I Tried Fabletics' New Denim During An NYC Staycation

After nine years of calling New York City home, I sometimes take for granted how much living history there is all around me. I have my little routines in my Brooklyn neighborhood, and commute into Manhattan a few days a week for work, but I rarely take advantage of everything this metropolitan area has to offer. So when Fabletics invited me to spend a weekend at the Hotel Chelsea — an iconic NYC landmark — to test out their brand-new denim collection launching on March 10, I jumped at the opportunity for a much-needed staycation.

For two days and nights, I cozied up in the luxury establishment, ordering room service, sipping martinis in the lobby bar, and lounging in the suite — all while wearing my brand-new jeans to get a feel for fit, comfort, and how they hold their shape over time. Read on for my full review of Fabletics’ new lineup, plus everything I learned about NYC’s arts culture while staying at the historic hotel. TL;DR: Can someone get me a hookup for a rent-stabilized apartment here? I’d be forever grateful.

Fabletics Denim Collection

The celeb-loved athleisure brand launched its first-ever foray into denim on March 10. The collection includes four women’s jeans styles in sizes 23-35, along with a mini skirt and denim jacket, in seven different washes ranging from cream to leopard print to black. Silhouettes include high-rise skinny, mid-rise baggy, high-rise wide leg, and high-rise straight. There’s also a men’s collection of jeans and a jacket in similar colors.

• Price: $80-$120 for members; $110-$175 for non-members
• Who this is best for: Cozy girls who want their jeans to be as comfortable as a pair of leggings without sacrificing style.
• What I like: The denim holds its shape through multiple wears, and the material is lightweight enough to be worn all through the summer months.
• What I don’t like: I tend to prefer a jean without any stretch that sits looser at the hips — the Mid Rise Baggy is close to the mark, but could have been baggier — but that’s more of a personal preference than anything.
• Rating: 4/5.

Day 1: Getting Settled

My first testing day was all about finding the right fit — in terms of jeans and vibes at the Chelsea.

4:00 p.m.: Check in and enjoy the room

I wanted to take full advantage of all the time I’d have at the hotel, so I arrived with bags in hand right at 4 p.m. after a whopping 30-minute commute in from Brooklyn (long travel day, I know). I picked up my keys and headed up to my tenth-floor suite, which was dreamy — a one-of-a-kind mix of vintage decor and modern amenities like velvet furniture, hardwood flooring, and warm, dimmable lamplight. Fabletics left several sizes and styles of denim for me to try out, along with a little welcome package including a tote and tumbler.

I had a couple of free hours until I needed to meet my girlfriend and friends for dinner, so I sat on the couch and caught up on end-of-week emails before getting ready. I put on Love Island UK Season 5 while doing my makeup (watching Maura Higgins on The Traitors this season has inspired me to catch up on her lore), then threw on my washed black mid-rise baggy Fabletics jeans and matching jacket to wear for the evening. I paired the set with a white tee, silver jewelry, a black slouchy bag, and my black Adidas sneakers — a simple, classic, and comfy ‘fit.

6:30 p.m.: Head to dinner with friends

My girlfriend met me in the lobby after she got off work, and we walked over to Boqueria in Flatiron to celebrate a friend’s birthday. We split a bunch of tapas like croquettes and patatas bravas, and yapped about pop culture and grad school, and I was very thrilled to be able to walk a 15 quick minutes back to my “home” afterwards.

9:00 p.m.: Nightcap at the lobby bar

The Hotel Chelsea lobby bar can be famously tough to snag a seat in, but if you’re a guest staying on the premises, it makes the process much easier. Obviously, that meant I needed to enjoy my short-lived VIP status. After telling the host which room I was staying in, my GF and I were seated in a corner booth of the sexy, dimly-lit bar, and we ordered drinks (red wine for me and whiskey for her) plus a pistachio soft serve ice cream because I can never resist a sweet treat.

