The difference in jeans?

I tried searching, both here and at Google, but couldn't find what I was looking for so please forgive me if it's been brought up before.

I like to look good but, being a 'function over fasion' and 'bang for the buck' kind of guy, have a hard time spending loads of money on clothes. In particular, jeans. For some reason I don't mind spending a little more on shirts that I know will last me a while (the shirt I'm wearing at this moment is a Columbia button-down that I've been wearing, regularly, for 14 years), but with jeans I find myself always trying to skimp. Even the few pair of shorts I have were more expensive because I had to buy Columbias (the only ones I could find that didn't have bulky cargo pockets).

For the last 2 years I've been wearing $16 Wranglers from Walmart. Not the old classic Wranglers referred to as 'nut-huggers', but in various washes and cuts. I've noticed that they wear out quickly, especially in the crotch and around the back pockets, but I don't know if it's the jeans themselves or if I'm just hard on them. I can't remember how much wear I got out of previous buys/brands to compare. I've also tried the $20-25 Levis from Walmart & Target and found they also wore quickly in those areas.

So I'm wondering if there is a difference between the Walmart/Target jeans and those found in fashion/designer stores. Anyone have experience with the two that could offer some insight?

Ceezer said:

So I'm wondering if there is a difference between the Walmart/Target jeans and those found in fashion/designer stores. Anyone have experience with the two that could offer some insight?

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Depends what you mean by fashion/designer stores. For some this might mean Gap, for others Diesel, Hilfiger, Gant, and then there are even more expensive ones that I don't even know the name of

I like to wear corduroys in the winter, currently have them from Gant, Hackett and Brooks brothers.

I like jeans from Gap and Levi and Wrangler, and think they are as good as I need.

Here in the UK Wrangler has launched an upmarket (ie more expensive line) to try and repostion its brand in the market. They look like the Wranglers I saw in the US when I was there, but at about four times the price!!

I just got a pair of Kirkland jeans from Costco and they are excellent.

My Walmart brand "725 Originals" have outlasted 2 pairs of Levi's (the actual Levi's, not the cheaper Levi's Signature that you get at Walmart)

I'll also second the Costco jeans, very comfortable, I've had them about 2 years, no sign of wear or tear yet.

I don't know that I've seen '725 Originals' at our Walmart, but I'll look. Aside from the Levi Signatures, Wranglers (and I think Lees), all I'm aware of is their 'Faded Glory' brand.

I've never seen a Costco, unfortunately.

Is there a difference in quality between regular Levis and the Levi Signatures?

Philamac, I'm referring to all of them. Those that you mentioned, plus Lucky and others. Is there an upside to spending $40+ (let alone $80-200, which I would never do) for jeans?

I have worn Lee Jeans almost exclusively for roughly 40 years. The exception being several pairs of Jordache Jeans back in the "Members Only" days of the 70's. Recently I went from a size 40 to a size 36 and needed to get a couple of new pairs for a trip I was planning. I wandered into Loehmann's and saw a variety of so-called designer jeans that I had never heard of and they were horrifically expensive, easily costing as much as I have spent on dress pants. I had to call my son and ask him about these jeans and the prices that they commanded. I bought one pair of Joe's Jeans and one pair of 7 Jeans. They fit fantastically and the quality is apparent. I still had to to pick up a pair of Lee's though, because I can't see roughing the "good" jeans up as I normally would. I don't know if they are worth the money or not, but I do like them.

thunderball said:

I just got a pair of Kirkland jeans from Costco and they are excellent.

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These are my favorite and are better than Levis in at least one respect -- seven belt loops instead of five. With Levis my belts tended to get a kink at the very back from that isolated belt loop.

With men's jeans you get what you pay for, the quality does increase noticeably at every price point up to about $300. After that, you're just paying for the designer's name.

Ceezer said:

Is there a difference in quality between regular Levis and the Levi Signatures?

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Yes there is, by Levi's own admission. This is a very common practice with discount retailers. They want to sell name brands at low prices, so less expensive materials are used. That's not to say there aren't poorly-made jeans elsewhere, as well.

$300 is the breaking point?!?!

So where is the ideal performance/dollar range for someone like me? Can I get good, comfortable, long-lasting jeans at/under $40?

I've always preferred Levi's but detest the way they have cheapened good 'ole 501's. Cutting out belt loops is one thing, but I'm certain the current fabrics aren't up to par with what used to be used.

Ceezer said:

Philamac, I'm referring to all of them. Those that you mentioned, plus Lucky and others. Is there an upside to spending $40+ (let alone $80-200, which I would never do) for jeans?

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I don't like the cheap jeans we get in the UK because they are either too full of fashion (rips, embroidery, colouring etc) or they are for ermmmm, fat blokes with no style. I'm in fair shape for 39 and can get away with 501s and slim cut jeans/khakis so the cheap fat bloke jeans at Tesco/Asda I steer clear of. Not sure if that is the sort of stuff you get at Costco.

You have the benefit of Levi's, Wranglers, Gap, Dockers etc all being a lot cheaper in the US than they are in UK

The currency fluctuations have reduced this a bit, but a part of my visits to Canada always included a visit to buy Levis for myself and some to bring back for friends cos they cost half in Canada of what they cost in the UK.

And I am not suggesting that only fat badly dressed blokes wear cheap jeans!!!! I will spend about £50 but feel unhappy spending much more.

Ceezer said:

$300 is the breaking point?!?!

So where is the ideal performance/dollar range for someone like me? Can I get good, comfortable, long-lasting jeans at/under $40?

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Depends, do you want to look fashionable, or just have a comfortable pair of jeans? Are you going out clubbing, or just knocking around the house? You can hit that price point and get a decent pair, but you wouldn't want to wear them out on a Saturday night in NYC.

Jeez, when did buying a pair of jeans become so complicated? Personally, I like Old Navy/Gap jeans. They fit me properly and are relatively inexpensive ($19-30). They come in different cuts but I've noticed recently that the men's section of the store has been severely reduced in the quantity of items being offered. It seems like the women's and kids section are taking over the store!

I guess men my age (20s') shop at Abercrombie, Express and other "higher end" places.

I've found that jeans from Carhartt and Eddie Bauer last much longer than Levi's.

DS/B MCS said:

I've found that jeans from Carhartt and Eddie Bauer last much longer than Levi's.

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+1. Add L.L. Bean to the list as well. on paying more than $50 for a pair of jeans.

Ceezer said:

$300 is the breaking point?!?!

So where is the ideal performance/dollar range for someone like me? Can I get good, comfortable, long-lasting jeans at/under $40?

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When it comes to jeans, $40.00 is my breaking point.

I like Quicksilver, Izod and Geoffrey Been. Usually get them at outlets for under $25.00. I also have Wrangler's from Target for about $16-$18. But as pointed out earlier, they don't seem to last very long.

I like some of the Old Navy jeans. I prefer more of a straight leg or boot cut and theirs seam to fit me well. The normal prices are around $40 but if you catch them on sale they can be had for $30 or even $25

Ceezer, I've found that the Wrangler 13MWZ original fit rigid wear better than any other jean. I think they are around $18-$20.

If you are in the Wal-Mart go over to the work clothes section and try the Dickie's jeans. They are a lot tougher than the rest of the jeans there.