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Lands End Mens Performance Active Crew Sweater Reviews

The research

  • Best everyday jeans: Levi's 511 Premium Slim Fit Men'southward Jeans
  • Stylish jeans that come up in more sizes: Bonobos Premium Stretch Denim Jeans
  • An affordable pair of slim jeans with lots of sizes: Uniqlo Men Slim-Fit Jeans
  • A heavier, higher-quality pair of jeans: Buck Stonemason Ford Standard Jeans
  • What about raw and selvedge denim?
  • Our favorite pairs of raw jeans
  • What about plus-size jeans?
  • Why you should trust us
  • How we picked and tested
  • Notable competition
  • What to wait forward to
  • The competition
  • Sources

Our pick

Levi's Premium 511 Slim Fit Men's Jeans

How information technology feels: Well constructed and with a flattering cutting, these close-fitting jeans offering the teensiest chip of stretch to make an already-comfortable pair of pants fifty-fifty more comfy.

Why information technology'due south great: Whether because of glossy magazines or billboards on the highway, for many people archetype blueish jeans look merely like Levi's 511 Premium Slim Fit Men'southward Jeans. These night-wash jeans sit simply under the waist, with trim legs that all the same let your calves and ankles breathe.

The Levi's brand—from the signature yellow threading to the curvation stitching splashed across the back pockets—is instantly recognizable. Merely beyond the 511 jeans' skillful looks, anybody who tested them noted that they were comfortable, well constructed, and slim from the thigh down. Aside from the Buck Mason jeans, which cost most twice as much, no pair of jeans was too loved by our panel.

For the cost, the Levi's 511s are a terrific pair of slim straight jeans; their construction is solid, and the stitching feels sturdy. As opposed to skinny jeans (which wrap tightly around the knee, calves, and ankles), the 511s leave room for your lower legs to exhale; they're called straight jeans because the leg opening doesn't taper for a tighter fit. And thank you to the addition of 1% elastane, in that location'due south some stretch for boosted comfort—but non so much that this pair struggled to return to the original shape. Standard & Foreign'south Neil Berrett noted that the 511s accept a fleck of visual texture, too, with white flecks feathered throughout the indigo textile. The jeans felt of a higher quality than the similarly priced competition, and they barely shrank in washer and dryer tests (about two½ inches total across all dimensions).

"The length and width of Levi'southward 511 jeans is perfect on me," said Thorin, who wears a size 29 waist by 30 length. "At that place'due south no need for a chugalug or the ole pull-up motility, and I bet they'd work well with dissimilar shoes or boots, also. Honestly, they fit so well that I bet I could even exercise some plumbing without exposing my butt to the globe." The balance of united states agreed; I found that the Levi'due south 511s fit me perfectly. They're slimming, but they molded to my body and around my curves in a flattering way.

Levi's offers a ton of multifariousness in its jean shapes and styles (it can get messy in there). In addition to the 511s, nosotros tested the 512 Slim Taper Fit Jeans, which have a narrower fit through the thigh and a tapered (rather than straight) leg. Many of our testers likewise loved these, though we think the style isn't every bit universal every bit that of the 511 jeans. Thorin loved the 512s (he later told us that they're the jeans he has in his closet). Like the 511s, the 512s experience well made and durable. He said the 511s fit his body amend than the 512s, but they sometimes get stuck on his calves while he's sitting, and so he has to milk shake them down his legs when he gets up to walk.

Flaws simply not dealbreakers: Our panelists had fewer critiques about the Levi's 511s than well-nigh many of the other jeans we tested. Berrett noted that he wished they had better bar tacks (the high-density stitches protecting areas that experience slap-up stress, like the waistband) and better-congenital outseams on the leg.

A close up of the stitching on the back of the Levi's 511 Premium Slim Fit Men's Jeans.

