I spend $20-$30 a pair. If I had somebody with a fashion sense along and another pair looked really good on me I’d pay double that.
I’ve tried a lot of the expensive jeans, and I was pretty much unimpressed.
I normally buy my jeans from Victoria’s Secret . Those fit me pretty decently and they’re anywhere from $25 to $60.
A few months ago I ordered some jeans from Make Your Own Jeans . You take all of your measurements (the website guides you) and pick your details. They make your jeans to your exact specifications. It takes about two weeks from the time you order until the time you get them. For a pair of “regular jeans” (no extra features/details) it is $64.00USD with shipping. So far I’ve purchased three pair and each of them fits perfectly.
Those aren’t pleats. These are. The pleats run from the waistband down vertically.
Ahhh! I was picturing this. That kind of pleat is much more stylish :). I don’t think they’re really ubiquitous, though. None of my recently purchased jeans have pleats.
Well, they’re not the dorky kind of pleat, but I still am not mad about them. Still, they’re not super noticeable when I’m wearing them.
That looks more like wrinkles where your jeans have risen up when you sit down. When you wash your jeans and dry them, those should go away.
That style I’ve always heard referred to as “whiskered” or “distressed”.
I usually buy jeans at Express for $40-$70. But I came in here to gloat because a girl at work brought in some clothes she’s getting rid of and I scored a pair of Lucky jeans and two pair of Abercrombie and Fitch. I had no idea how expensive those brands are.
I’d be super pissed if that happened. I paid good money for those cat whiskers and if they went away on a washing that would defeat the purpose. Jeans these days, at least in hipper circles, are supposed to look like you borrowed them from a sweaty friend who spends all day hunching over. I know, who cares, but at least they’re not bell bottoms or acid washed.
Oh, and to FourPaws, those Diesel jeans may seem insanely over priced but they’re made to increadible standards and will last approximately forever. I’ve never had so much as a loose thread in mine. Designer stuff is often expensive and cheap at the same time but Diesel is quality stuff. Like Abercrombie used to be before they became cologne obsessed child pornographers.
Levi’s vary; I think the basic original straight leg pre-shrunk (for guys) is around $50, but they have a more expensive Premium line that can go up to between $100 and $200.
I’m partial to Lucky myself. $150 is top of the line for them, but they’re not cheap either. They usually come around $100 or $110, and some of the least expensive around $80 or $90. One thing I like about this brand is the people in the stores are super nice. Still, you can always buy yourself one pair that you like, in the store, and then get more on eBay for a lot less money.
If price is a major consideration, you could try Gap, they’re usually a little cheaper than Levi’s. On the other hand, a few years ago I bought a couple of pairs of their Low Boot Cut cords for guys, and they seemed simultaneously too loose and too tight in all the wrong places, but that could just be me. Also they don’t hold up as well as Levi’s so in the end you probably don’t save anything.
No, the whiskers won’t wash out. They’re actually variations in the darkness of the denim.
If I’m not mistaken, “distressing” is anything and everything they do to make them look old or worn when you buy them, from whiskers and pre-fading to actual holes and torn hems in some cases. Which reminds me, if you do decide to buy jeans on eBay, you need to confirm with the seller that there isn’t any extreme distressing, if you want a new pair that actually does look new.
I get Rider jeans from Shop-Ko, I don’t know who else sells them. They come in petite medium and tall lengths and have a variety of waistband heights, stretch and regular fabrics, flair and straight legs. I usually pay 17.00. I like them better than Levis because I can get a not mom jean waist height that doesn’t feel like it’s falling off.
If I really like a pair of jeans I might pay 35 or 40 but I don’t think anyone even notices the brand of jeans as long as the fit is right. They’re like background for the rest of your clothes.
Yes, they supposed to make the jeans look worn in. They are not pleats.
Same here. Nordstrom is much more pricey and “high end” than Macy’s.
amarinth, don’t you have a Wal-Mart, Target, JCPenney, Old Navy or Kohl’s anywhere near you? Those would be the places to go.
Unfortunately, I “have” to buy my jeans at Wal-Mart (although I would prefer never to have to set foot in the Evil Empire). I’ve tried on Lee’s, Levi’s, Wrangler’s, and Target’s brand (whatever that is…Route 66?), and none of them fit right or look good. The Wal-Mart brand (Faded Glory?) fit well in waist, hip, and length, and I’ve never paid more than $20 for a pair.
I will NOT buy any brand of jeans that cost more than $30 - Lucky, Gap, Diesel, whatever? Not even going to try them on. I have two pairs of jeans at any given time, I rotate them around, and when they fall apart, I buy two more.
I wear a lot of skirts, sarongs, and black dress pants for work and for casual wear, so it’s not like I’m wearing jeans all the time anyway.
Ten bucks. There’s almost always a pair in my size and ‘my style’ on the clearance rack at JC Penney’s. Cheap-to-begin-with Arizona brand jeans, either five-pocket or cargo style.
It helps that several years ago I found a brand that actually fits, and I see no reason to mess around with it.
It also helps that I buy my jeans in the kid’s department. On the one hand, it’s kind of embarrassing to shop amongst the 8-year-olds, and finding jeans without glittery butterflies is a pain. On the other hand, every spring and fall I can inevitably pick up a pair or two on the clearance rack for ten dollars. I’d rather spend twenty/thirty bucks each year on jeans that will fall apart than deal with the hassle of finding anything else that fits.
My newest pair: $9 (new) at KG Superstore (or KG something).
If I go after Lees, and I really like Lees, I expect to pay around $20.
I have a pair of very very expensive jeans that I got off a genuine celebrity one time (I was interviewing her and her dachsund puppy peed on my pants, so she gave me a pair to wear, had mine cleaned, and let me keep the pair she gave me). These actually made me look tall, skinny, and beautiful. But I don’t ask that of my regular jeans. It’s not like I’m wearing them to the Oscars or anything.
I think I speak for everyone here when I ask, who was it???!!! 
You like those? I tried getting rid of mine–washing them and hanging them up, putting them in the drier, ironing them…nothing. Anyway, I don’t know about hipper circles, but my jeans don’t look distressed. They look like very nice, neat, well pressed jeans that happen to be all scrunchy in the hips. But thankfully, it’s not noticeable and they don’t look grungy. Different strokes, I’spose!
amarinth, I highly recommend the Goodwill in Bellevue, especially the designer rack (located in front of the men’s stuff). Happy hunting!