Day 1 Denim Review: A Canadian tuxedo look hits for me every time, and the washed black color made it a little different from the other denim pieces in my closet. I sized up in the jacket to make it super oversized, and the jeans felt like the right mix of stretchy and baggy (the rigid fit is 100% cotton, but still feels soft and flexible). You could dress these up or down.

Day 2: Work & Errands, But Make It Chic

Despite a late start, I managed to be productive and still clock out in time to enjoy my evening.

11:00 a.m. Coffee in bed

I briefly woke up at 8 a.m. when my girlfriend had to head out for her Saturday work shift, but then crashed again and fell victim to the hotel’s incredibly effective blackout curtains. With no alarm set, I accidentally slept until 11. I made a coffee in the Nespresso machine and sat in bed to read (I’m currently working my way through an advanced copy of Lovers XXX by Allie Rowbottom). After 30 minutes or so, to avoid wasting much more of the day, I got ready to head downstairs for breakfast... or lunch, at this point.

I threw on the same Fabletics ‘fit from the previous night because I am, above all things, a creature of habit.

12:00 p.m.: Brunch at Café Chelsea

The famous Café Chelsea is another hotspot on the hotel’s main floor. It’s a French restaurant open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and a great place to spot celebrities if you get lucky. I sat at the bar and ordered a cappuccino and avocado toast, then cracked open my laptop to get some work done. It was busy but not packed, and still quiet enough to feel cozy.

I was making decent headway on a story I needed to write, so after brunch, I sat in the hotel lobby to ride out the creative spurt. After half an hour, I decided to take a break and run some errands to get a breath of fresh air.

2:00 p.m.: A bit of shopping

One of the best parts of spending the weekend right in the middle of the city’s action was the chance to be within walking distance of my favorite stores. I had a return I needed to make at Zara, so I walked over to the 5th Avenue location to check that off the list, and eyed the assortment of baggy shorts, tiny handbags, and heels in the store’s display sections.

I made it out without spending money, which was a miracle, but then I immediately broke that streak at Sephora by stocking up on some beauty refills I needed — though I’m proud to say I avoided grabbing the tempting mini items in the checkout line. Once I left, it was time for a pause on spending, so I did a quick Google search of coffee shops for an afternoon pick-me-up.

3:30 p.m.: Post up at another cafe

I realized I wasn’t far from Paper Coffee, one of my favorite underrated spots in Chelsea. To motivate myself to finish my work task, I walked over to the Made Hotel (the coffee shop is in the lobby) and ordered a matcha with honey cinnamon flavoring. Something about a fancy drink makes it 10 times easier to get work done, so I knocked out the story in about an hour.

5:00 p.m.: Get ready for the evening

I walked home, enjoying the first taste of warm weather we’ve had in New York this year. My girlfriend was leaving work and heading my way, so I did a quick, simple makeup look and freshened up my hair for our evening out on the town... aka in the hotel lobby once again. I briefly considered changing my outfit so I wasn’t showing up at the bar in the same look, but decided that no one would likely notice.

6:00 p.m.: Martinis and fries at the lobby bar

The magic words “I’m staying at the hotel” worked wonders again at the bar, and we were seated at another cozy corner booth right away. I’d been dreaming about a martini and fries all day — my favorite date night combo — so my GF and I both ordered our drinks (dirty gin martini for her, Hendricks martini with a twist for me) and a basket of French fries. We loved the combo and vibes so much that we sat for almost two hours talking and people watching.

8:00 p.m.: Nightcap at El Quijote

Fries alone weren’t going to cut it for dinner, so we walked down the hall to the Spanish restaurant El Quijote, which is also located on the Hotel Chelsea’s main floor. My girlfriend had heard rave reviews about the gin and tonic from a friend, so we ordered one to share, along with a cheese board, endive salad, and patatas bravas (potato dish No. 3 of the weekend). Everything was delicious, and the pear and aloe G&T was indeed one of the best I’d ever had — hot tip for anyone planning to visit.

