warm and avoid the leggings look.
What We Don’t Love: Make sure to check the size guide, as the regular inseam is a tad short on someone who is 5’8”.
As someone who doesn’t necessarily love skinny jeans, this pair is my big exception. Due to their stretch, they slide on so smoothly that they don’t feel like they’re tugging at my skin when putting them on. As I ordered them, I was worried they would be paper thin, but to my surprise, they’re quite the opposite. They have a nice thickness to them that keeps them from looking like leggings without becoming rigid. It also makes them surprisingly warm. Most of all, I love how they look. They don’t have any contrast stitchings or excessive linings. Instead, they offer a smooth canvas with a sophisticated indigo color. My only tip is to make sure you order the correct inseam length — there are three options. I’m 5-foot-8 and found the regular length (29 inches) a tad cropped on my legs.
Material: Cotton, polyester, elastane | Size: 00–32 | Colors: 1
Best Boyfriend Jeans: Good American Good 90's Jeans
What We Love: They look just as pictured, offering a cool ‘90s appeal.
What We Don’t Love: Size down, as they run quite large.
Remember when I said I don’t love skinny jeans? It’s because baggy pants, such as these boyfriend jeans, are my go-to for their laid-back style and comfort. This denim has that cool ‘90s look that I adore, with a relaxed appeal from waist to hem. The rigid material is also substantially thick and soft, a winning combo in jeans. They arrived pretty much just as pictured, with one caveat: they run quite large. Both the waistline and the length felt a bit overwhelming on my tall frame, so I can imagine anyone on the petite side will have trouble filling the pants. I had to resort to using a belt, which then brought to my attention the off-placement of the belt loops. As you can see, they are slightly lower than where the waistline is, leaving an awkward bit of fabric poking out from the top. Nothing that bothered me all too much, but worth calling out.
Material: Cotton, lyocell | Size: 00–30 | Colors: 1
Best Wide-Leg Jeans: Good American Soft Tech Good Legs Flare Jeans
What We Love: They’re very stretchy, thick, and warm.
What We Don’t Love: The 33.5-inch inseam may be a little too long for petite people.
“Wow,” was all I could manage when unpacking these jeans. The first thing that jumped out at me was how heavyweight, well-constructed, and substantial the material was. These are no ordinary jeans — the claims of soft-tech and extra stretch were swiftly proven true. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but these are softer and more comfortable than some of the leggings I own, yet they properly look like standard jeans. Although they feel a little heavy in the hand, once on they feel warm, thick, and high-quality, and they don’t slide down the waist. Much like the boyfriend jeans, they run a little large, so I highly recommend sizing down. They’ve got an inseam length of 33.5 inches, which is quite long even for tall girls. I’ve been pairing them with heeled booties so that the hem doesn’t drag on the floor.
Material: Tencel, lenzing ecovero, polyester, lycra | Size: 4–32 | Colors: 1
Most Comfortable Jeans: Good American Power Stretch Pull-On Flare Jeans
What We Love: They offer the comfort of leggings without looking like cheap jeggings.
What We Don’t Love: They’re not as flared in real life compared to the pictured model.
These options are made similarly to our last option, but instead of a button closure, they’re pull-on pants — a feature that associate editorial director Shannon Bauer found to be a nice fit. Bauer and I happened to be wearing the last two options simultaneously at the office, and we both gushed at how incredibly comfortable yet chic they looked. “These are now my comfiest jeans and I’ve worn them on a long road trip in a car with no issues,” she says. “I like that even though they’re a pull-on jean, they still have a bit of structure through the legs and don’t look or feel like jeggings.” In other words, you get the softness of leggings and the look of jeans. She does note, however, that they look more like straight jeans than flared jeans in real life. They’re fitted around the thigh and then fall into a wider opening at the hem.
Material: Cotton, recycled cotton, elastane-P, recycled polyester, elastane | Size: XS–2XL | Colors: 2
Best White Jeans: Good American Good Waist Palazzo Cropped Jeans
What We Love: The baggy fit looks cool and feels comfortable.
What We Don’t Love: It creates a bit of gaping around the waist on curvy women.
If you’re brave enough, white jeans add a more elevated appeal to your outfit. As long as you’re careful to dodge stains, you can enjoy the comfort and relaxed appeal of these pants just as Lauren Tappan did. She found the pants — which are cut for petite figures — very appealing and comfortable, noting that “even while sitting down, I didn’t feel suffocated as the waistline was surprisingly stretchy.”
The pants look a little more baggy in real life than as pictured, however. “On the site, they look a bit more like straight-leg pants, but in person, they definitely have a wider fit,” says Tappan, which she actually enjoyed much more than expected. And to no one’s surprise, the quality of the material was just as outstanding as all the other denim we’ve tried from Good American. Tappan calls it durable and the opposite of flimsy. She did note, however, that there was some gaping around the waistline, which she experiences frequently on her figure. It wasn’t enough to dampen her love for the pants either way.