One of the few complaints about the 511s is that the stitching could be more than robust. Photo: Rozette Rago

Across the different Levi's cuts, there are as well a lot of variants within a single mode; this makes it difficult for us to guarantee that the pair of 511s yous selection up at your local outlet store will exist as good every bit the ones we tested. Specifically, nosotros tried the "Levi's Premium" 511 in Concatenation Rinse Dark Wash, which is 99% cotton and one% elastane. Simply at the time of writing, the visitor lists 22 variants of the 511s, many in multiple colors and materials, with prices ranging from less than $30 to nigh $300. We tested the premium version because Levi's claims they're more than durable, with more stitches per inch than the brand's not-premium jeans.

Levi's has besides been critiqued for inconsistent sizing in its jeans. Though we didn't discover that in our testing, it'due south something to keep an eye out for. If it's possible—and safe—to go to a shop and try on multiple pairs, that will e'er lead to a improve fit.

Unlike the Uniqlo Slim-Fit Jeans and the Bonobos Stretch Denim Jeans, the Levi's 511 jeans max out at a 42-inch waist. We hope that i 24-hour interval our favorite jeans retailers will sell jeans in more sizes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PDF), approximately 25% of adult males in the USA have a waist size greater than 44 inches; that's a lot of Americans who are non able to purchase 1 of the most famously "American" brands.

Waist: 26 to 42
Length: 29 to 36
Colors: often changing
Materials: 99% cotton, 1% elastane
Return policy: inside threescore days

Our pick

Bonobos Premium Stretch Denim Jeans

How it feels: Soft jeans that are more than forgiving than others we tested, the Bonobos have enough room for my thick barrel and thighs to breathe.

Why it'due south nifty: Bonobos, which makes our favorite white T-shirt with diverse sizing, has impressed us by making good clothes that come in more sizes than are offered by almost other manufacturers. The company's Premium Stretch Denim Jeans are bachelor in waist sizes 28 to 54 and in lengths from 28 to 36—notably more than sizes than for any other brand of jeans nosotros found. Bonobos also gets bonus points for providing clearly explained product options. Rather than Levi'southward 24 listings for one cut of jeans, Bonobos combines all cuts, sizes, and materials into one product page, and then you tin can hands choice what yous call back volition work best for you.

Chubstr founding editor Bruce Sturgell (who wears a size 44 waist past 30 length) especially loved the Bonobos jeans. "It seems like Bonobos put a lot of thought into the construction of their plus-size jeans," he noted subsequently testing. Sturgell said the jeans felt "soft, and they offered a slim fit on the legs and thighs without beingness besides tight" (which is something that tin can be a problem for bigger guys with thick thighs). The lower ascension of the Bonobos Stretch Denim Jeans worked well for Sturgell's body, and the jeans stayed in place better than the other pairs he tested. They shrank about 5 inches total in our washing and drying tests: ¾ inch around the waist, ½ inch around the hip, ½ inch in the thigh, 1 inch lengthwise, ½ inch across the knee, and 1½ inches in the inseam. The jeans lost more than an inch alone in the inseam specifically, which is something to consider as you recall about how they'll fit your body.

Neil Berrett, co-founder of Standard & Foreign (who wears a size 34 waist past 32 length), said the Bonobos were "a practiced fit for people who do a lot of squats." He noted that the Bonobos were quite comfortable, and he said the stretch recovery (how speedily they bounced back to their original size afterwards being worn) was swift and resilient. I had a similar experience to Sturgell and Berrett. Though I wear a size 31 waist (compared with Berrett'south size 34 and Sturgell's size 44), I found that the Bonobos fit my body peculiarly well. There was a lot of roominess and stretch in the barrel area that forgave my curves.

Though the other jeans nosotros tested were made from 98% or 99% cotton wool, the Bonobos Premium Stretch Denim Jeans are made from 94% cotton, 5% polyester, and 1% elastane. That lower pct of cotton fiber is why the Bonobos jeans are especially comfortable and well equipped to handle a wider range of body types; cotton fiber has less requite than both polyester and elastane.