10:00 p.m.: Wander the halls and take in the art

By this point, we were full of carbs and a little tipsy, and decided to embark on a tour of all the floors to check out the eclectic art collection. We’d gotten a tip from a hotel employee the previous night that the art in Hotel Chelsea is constantly changing, so every time you visit, you’ll see a different array of paintings on the walls.

While perusing, we started noticing that some doors looked more like apartments, with different locks and numbering, and even wreaths and welcome mats out front. Sure enough, the Hotel Chelsea has around 40 tenants and used to house many more — famous residents have included Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Stormé DeLarverie. We were immediately intrigued and decided to do a Google deep dive as soon as we got back to our room.

11:30 p.m.: Bath and bedtime

It took us over an hour to tackle all 10 floors, but we were committed to seeing it through. To treat ourselves afterward, we ran a bubble bath, made espressos (when in Rome!), and Googled more about the hotel’s storied history. Apparently, Leonard Cohen and Janis Joplin had an affair there that inspired his song “Chelsea Hotel #2.” There’s also been at least one murder, though I decided not to do too much research into where exactly that occurred.

Post-bath, we put on our hotel robes and promptly fell asleep, already dreaming of our room service order the next morning.

Day 2 Denim Review: Call me an outfit repeater, but wearing the same look twice in a row was a strategic choice so I could see how the jeans held up over time. I often find that pants will fit great on the first wear and then stretch out to the point where they need another wash to regain their shape. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case with these. The baggy jeans stayed fitted at the waist all evening, and even survived a ketchup stain with the help of a towel and warm water.

Day 3: Bed Rotting In Style

I had to cap off the weekend the best way I knew how... in bed, robe on, phone on Do Not Disturb.

9:00 a.m. Coffee in bed

I learned my lesson the previous day by not setting an alarm, so I was prepared to maximize my morning this time around. I woke up, made coffee, and opened the curtains to a sunny, warm Sunday. We lounged in our robes with books for a bit before calling downstairs to order more coffee and some food.

10:00 a.m. Room service arrives

Ordering room service on a lazy morning is the epitome of luxury, and I was not going to miss our chance to do just that. We ordered cappuccinos, a croissant, avocado toast, and breakfast potatoes (potato dish No. 4, if you’re keeping track).

12:00 p.m.: Check out and head home

As checkout hour loomed, I dragged myself out of the cozy bed and changed into my second outfit of the weekend: the high-waisted wide-leg jeans in cream, paired with a white tank, oversized white button-down, and sneakers. We gathered our things and checked out right at noon on the dot, calling our Uber to take us back to Brooklyn and back to real life.

Day 3 Denim Review: This second pair of jeans was a bit different from the first — high-waisted and tight in the hips, with a wide flare down the leg. The stretchy fit (2% elastane) felt more flexible than the baggy style, and I loved the cream color for a more spring and summer-coded color palette. I also think they’d be perfect with a crop top and heels if you were dressing up for brunch.

Final Verdict On The Fabletics Denim

After a full weekend in my new denim, I can report that it’s extremely comfy — exactly what you’d expect from a brand known for its athleisure. The material is stretchy without looking or feeling like you’re wearing jeggings, and it’s lightweight enough to carry you through the warmer months without that awful sweaty feeling of being trapped in thick jeans in the heat. I’m typically more of a Levi’s girl, so I gravitate toward thicker denim that sits looser on the body. Still, these are standouts if you’re looking for something with a bit of elastic give — even the 100% cotton jeans felt less rigid than I would expect.

My favorite pair is definitely the mid-rise baggy in the washed black color, especially with the matching jacket. I loved how they made my butt look lifted while still being slouchy and casual. I can see myself wearing the jacket all through summer with athleisure sets (maybe also from Fabletics!), and I might also snag it in the light wash color for variety.

As for the Hotel Chelsea, spending two nights there was everything I needed and more. While I probably won’t be seated in such a prime corner spot in the lobby bar ever again, I can dream about the day I got to say “I’m staying at the hotel” with my full chest, in the same hallowed halls as legendary 20th-century artists. Even Gossip Girl herself would be proud.