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It's surprisingly difficult to find a pair of jeans that I really like, and I've taken to altering my own to make up for the shortcomings. Nearly all have redu

It's surprisingly difficult to find a pair of jeans that I really like, and I've taken to altering my own to make up for the shortcomings. Nearly all have reduced the number of belt loops to 5, so I always add 2 more in the back on either side. I've started seeing really short zippers, which is unfixable and best to avoid. I've noticed a lot of ill fitting jeans bunch around the crotch or suffer from being a "cheap hotel". Also unfixable. Most are not lined inside around the waist and pockets. Sometimes the pocket hole is cut too high, making it awkward to put your hand in the pocket. Or worse, theres not enough give on the pocket to fit your hand in. Buttons and buttonholes don't always match well, especially on a button fly. I think it's easier to enlarge the holes, but sometimes the buttons can be oddly small. And of course measurements are unreliable, but that's true of all clothes. These are nitpicky things, but I notice them all the time at all price ranges. I expect they're decisions made out of carelessness, or to save costs, or because that was the intend result. Cynically, I believe carelessness is the most common cause.

blhack 9y ago
Have you seen: http://www.makeyourownjeans.com/ http://www.makeyourownjeans.com/ I've been meaning to order from them for a while, and have heard really good things about them.
- Kalium 9y ago
  I would suggest a modicum of caution. That price point is impressively competitive with Levi's while promising extensive customization. That's a potential warning sign. You might be better served looking at http://companiondenim.com/ http://companiondenim.com/
  - dualogy 9y ago
    Or maybe Levi's is just "comparatively overpriced" to pay for the brand/image, their extensive advertising and their world-wide dealer/distro network, whereas the other you pay for a website and .. the customization? Who knows, two ways of looking at such things =)
    - colbyh 9y ago
      as someone who has been obsessed with clothing and its manufacture (especially denim) for more than a decade - Levis is far from that. they aren't the best quality for your dollar at full price, but they are by far the best quality at their price point. you can spend a bit more ($~150) and get a pair of jeans that are way better than a pair of Levis at ~$60, but if all you want to spend is $60 you really won't find a better quality*. Uniqlo, however, comes very close. [1] - There are some brands that do business via preorder that will provide better quality at a similar price (Gustin comes to mind). They are covering their risk up front though (which is very different than retail and even more different than custom) and even then those companies will often end up losing money on their cheaper pairs.
    - Kalium 9y ago
      You're absolutely right! That's completely possible! Maybe made-to-measure can be done for a higher quality at the same price point by cutting out distribution, logistics, and branding to make up for the lack of economies of scale. That said, there may also be some room to doubt this interpretation. I'm passingly familiar with the costs that go into producing quality jeans. The very short version is that while made-to-measure at high quality is absolutely possible, it cannot reliably be done at this price point. The labor and materials costs alone at low volumes will blow out the budget. You're right! There are two ways of looking at such things. But as it happens, I'm someone who knows. When a market player diverges very significantly from every other player, it's very possible that they're simply outperforming everyone to a shocking degree... and it's also possible that they're dealing with the same tradeoffs as everyone else.
  - DKnoll 9y ago
    $79 USD for a pair of Levi's is far too much. I routinely buy Levi 501s for under $40 in the US at outlet stores. It's still less than $79 CAD at a Canadian outlet store. Any alteration at that site is not included, it's tacked on to the $79 USD base price.
    - Kalium 9y ago
      You're completely right! Levi's can be had for less. That said, it's possible that your comment - and that of your sibling - picking on the price of Levi's may run the risk of missing my point. Which is not that Levi's are overpriced, but rather that it's not reasonable for the site in question to deliver on its promises at an acceptable quality at the volumes they claim to be doing.
    - KC8ZKF 9y ago
      Some brands "knockoff" themselves by selling a lower quality product of the same name at outlet stores.[1] I have no idea if this is true of Levi Strauss. [1] http://www.businessinsider.com/outlet-stores-arent-a-good-deal-2014-5 http://www.businessinsider.com/outlet-stores-arent-a-good-de...
      - DKnoll 9y ago
        It very well could be, but I have many pairs and I wear them in hard. I'd find out very quickly if they're knock off (or at least sub par quality).
    - toomanybeersies 9y ago
      Levi's seem obscenely cheap in the USA compared to use here in Australia and New Zealand. It's $110 AUD for Levi's bought online from Australia, and even more to buy them here in New Zealand. American online retailers that have good, affordable shipping to New Zealand won't ship Levi's to NZ (or at least last time I checked, they didn't).
anigbrowl 9y ago
I'm totally with you on these and don't consider them nitpicky at all, people should expect comfort and good fit. But: I've noticed a lot of ill fitting jeans bunch around the crotch or suffer from being a "cheap hotel". Also unfixable. seems an unfortunately worded critique given your username :)
subterfudge44 9y ago
What surprised me in USA was the poor quality of jeans. If you go to low end places like Target or Wallmart you will find less variety and bad fitting and no attention is paid to the cloth quality either. The stores like Levis etc. have only the latest fashion and everything else would be in a corner. If you know what you want then it is really hard to go to Levis and buy a jeans. For example I like double seam on side, ideally shining buttons on the pockets and classic blue color. I always buy jeans in India. Places like Shopper Stop seem to have insane variety of jeans and all styles are available throughout the year.
pfooti 9y ago
I wear duluth trading jeans. The model I buy [0] is made in the usa, although there is also a less-expensive model. It's nice especially because I'm pretty short, and it's nice to find 30" inseam pants without having to dig and dig. They even have 28" in some models. I also typically buy about three pairs of shorts from them every so often, since I know they fit and that way I don't have to decide about which shorts to wear. They tend to run a bit small (or other pants run a little big), so I add 2" to the waist size when I order from them. I just counted: 7 belt loops. Also a nice crotch gusset. EDITed to add: I've been informed that these are "dad jeans" and in no way fashionable. 0: http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens/mens-pants/mens-denim-jeans/84011.aspx http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens/mens-pants/mens-deni...
- saulrh 9y ago
  I'll second the recommendation for Duluth Trading Co. I've been wearing these [1] for a while and they're great. Every pair of jeans I owned before that wore through at the knees and the crotch within a couple of years; these are still going strong with no signs of thinning or fraying. They're also super comfy, not confining or restricting at all, and they come with giant pockets. Can't comment on the fashion, but I've gotten compliments about them before. That may just be because the heavy-cargo-pants form factor works well for my frame, however. [1] http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens/mens-pants/work-pants-for-men/71703.aspx http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens/mens-pants/work-pant...
- mc32 9y ago
  I can't vouch for, but I've heard (and read) decent things about Brave Star Selvedge Jeans --however I think they only do button-flies. I dunno about the next person, but I'd rather not fumble around trying to get the thing buttoned. I don't think I know of anyone having zipper accidents. By-the-by, they recommend not washing too often, as little as once per year... just don't mix them with your regular washing.
- arghIdontwantto 9y ago
  I'll be honest and say I haven't bought any in a while, but I always had a lot of luck with Carhartt jeans. They had inseams 29" and up (maybe 28 but never saw them in store) and they were built to last. I still have some from 15 years ago and except for some color fading, still hang in tough. They also have different styles so you don't have to be stuck into 'dad' jeans!!!
twblalock 9y ago
LL Bean jeans aren't too bad, but they have thin pocket material. I really wish I could have the old Levis 505s back. No, the new ones aren't the same. No, the 550s are not a good alternative. I just want "regular fit" jeans with a normal rise, not the low-rise jeans everyone else seems to want.
- vvillena 9y ago
  I have a pair of 505 that is 20+ years and still looks like new. The tint faded a bit but the cloth and craft are perfect. That's why they don't make them anymore, I suppose.
wcummings 9y ago
>I've started seeing really short zippers, which is unfixable and best to avoid. Buttons are where its at.