Flaws but not dealbreakers:

Thorin and This Fits blogger Aliotsy Andrianarivo (who wears a 33 waist by 28 length) both complained most the Bonobos in the slim fit for the same reasons the rest of us enjoyed wearing them: They said the jeans were too roomy and besides loose all around, especially in the waist and thighs. "The pants breaker out on the sides upward top, harem pants–mode," Thorin said.

The lining of the pockets on the Bonobos feels thin. Photo: Rozette Rago

Berrett noted that the internal forepart pocket material felt thin. And he said the jeans' construction didn't feel as premium every bit that of other pairs he tested, so he wasn't sure about this pair'due south longevity. Nosotros're keeping our Bonobos for long-term testing, so we'll continue to update yous on how they fare over a longer flow.

Waist: 28 to 54
Length: 28 to 36
Colors: rotating seasonal selection
Materials: 94% cotton, 5% polyester, and one% elastane
Return policy: within 45 days for a refund; up to 90 days for a shop credit

Budget pick

Uniqlo Men Slim-Fit Jeans

How information technology feels: These slim jeans are constructed from a thinner fabric than the other jeans we loved, with clean and consistent lines.

Why information technology's great: "The Uniqlo jeans are a lot college quality than other inexpensive jeans options I've seen," Chubstr'south Bruce Sturgell said. The Uniqlo Slim-Fit Jeans were a smashing pair considering the $50 cost tag. Not just are they comfortable, but they looked good on all of our testers. And they come in a wide variety of waist sizes, from a 29 to a 48.

That said, they're still a pair of $l jeans, and there are a few tradeoffs: Because the denim is so thin, they don't have as much construction as the other jeans we liked. And though they were stretchy, we found they stretched too much and didn't bounciness back to their original shape quickly.

Our panel testers mostly liked the Uniqlos, but they were dissever between those who thought they were acceptable and those who idea they were great. Some loved the feel of the jeans and said they offered the correct amount of stretch (thanks to a composition of 98% cotton with two% spandex), while notwithstanding existence snug enough to give y'all a modernistic look. In my time with the Uniqlo Slim-Fit Jeans, I found that for the toll, they were well constructed and looked good. The sewing quality on the Uniqlo jeans was make clean and consistent, which was a pleasant surprise considering the price. Those who didn't dear the Uniqlo jeans mentioned the thin fabric, as well as shallow forepart pockets and a pocket-size zipper (though these issues didn't disqualify the jeans in the testers' assessment). The Uniqlo jeans shrank slightly when nosotros washed and stale them, about ii inches all effectually.

If you need a wider fit, the Uniqlo Slim-Fit Jeans go upward in waist size more than most of the others we tested. Sturgell, who wore the jeans in a waist size 44 for testing, told united states he appreciated the thought that went into creating a fit for bigger guys. "I think large guys in slim jeans tin be tricky, but these jeans got information technology right," he said. "I was very pleasantly surprised by them—I could definitely see myself picking up a few pairs of them at the cost signal they offering."

Although the Uniqlo Slim-Fit Jeans come in 32 to 34 lengths only, Uniqlo offers free and easy alterations directly on its website.

Flaws only not dealbreakers:

Our testers were unimpressed by the shallow and flimsy pockets on the Uniqlo jeans. Photo: Rozette Rago

"I was surprised that the Uniqlo Slim-Fit Jeans did non include a pocket-size light-green compostable bag," Neil Berrett told us with what seemed to be a virtual smirk, "because the pocket bag textile is dogshit." Berrett and Thorin both noted that the pockets were especially shallow. "One of the main advantages of wearing men's pants are the big goddamn pockets," Thorin fumed.

The zipper was peculiarly pocket-size, too. We were concerned that it might break over time, and nosotros'll keep an heart on it as nosotros long-term test the jeans.

Uniqlo's product listings are disruptive, with multiple entries for the same jeans in various sizes and shades; at the time of writing, there are at least iii only for the basic "slim-fit" jeans. If stock seems limited, there may exist more than bachelor elsewhere on the website. Don't worry—they're all the same jeans.

