Help finding "good" jeans
USA based
I have been a Levi guy my entire life, and as I get deeper down the menswear rabbit hole, little by little- I look at my jeans.
I tried looking at getting nicer jeans, but I'm a little overwhelmed by the options, prices, and fits. I'm not looking for a super thick, rigid, rabbit-hole-denim-hobbyist-heritage pair, just something "nicer."
Selvedge, generally, seems to carry with it a connotation of improved construction and quality. Naked and famous comes up a lot. I was hoping maybe to just get some general brand/fit suggestions.
Obstacles: I have a wagon, my ass and thighs look like sausage casings in a pair of 501's. After much struggle, I finally purchased two pairs of Levi's 555, which I adore. They fit my thighs perfectly but I had to size up slightly to fit my seat.
I normally wear 30x30. 5'7.
Lower rise jeans, for the reasons mentioned, generally do not work well for me
I also have a pair of Uniqlo Relaxed Ankle jeans that fit me well. See attached.
Looking for a straight fit or mild taper. Any suggestions welcome!
Edit: oh! And I like to buy most of my clothes on eBay or Poshmark, etc, now, so any brands that pop off in thrift or secondhand are very welcome
19 Replies
Hi @Bret! For better answers, include:
- Reference pictures
- Budget in numbers
- Specific measurements
- Openness to buying secondhand and/or online
- Location: country/continent is fine
- Timing/urgency
check out orslow maybe. i like them in the slot of “nicer and not intimidating” denim
cuts will be familiar to levis. good room in the seat from my experience
naked and famous id suggest avoiding. they do some cool stuff with their fabrics sometimes but ive found their cuts to be consistently bad. they’re everywhere in my city so ive tried on my fair share
Are they worth picking up at a significant discount or second hand prices? Or do you recommend just avoiding them entirely
Naked and famous, I mean. Orslow looks nice. I've seen them come up for their fatigues
also like everything ive touched from warehouse
i find them pretty uncomfortable and unflattering across the board
My absolute favourite jeans are Wrangler 13MWZs. Mid to high rise, roomy enough in the thighs and can be found fit between c.$25-$50. Can’t recommend them enough
fit is a matter of taste to extent i guess, but man they are really pinchy and the tapers are tough, and ive seen that sentiment shared
AVOID it is that pinch shit is the worst 😭
I have seen this recc before! Sorta thought it was too good to be true but 🤔
I’ve not had that experience hope that helps
Strong guy, groovy guy, there’s the straight cut I can’t remember the name of
true guy was my fav of their cuts and its cut straight. strong guy was the roomiest but unfortunately felt uncomfy in the rise for me
regardless with what you spring for make sure to get measurements and compare to the jeans u like the fit of now
Yeah it’s a big rise. Def a try before buying situation
I'm gonna be real there doesn't really seem to be a reason to change if you're happy with cheap brands
the wrangler 31mwz is a little looser cut of the 13mwz and is definitely worth looking at too, really love my pair
Wrangler 13mwz are my work pants and they're great. Somehow rigid and soft at the same time. I definitely like their denim a bit more than Levi's
but I agree with smiles, if you like what you have there's nothing wrong with levis
If you have trouble fitting your thighs, then I highly recommend measuring what a good waist, thigh (at the crotch) and knee width are for you on a pair that you like and then look/ask based on that. Everyone has a different definition of big thighs and something like a 24" thigh on a 30-32" waist is going to be much harder to fit than if your waist was 34-36", etc.
N&F sucks. I’m a hater
Bad cuts, gimmicky fabrics, unfunny bits.
Brain Dead makes some great ones
Levis makes some in nicer materials in the 501 cut
Imogen + Willie Lewis or Hencye
If you dont like the super rigid stuff, look for materials that are 13oz or less
Rabbit holes aside. Wash them as much as you like, but if they’re raw just flip them inside out before they go in the wash (by themselves) because washing machines can make them streaky
And the indigo dye can bleed on your other clothes
After a few washes you’re chillin
I can appreciate this! but it isn't a need, it's a want. I think it would be fun to get some new jeans and I'm looking to branch out
I've never heard of braindead before, I'll check them out
Yeah lmao 23" thighs with a 30" waist.
Like not ginormous but enough to make shopping difficult
I feel that. You probably want around 12" thigh width on jeans, although 11.75" might be doable. I used to wear both when my thighs were that size, although I outgrew the latter within a year due to muscle growth
A blessed problem to have 😭