Jeans WITHOUT fading, whiskering, distress
I'm pretty athletic and have big thighs. Just looking for some normal jeans. I don't like the look of the pre-faded thighs, fold marks on the pockets and upper thighs, etc. That excludes about 90% of what's on sale in the $30-70 range.
The obvious answer to this question is Lee or Levi, but both don't fit me well. With Levi's, I tried the 569s (afaik their roomiest in the thighs) in a 31 waist. My actual waist size is about 28 (typical jeans size, not inches). The 31 569s barely fit my thighs, and the waist and extra material on the lower butt was too much to reasonably have tailored. Lee is better, but still the same issue of when I size up enough to fit my thighs, there's extra bunching material under my ass.
Kohl's Sonoma jeans fit me well enough to buy/have tailored, but same issue with fading. They don't offer non-faded normal blues or indigo. Abercrombie and Fitch's Vintage Stretch athletic loose fit in 28x30 is the elusive impossible pair that fit me WITHOUT alterations. Unfortunately, they have the stupid fraying on the fly and bottoms + aren't offered in normal blue or indigo colors.
Land's End's Square Rigger jeans have really nice unmolested colors, but the fit isn't quite right and at the correct waist size there's a lot of billowing material behind my thighs. Considering those.
And yes, I'm aware of raw denim. I just don't understand why I have to spend that kind of money, when what I'm looking for exists for $40 except that it's undergone the extra step of being ruined.
Looking for 98-99% cotton, 1-2% elastane. I have a history of ruining speedo stretch jeans + I just don't like how they look and feel.
Ik I'm being pretty picky 😅 Thanks in advance to anyone who took the time to read this and if you have something for me I'll be forever grateful.
5 Replies
List of brands I've already tried multiple sizes/fits of on in person AND explored online
- Levi
- Lee
- Wrangler (nice colors, gives me wedgies)
- Kohl's sonoma
- Land's end
- Old navy (fading, distress)
- Pacsun (fading, distress)
- J.Crew (but they didn't have 1040s so maybe...?)
- The Perfect Jean (rear waistband doesn't cover my undies)
- Lucky brand (diaper butt)
- Express (Great fit but can't find non-stretch options)
- Barbell apparell (looks like I'm constantly bricked up even when I'm not)
- Polo Ralph Lauren (terrible fit wtf are they even doing lmao)
- H&M (fading)
- Abercrombie and Fitch
- Mavi (thighs too small even on athletic fits w/ sized up waist)
Todo: please help guide my search
- Carhartt
- Gap
- Everlane (a bit pricey?)
- Banana republic (do they have jeans?)
- Wrangler, but styles above what Walmart carries
- American Eagle (couldn't find anything non-faded in a store walkthrough but haven't searched exhaustively online)
Unbranded is a little over your budget and has a few fit options.
You could try the Wrangler 13MWZ I've seen some pics of guys with bigger builds wearing them, seem like a solid option and not expensive
For those in the future searching this out: Duluth ballroom jeans, relaxed fit. I know they are 100% cotton. Just try them on, trust me
Carhartt was Ok but I wasn't a fan of the stiffness of the 100% cotton options. Wrangler rustler is also really nice even though theyre 100% cotton, and insanely cheap. Different fit than normal wranglers which give me wedgies. Kohl's sonoma everyday jeans are hit or miss, a lot of variation between the same size, some have laser whiskering, some have yucky polyester in them. But I have a pair of almost-black ones that are 98% cotton/2% spandex that look and fit amazing after tailoring.
Ty for the follow up.