Waist: 27 to 48
Length: 32 to 34 (with alterations available directly from Uniqlo's website)
Colors: light launder, dark launder
Materials: 98% cotton, two% spandex
Return policy: within 30 days of purchase

Upgrade selection

Buck Mason Ford Standard Jeans

How it feels: These jeans are durable, long-lasting, and heavy-duty—but without being crude or uncomfortable. Sure, they probably won't concluding forever, but they feel like they might.

Why information technology'due south great: Sometimes a pair of classic Levi'due south isn't enough. When you need a heavier pair of denim to keep you company, effort Buck Mason'due south Ford Standard Jeans. Buck Mason makes this infrequent pair of jeans with a heavyweight denim that felt durable, without beingness coarse or rough. The Ford jeans were the most highly praised pair we reviewed during console testing. Everyone loved wearing them.

The Ford jeans were solidly constructed with tight and neat stitching. All of our testers agreed the jeans were extremely comfortable. And these jeans feature an easy elastic recovery that we expect will help them keep their shape and final for a long time. They shrank nigh 4 inches total in all dimensions afterward washing and drying.

The Ford jeans are fabricated of 14-ounce denim (a measure of how much a foursquare g of the material weighs), which is the sort of thick and heavyweight material usually used on hard-wearing raw denim jeans. But in this case, the inclusion of a small amount of spandex makes the Buck Masons much more comfy the kickoff fourth dimension y'all put them on, compared with raw denim.

A close up of the button fly on the Buck Mason men's jeans.

A button fly volition last longer and is easier to repair than a attachment. Photo: Sarah Kobos

There are lots of piffling details about the Cadet Masons that make them special: They have high-quality stitching and rivets, and they have a button fly, which Neil Berrett noted is often reserved for premium denim. Besides, a button wing is much less likely to break and easier to replace than a zipper. The chugalug loops are tucked and sewn into the waistband, something two of our testers pointed out. Buck Mason has a ton of great client service reviews, whether from its website or Reddit. What'due south most impressive is that you lot can return a pair of jeans to Buck Stonemason for upwardly to one yr—4 times every bit long as the 90-solar day return window at Bonobos.

Flaws simply not dealbreakers:

It's abrasive that the Buck Stonemason Ford Jeans have a 33-inch inseam and no mode to request alterations online (you tin can't postal service them in for hemming, either). Instead, if you desire the length of your jeans altered, y'all'll have to get to 1 of Cadet Stonemason's stores or caput to your favorite tailor or alterations specialist.

Ane of our testers didn't similar the push fly on Buck Mason's pants. "There is a zero percent chance that I would ever recall to button these upwards," they admitted (I am choosing to hide their identity so as not to cause them great embarrassment). The rest of us appreciated the old-school button wing for existence easier to replace and less probable to pause, also equally for its glamorous, Old World flair. And we would all remember to button our fly.

Buck Mason jeans go to but size twoscore, so it's the nearly express sizing of any pair we recommend. It'due south disheartening to see such a premium item restricted to and so few sizes. We promise that ane day our favorite jeans retailers will sell jeans in wider sizes.

Waist: 28 to 40
Length: 33
Colors: black, dark wash, medium wash
Materials: 98% cotton, 2% spandex
Return policy: within 1 twelvemonth

Three different raw denim jeans we tested.

Photo: Sarah Kobos

I spoke with Kiya Babzani, the co-founder of Cocky Edge, and Steve Cruz, the store manager at Naked & Famous Denim, to acquire the differences between the denim we run across in well-nigh stores versus raw selvedge denim. Here's the lowdown, per Babzani: Selvedge denim was originally called "self edging fabric" because the process created its own finished edge that didn't require more work to prevent fraying. Around the turn of the 15th century, workers shortened the term "cocky edging textile" to "selvedge" as an abbreviation.