Material: Cotton, elastane | Size: 00–24 | Colors: 1
Best for Wide Hips: Good American Good Waist Skinny Jeans
What We Love: They fit like a glove on a wide-hip, slim-waist body type.
What We Don’t Love: We wish it was offered in more inseam lengths.
Bauer was beyond impressed with these jeans, which were intentionally cut for curvy women. “I have wide hips and a curvy body but a smaller waist, which makes it really difficult to find jeans,” she says. “I often have to buy jeans that fit either my hips or my waist, compromising one or the other, but these curvy jeans matched me in both!” Whether she was sitting or standing, the skinny jeans remained comfortable and fitted. Because both the quality and fit were so perfect, she crowned them her favorite jeans she’d tried in a while. One note Bauer had, however, was that she wished they came in multiple inseam lengths. On her short frame, the pants were full-length compared to those on the model, where the hem cuts off at her ankle.
Material: Cotton, recycled viscose, recycled cotton | Size: 00–30 | Colors: 1
Best Petite Jeans: Good American Good Petite Skinny Jeans
What We Love: The material feels substantial and warm, so they don’t look like jeggings.
What We Don’t Love: They are very petite and are even too short on women 5-foot-3.
Good American is the destination for denim for all body types. Since we just covered the curvy, we’ll highlight jeans for petites as well. For writer Emily Cieslak, the 25.5-inch inseam was almost too short on her 5-foot-3-inch frame, so when we say these are petite, we really mean they are petite — think 5-foot-2 and under. The cropped look didn’t bother her, however, as they fit perfectly with ankle boots. The pants also fit perfectly everywhere else thanks to the stretchy-yet-substantial denim. “It’s not too thin like those awful jeggings, and they hug all my curves comfortably enough for all-day wear,” she says. While skin-tight clothing isn’t typically Cieslak’s go-to, these pants were so comfortable that she’s reconsidering her entire stance on skinny jeans: “I haven’t worn skinny jeans in ages, but this pair has convinced me to give them a second chance.”
Material: Organic cotton, elasterel-P, elastane | Size: 00–26 | Colors: 2
Best Faux-Leather Pants: Good American Good Boy Faux Leather Pants
What We Love: The matte finish adds a touch of elegance to the look.
What We Don’t Love: They’re not very breathable, so they’re ill-suited for summer.
There was a lot to love here. To start, while most faux leather pants have a shiny finish, this one was matte, which added a layer of elegance to the look. The curve-hugging pants with perfectly placed pockets (intended to round out your behind) and straight-cut hem certainly gave the illusion of a more curvy body while Cieslak wore these. It’s a fact that has earned them the title of best going-out pants in her closet.
The pants are also surprisingly comfortable, thanks to the smooth satin lining in the interior. Like most faux-leather pants, however, they were certainly not breathable, so any kind of dancing she did in them trapped moisture awkwardly. We also want to point out the long 32-inch inseam. While the previous petite jeans Cieslak tried (25.5 inches) were too short, these ones were certainly too long, even with heels. Unless you’re at least 5-foot-8, you may need to get a tailor to cut the hem.
Material: Nylon, elastane | Size: 00–32 | Colors: 1
Best T-Shirt: Good American Super Stretch Baby Tee
What We Love: It’s perfectly opaque.
What We Don’t Love: It’s not completely skin-tight, so it bunches up in certain areas.
Finding the perfect white T-shirt seems like an easy task, but it’s actually a painstaking experience. Trust us, we’ve tried shirts that were too flimsy, lost their elasticity, looked see-through, or had awkward sleeve lengths. We kept expectations low for this reason, but this shirt blew us away. “It had the perfect level of thickness to hide bra lines and maintain its pure color all around, without becoming see-through,” says senior editor Kaitlin Clark. “And while it was snug, it wasn’t uncomfortably tight so that I was fiddling with it all day.”
Made mostly of cotton with a touch of elastane, the shirt had just the right amount of softness and stretch to make it comfortable for all-day wear. Clark has been wearing it as-is, or as a base layer underneath itchy sweaters to add a soft barrier between her skin and the outerwear. “The material was definitely durable — it didn’t feel like a delicate white T-shirt. As a matter of fact, I washed it twice already without laundering in any special way and it came out just fine both times,” she concludes.
Material: Cotton, elastane | Size: XS–5XL| Colors: 6
Best Faux-Leather Shirt: Good American Faux Leather Shirt
What We Love: The material feels very durable and impressive.
What We Don’t Love: It’s a little oversized, so if you wish to wear it as a shirt, sizing down is advisable.
We talk a lot about faux leather pants, but this faux leather shirt is just as worthy of praise. “This looks even better in person than pictured,” Clark raves. “I wear it all the time, over dresses and tank tops.” She was also quite impressed with the material, claiming that although it is faux, it feels very durable and sturdy. As a shacket, it does fit a little oversized, making it easy to use as a layering piece. That being said, you can easily get away with wearing it as a button-down shirt, although it doesn’t have particularly good airflow (a common attribute for faux leather material). While it might not be the best option for mid-summer, all other seasons would love to see you wearing this number.