blhack 9y ago

Have you seen: http://www.makeyourownjeans.com/ http://www.makeyourownjeans.com/ I've been meaning to order from them for a while, and have heard really good things about them.

Kalium 9y ago
I would suggest a modicum of caution. That price point is impressively competitive with Levi's while promising extensive customization. That's a potential warning sign. You might be better served looking at http://companiondenim.com/ http://companiondenim.com/
- dualogy 9y ago
  Or maybe Levi's is just "comparatively overpriced" to pay for the brand/image, their extensive advertising and their world-wide dealer/distro network, whereas the other you pay for a website and .. the customization? Who knows, two ways of looking at such things =)
  - colbyh 9y ago
    as someone who has been obsessed with clothing and its manufacture (especially denim) for more than a decade - Levis is far from that. they aren't the best quality for your dollar at full price, but they are by far the best quality at their price point. you can spend a bit more ($~150) and get a pair of jeans that are way better than a pair of Levis at ~$60, but if all you want to spend is $60 you really won't find a better quality*. Uniqlo, however, comes very close. [1] - There are some brands that do business via preorder that will provide better quality at a similar price (Gustin comes to mind). They are covering their risk up front though (which is very different than retail and even more different than custom) and even then those companies will often end up losing money on their cheaper pairs.
  - Kalium 9y ago
    You're absolutely right! That's completely possible! Maybe made-to-measure can be done for a higher quality at the same price point by cutting out distribution, logistics, and branding to make up for the lack of economies of scale. That said, there may also be some room to doubt this interpretation. I'm passingly familiar with the costs that go into producing quality jeans. The very short version is that while made-to-measure at high quality is absolutely possible, it cannot reliably be done at this price point. The labor and materials costs alone at low volumes will blow out the budget. You're right! There are two ways of looking at such things. But as it happens, I'm someone who knows. When a market player diverges very significantly from every other player, it's very possible that they're simply outperforming everyone to a shocking degree... and it's also possible that they're dealing with the same tradeoffs as everyone else.
- DKnoll 9y ago
  $79 USD for a pair of Levi's is far too much. I routinely buy Levi 501s for under $40 in the US at outlet stores. It's still less than $79 CAD at a Canadian outlet store. Any alteration at that site is not included, it's tacked on to the $79 USD base price.
  - Kalium 9y ago
    You're completely right! Levi's can be had for less. That said, it's possible that your comment - and that of your sibling - picking on the price of Levi's may run the risk of missing my point. Which is not that Levi's are overpriced, but rather that it's not reasonable for the site in question to deliver on its promises at an acceptable quality at the volumes they claim to be doing.
  - KC8ZKF 9y ago
    Some brands "knockoff" themselves by selling a lower quality product of the same name at outlet stores.[1] I have no idea if this is true of Levi Strauss. [1] http://www.businessinsider.com/outlet-stores-arent-a-good-deal-2014-5 http://www.businessinsider.com/outlet-stores-arent-a-good-de...
    - DKnoll 9y ago
      It very well could be, but I have many pairs and I wear them in hard. I'd find out very quickly if they're knock off (or at least sub par quality).
  - toomanybeersies 9y ago
    Levi's seem obscenely cheap in the USA compared to use here in Australia and New Zealand. It's $110 AUD for Levi's bought online from Australia, and even more to buy them here in New Zealand. American online retailers that have good, affordable shipping to New Zealand won't ship Levi's to NZ (or at least last time I checked, they didn't).