The terms "raw" and "selvedge" are oft used interchangeably for denim, but a pair of jeans tin be neither, either, or both. Selvedge refers to the finished edge of the fabric, and raw denim is the textile that is unwashed and untreated, making information technology stiffer and more decumbent to bleeding indigo onto annihilation it touches. But information technology likewise conforms to your body over fourth dimension for a unique fit and look. Uniqlo, for example, makes jeans that are selvedge stitched without being raw denim, and Levi's 501 Shrink to Fit jeans are raw without being selvedge stitched.

Raw and selvedge denim is expensive considering it's made in a vintage fashion on vintage machines, whereas non-selvedge denim is cheaper considering it'southward mass-manufactured. Raw and selvedge denim takes a while to create, and information technology has natural imperfections—imperfections that major brands, such as the Gap, don't want on their shelves. "If Gap orders 500 pairs of jeans, they want every jean to look identical," Babzani told me. "Non-selvedge denim, which came into popularity over the by 50 years, is more [consistent] than selvedge denim, and it'south faster and cheaper to produce at scale."

Two testers modeling the same pair of raw denim jeans.

Super-premium raw denim from Left Field NYC (left), and the aforementioned pair worn for more than than a year (correct). Photo: Sarah Kobos

"Permit'south say we're both a size 32 in the waist and nosotros start wearing the aforementioned style of selvedge jeans today. Considering I'chiliad a little bit taller than you are, the [raw] denim will hitting the back of my knees and certain areas of my thighs differently than they will on you when we're both walking around," he said. In a year, our pairs of jeans would wait drastically different from each other simply considering our bodies and our lifestyles are different.

"And that'due south the beauty of [raw] denim," he said. If you lot buy a pre-distressed pair of jeans, by contrast, they may accept lines all over them. But they probably won't lucifer the natural lines that are produced past your body'due south movements. They also won't be as comfortable (eventually).

Some people say you shouldn't wash selvedge denim. Cruz thinks it'southward more than complicated than that. "Caring for your selvedge denim comes down to an aesthetic selection: The more you wear your jeans without washing them, the more than fading and lines will become apparent." But if you prefer jeans that are more even- and neutral-looking—and y'all're concerned about freshness and filth—washing and drying your selvedge jeans is really a good thought. In either example, a pair of selvedge denim jeans should concluding north of a decade—beautifully distressed, without any tears.

To exam raw selvedge denim, I brought in half-dozen pairs to wear over the course of two months. Because information technology takes a while for raw denim to form to your body, I wore them religiously—and tested them alone—swapping them on and off on a regular basis and jotting down notes about the manner, feel, and await. These recommendations are my personal favorites. But all of the raw denim jeans I looked at were exciting for various reasons.

Our option

Unbranded Brand UB101 Skinny Fit 14.5 oz Indigo Selvedge Denim

Why it's great: Of every pair of selvedge jeans nosotros looked at, the Unbranded Brand UB101s were the most affordable, while all the same beingness of loftier quality. I appreciated their minimal, "unbranded" look: They have a bare brown tag on the back, likewise as cohesively colored copper tin buttons. One of my editors, Tim Barribeau, said he got his showtime pair of selvedge denim jeans from the Unbranded Brand, too. These are good jeans at a reasonable price—to assistance you advance to the start level of raw denim.

The Unbranded Brand jeans I tested were xiv½ ounces (common for midweight denim, but heavier than anything else we tested), and I establish them and their rope-dried indigo outside quite substantial and stiff at get-go. Breaking them in felt unnatural, similar I was working against nature. Slowly but surely, though, the jeans began to give. After a few weeks, I started to look forward to putting them on.

Flaws simply not dealbreakers: The Unbranded Brand UB101 jeans take a short wing, which tin be uncomfortable when you're slipping the pants on and off, or if you demand to rapidly unbutton your jeans to use the restroom. Although the front pockets were easy to admission, the back pockets were slim and narrow (an issue we also ran into with the Left Field NYC jeans).