Material: Polyurethane | Size: XS–5XL | Colors: 2
Best Bodysuit: Good American Scuba Modern Tank Bodysuit
What We Love: The high-quality material smoothes and cinches and looks very flattering on the body.
What We Don’t Love: It’s made for people with short torsos. Everyone else will feel the bodysuit ride up uncomfortably.
While we love how easy bodysuits are to style, we had mixed feelings about this particular one. On one hand, we were obsessed with the high-quality material and square neck. It has curve-enhancing properties that clearly cinch in the waist without any feelings of uncomfortable tightness. “It’s called a scuba suit,” says Cieslak, “and the material has a nice thickness and stretch similar to swimwear,” but with a double knit. The square neck feels modern and flattering as well.
On the other hand, the suit is definitely cut too short for women with longer torsos. Cieslak felt the thong-like bottom riding up uncomfortably, making her feel a little too compressed to be wearing it all day. Everywhere else, however, it fit like a glove, so she’s not sure whether sizing up would be the way to go. Those with a short torso would love the quality and appeal of this bodysuit, but everyone else may find it too tight.
Material: Nylon, elastane | Size: XS–5XL | Colors: 11
Best Long-Sleeve: Good American Scuba Deep V-Neck Bodysuit
What We Love: The material is thick and does a wonderful job at sculpting the body.
What We Don’t Love: It may be a little too long on petite frames.
Anyone who’s a fan of bodysuits, like Clark is, knows the struggle of finding one that fits the torso just right, looks flattering, and feels good on the skin. This option did all of that for her, however. “When you’re wearing it, it’s heaven,” she admired. As a tall girl (Clark measures almost 5-foot-10), bodysuits are typically not long enough and require her to uncomfortably tug at the suit all day. “This one is made for tall people, evidently, because I didn’t have to pull at all for it to snap, and it hugged in all the right places.”
As happy as we are with the bodysuit, we’re left wondering why this one, which is from the same line as the previous bodysuit, is so inconsistent with its sizing. The previous option was too small on Cieslak’s petite frame, while the V-neck is perfectly long on Clark’s tall body.
Material: Nylon, elastane | Size: XS–5XL | Colors: 2
Best Turtleneck: Good American Scuba Funnel Neck Bodysuit
What We Love: It’s very form-fitting, which looks elegant and put together.
What We Don’t Love: The material feels a little lightweight.
Much like the previous long-sleeved number, this turtleneck bodysuit is very form-fitting and flattering. Clark did notice some key differences, however. Despite both being listed under the “Scuba” line and listing the same material makeup, this one was much more lightweight and stretchy than the V-neck option.
Still, the bodysuit had the same length and remains a great look for taller ladies. The turtleneck hole is relatively tight, so make sure to pull your head through before doing your hair.
Material: Nylon, elastane | Size: XS–5XL | Colors: 2
Best Button-Down: Good American Button Down 2.0 Shirt
What We Love: The well-structured top looks spiffy and professional enough for the office.
What We Don’t Love: It has no chest pockets.
Everyone needs a classic button-down to complete their capsule wardrobe, and we found this piece to be the perfect one for the job. Just as pictured, the shirt is rather structured and crisp, which makes it perfectly appropriate for more formal occasions (like the office). Dress it down with a skirt, sweater vest, and boots, and you’ve got yourself a cute brunch outfit instead.
The naturally oversized silhouette worked beautifully on Tappan, who ordered a size small. She recommends anyone looking for a more fitted style should size down. Cotton is blended with some nylon, which adds a touch of softness to the shirt that makes it comfortable to wear all day. It’s selling out quickly, however, so here is an alternative for you to consider.
Material: Cotton, nylon | Size: XS–5XL | Colors: 5
What To Keep In Mind
Material: We had a pretty great experience with the materials used at Good American. Especially where denim is concerned, there was no doubt that the team over at Good American put tons of research and development into crafting something that’s exceptionally warm and comfortable. Our team collectively echoed how soft, stretchy, and game-changing these pants were.
Size: For the most part, the Good American pieces ran true to size. As Tappan mentioned, however, it doesn’t hurt to check their size guide. We noticed some inconsistencies across collections, where certain items fit larger or smaller than others with the same size.
Collection: Good American categorizes its jeans into certain collections which are divided by fit, material, and occasion. You’ll find jeans for petite, curvy, and long legs, just to name a few. We personally loved the soft-tech denim, which featured buttery-soft jeans that were comfortable enough to sleep in. Under their clothing line, you’ll also find a collection of compressive wear, faux leather wear, and office-appropriate attire. In other words, it’s relatively easy to find pieces for any occasion.
Why Shop With Us
Bianca Kratky is a commerce writer with three years of experience covering fashion and beauty. With the help of the team at Good American, she was able to get samples sent to the entire commerce team at InStyle, consisting of Jess Mahgerefteh, Kaitlin Clark, Shannon Bauer, Emily Cieslak, Lauren Tappan, and herself. She then gathered first-hand information on how each of the items fit for this article.
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