Premium denim vs. less expensive jeans...which do you buy? (dye, cut)
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Several years ago, when I worked a 9-5 job rather than having a home business, and thus had a little more expendable $$ to go around due to the guaranteed paycheck, I used to love buying premium, $100-200+ dollar jeans. Now, rarely would I spend full price on them, but still I'd easily spend $100 on a pair and think it was worthwhile. Seven For All Mankind, True Religion, Rock & Republic, you name it. I probably have over $1,000 in expensive denim.
Recently I was looking to get some new jeans, but I don't have quite as much cash at the moment to spend on them. I looked at more standard "mall" stores such as Gap, American Eagle, Old Navy and Lucky Brand. Now, the latter does have jeans in the $100+ range, but the first two hover around $40-60 a pair, on average. Amazingly, I found a pair of great dark wash straight leg jeans from American Eagle that rival any pair of my more "premium" jeans that I used to splurge on. I paid twenty bucks for them, on sale--original price being $39.99.
I don't know whether or not to feel like I've been "duped" all these years that I've spent more on jeans or what. For whatever reason, I've always thought that jeans that cost under, say, $80 were going to be poorly made and poor fitting. Since I seem to wear jeans for quite a long time, I'd always looked at it as an investment. Granted, I've noticed that some of the cheaper jeans have less detailing than some of the more expensive ones, but that's not always the case it seems.
Now, I know that you could go to department stores such as Walmart, Kohl's or Target and probably find jeans ever cheaper than that. I will say that I've tried jeans from ubercheap stores like Forever 21 and H&M, and the material felt very flimsy, IMHO.
My question to you all, is how much do you usually spend on jeans? Do you think that higher price = higher quality? Where do you usually shop for them?
Last edited by thepinksquid; 11-22-2009 at 01:07 AM..
Same here... I had a brief love affair with premium jeans. Had probably 10 pair of SFAM, R&R, Joe's, TR, Paige jeans, etc.. Wore them occasionally. What I did realize quickly, is that even with those, I still tended to reach for my trusty Levi's. I snapped out of it, sold the premiums & bought more Levis- which do fit me better than any $100+ pair I ever had. Now I stick with what I know works & looks good on me- for a fraction of the $.
I won't spend more than $30 and my last pair, from Goody's, was $20 or $25. They just have to fit right and be somewhat stylish. My jeans always last for years. Comfort is most important. When I want another pair, I'll probably go to Target, TJMaxx or JCPenney.
Several years ago, when I worked a 9-5 job rather than having a home business, and thus had a little more expendable $$ to go around due to the guaranteed paycheck, I used to love buying premium, $100-200+ dollar jeans. Now, rarely would I spend full price on them, but still I'd easily spend $100 on a pair and think it was worthwhile. Seven For All Mankind, True Religion, Rock & Republic, you name it. I probably have over $1,000 in expensive denim.
Recently I was looking to get some new jeans, but I don't have quite as much cash at the moment to spend on them. I looked at more standard "mall" stores such as Gap, American Eagle, Old Navy and Lucky Brand. Now, the latter does have jeans in the $100+ range, but the first two hover around $40-60 a pair, on average. Amazingly, I found a pair of great dark wash straight leg jeans from American Eagle that rival any pair of my more "premium" jeans that I used to splurge on. I paid twenty bucks for them, on sale--original price being $39.99.
I don't know whether or not to feel like I've been "duped" all these years that I've spent more on jeans or what. For whatever reason, I've always thought that jeans that cost under, say, $80 were going to be poorly made and poor fitting. Since I seem to wear jeans for quite a long time, I'd always looked at it as an investment. Granted, I've noticed that some of the cheaper jeans have less detailing than some of the more expensive ones, but that's not always the case it seems.
Now, I know that you could go to department stores such as Walmart, Kohl's or Target and probably find jeans ever cheaper than that. I will say that I've tried jeans from ubercheap stores like Forever 21 and H&M, and the material felt very flimsy, IMHO.
My question to you all, is how much do you usually spend on jeans? Do you think that higher price = higher quality? Where do you usually shop for them?
I have never paid more than $60 for a pair of jeans. Frankly - the $60 pair I had considered "premium".
I am really picky about the color of the denim I wear - generally those expensive ones (at least the ones that I have seen) have an ugly wash in them - or a really icky shade of blue, or they are way too dark (I hate really dark blue denim). I also don't care from the "whitened" rear end or thighs - I think that looks awful. So my pickiness in the color and wash relieves me of most of the higher-prices choices, thankfully. And never mind about the holes and rips they put in them - I'd never pay money for that crap either.
As far as American Eagle, they are my favorite jeans. I've 3 pair from there, and they are the first ones that I grab for when I am looking to "look good".
I have some Gap jeans too - they are my newest pair, and my darkest pair too - I really had to chew that one a while before buying them. But I like them.
There are jeans out there that do not cost alot and fit people just perfectly
I have alot of them
Just becasue it has a bigger price tag on it doesn't mean its better
Comfort is always important
but..........you should splurge on yourself every once in a while, that is if its worth it
Don't know why but Target's Mossimo brand fits me really well - so well in fact that I'm to the point that I don't even try on the jeans before i leave the store. I pick up a size 4 and put them in my cart. I LOVE dark denim and have different heights - for flats, heels, etc. I love that I don't have to spend a lot on jeans.
I take really good care of them though - wash them inside-out on delicate with detergent made for dark clothes and NEVER put them in the dryer. So they generally last a long time.
I spend anywhere from 5-60$. I buy higher end ones in resale shops and ebay. I went through a diesel jeans phase. But I never paid full price for those. In cheaper jeans the dyes do not have the depth of color. You know how really nice jeans almost look like there is about 4 layers of colors in it to make the one solid color? I notice the stitching and thread is a lot better. The higher end jeans do hold shape and last longer. I don't really think the cheaper ones are poorer fitting but I do notice more size variation within the lines. They also seem to cut them bigger in the butt and thighs.
Currently I have been buying levi's as they have some sort of cut that works and the prices are not bad. You can find really good clearance deals online sometimes. I picked up a pair of 80 dollar ones on clearance for 15!
I still have a special place in my heart for Rock & Republics, but I have jeans at all price points. When I find a pair that is long enough (35 inseam) I go with it because that isn't easy to find.
I have been hearing that Lucky Brand makes great long-lasting jeans, I'll have to check them out one day.
I still love Levi's though although they aren't that cheap, depending on where you buy them.
It was nice having 'premium jeans' but even while lusting after them I didn't fall victim to their ploy. Some jeans last, others don't. What I didn't like about certain brands was how they lost their shape after a while. Many premium jeans just have a sturdier fit and feel, that was why I spent more on them. I haven't put down $300 yet, but I have spent about half that on one pair.
I never did buy into the "designer mega dollar" jean thing and have never spent more than $30. It also allows me to replace them more frequently with new ones.
I've paid anywhere to 1.99 at the thrift store to $300 plus at department stores. So either. If I love how they fit and look, I'll buy them.
I need jeans w/ a long inseam and they are much harder to find in cheaper jeans for some reason. And a skinny thigh w/ a boyish hip/waist ratio, but I don't like a lot of stretch. When I add all these things up, many times it equals expensive jeans, but not always!!!
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