anigbrowl 9y ago

I'm totally with you on these and don't consider them nitpicky at all, people should expect comfort and good fit. But: I've noticed a lot of ill fitting jeans bunch around the crotch or suffer from being a "cheap hotel". Also unfixable. seems an unfortunately worded critique given your username :)

subterfudge44 9y ago

What surprised me in USA was the poor quality of jeans. If you go to low end places like Target or Wallmart you will find less variety and bad fitting and no attention is paid to the cloth quality either. The stores like Levis etc. have only the latest fashion and everything else would be in a corner. If you know what you want then it is really hard to go to Levis and buy a jeans. For example I like double seam on side, ideally shining buttons on the pockets and classic blue color. I always buy jeans in India. Places like Shopper Stop seem to have insane variety of jeans and all styles are available throughout the year.

pfooti 9y ago

I wear duluth trading jeans. The model I buy [0] is made in the usa, although there is also a less-expensive model. It's nice especially because I'm pretty short, and it's nice to find 30" inseam pants without having to dig and dig. They even have 28" in some models. I also typically buy about three pairs of shorts from them every so often, since I know they fit and that way I don't have to decide about which shorts to wear. They tend to run a bit small (or other pants run a little big), so I add 2" to the waist size when I order from them. I just counted: 7 belt loops. Also a nice crotch gusset. EDITed to add: I've been informed that these are "dad jeans" and in no way fashionable. 0: http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens/mens-pants/mens-denim-jeans/84011.aspx http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens/mens-pants/mens-deni...

saulrh 9y ago
I'll second the recommendation for Duluth Trading Co. I've been wearing these [1] for a while and they're great. Every pair of jeans I owned before that wore through at the knees and the crotch within a couple of years; these are still going strong with no signs of thinning or fraying. They're also super comfy, not confining or restricting at all, and they come with giant pockets. Can't comment on the fashion, but I've gotten compliments about them before. That may just be because the heavy-cargo-pants form factor works well for my frame, however. [1] http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens/mens-pants/work-pants-for-men/71703.aspx http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens/mens-pants/work-pant...
mc32 9y ago
I can't vouch for, but I've heard (and read) decent things about Brave Star Selvedge Jeans --however I think they only do button-flies. I dunno about the next person, but I'd rather not fumble around trying to get the thing buttoned. I don't think I know of anyone having zipper accidents. By-the-by, they recommend not washing too often, as little as once per year... just don't mix them with your regular washing.
arghIdontwantto 9y ago
I'll be honest and say I haven't bought any in a while, but I always had a lot of luck with Carhartt jeans. They had inseams 29" and up (maybe 28 but never saw them in store) and they were built to last. I still have some from 15 years ago and except for some color fading, still hang in tough. They also have different styles so you don't have to be stuck into 'dad' jeans!!!

twblalock 9y ago

LL Bean jeans aren't too bad, but they have thin pocket material. I really wish I could have the old Levis 505s back. No, the new ones aren't the same. No, the 550s are not a good alternative. I just want "regular fit" jeans with a normal rise, not the low-rise jeans everyone else seems to want.

vvillena 9y ago
I have a pair of 505 that is 20+ years and still looks like new. The tint faded a bit but the cloth and craft are perfect. That's why they don't make them anymore, I suppose.

wcummings 9y ago

>I've started seeing really short zippers, which is unfixable and best to avoid. Buttons are where its at.