Waist: 27 to 44
Length: 34
Colors: indigo, blackness
Materials: 100% cotton selvedge denim
Fabric weight: 14½ ounces
Return policy: up to 21 days for shop credit

Our option

Naked & Famous Super Guy Natural Indigo Selvedge

How information technology feels: The Naked & Famous Super Guy Natural Indigo Selvedge jeans are slim around the hips and thighs. The first fourth dimension y'all effort them on they'll feel tight. But the break-in flow was shorter and easier than with the Unbranded Make jeans, so they're quite comfy to vesture for longer.

Why it's neat: If you're comfortable skipping over our entry-level selection and investing in selvedge denim that volition course to your legs a little more than quickly and comfortably (and probably final longer than the Unbranded Brand jeans), I loved the Naked & Famous Super Guy jeans.

The fabric is 12½ ounces (slightly lite for raw denim, but non insubstantial), in an indigo rope-dyed Japanese selvedge denim. And the Super Guy fit is slim, tapered from the knee down. These jeans are a few ounces lighter than the Unbranded Brand jeans I tested. So I found that the Naked & Famous selvedge jeans took to my legs a little faster—readily forming to my thighs and calves—and were quickly comfortable. I actually enjoyed wearing them over a few weeks, and I look forward to seeing them mold to my body even more.

In my experience, the Naked & Famous customer service was especially fantastic; other people oft rave about it, too. Both Naked & Famous and Tate and Yoko receive positive feedback online virtually their customer service. And when a customer logs a complaint—on Reddit or otherwise—an employee from one or the other hops in to handle the situation.

If the skinny Super Guy isn't for you lot, Naked & Famous offers a ton of dissimilar fits (every bit well as dozens of material options): Weird Guy (standard tapered), Easy Guy (laid back), Strong Guy (high-ascension relaxed), Dandy Guy (boot cutting), Stacked Guy (modern skinny), and Skinny Guy (slim direct).

A close up of the illustration of a reclining naked woman on the label of the Naked & Famous jeans.

Photo: Sarah Kobos

Flaws but non dealbreakers: The big leather tag on the back of the pants—featuring a reclining topless woman—is awful. Although the brand name is intended to rail confronting influencer culture, we observe it tired and sexist. If yous buy these jeans, we propose using a seam ripper to take the tag correct off (something Tim has washed with his pairs).

Waist: 27 to 44
Length:
34
Colors: various colors and patterns
Materials: 100% cotton selvedge denim
Material weight: 12½ ounces
Return policy: up to 21 days for store credit

Two testers modeling the Left Field NYC Chelsea Cone Mills men's jeans.

Photograph: Sarah Kobos

Our option

Left Field NYC Chelsea Cone Mills 13 oz Denim Jeans

How it feels: If you're slender, these slim-plumbing fixtures jeans will suit yous best. Their material feels great on the legs, with roomy front end pockets that are piece of cake to use.

Why it's great: The Left Field NYC Chelsea Cone Mills 13 oz Denim Jeans were the about expensive selvedge jeans we tested, and for expert reason: The stitching was near-perfect, with no loose threads or buttons, and all the hardware felt similar it would concluding for a long time. They were light-feeling on my legs, despite their tough materials, and they're a great, super-slim pair of jeans. Although I didn't notice the fit to be perfect for my particular body type (my thighs and butt are perhaps bigger than the ideal customer for this pair of jeans), the Chelsea Cone jeans are great for anyone who'south particularly skinny (so much so that they were almost, but not quite, skinny jeans).

These jeans also had fantastic front pockets—the best of any selvedge jeans that I tested—and they're broad enough to stick your hand inside and easily pull your wallet out. The buttons are contumely-colored, and the primary button has some green (presumably to make it expect a fiddling used, which I establish to be a cool affect). The jeans also come up with a cute Left Field–branded bandana, which you lot can rock around your neck.

Flaws just not dealbreakers: The Left Field NYC jeans' dorsum pockets were slim and long, and they sat high on the butt, making information technology awkward to stick your easily into them.

The Left Field jeans are significantly limited in waist size, too, going up to only a size 38; meanwhile, the Unbranded Brand jeans and the Naked & Famous jeans go up to size 44.

Waist: 29 to 38
Length: 36
Materials: 100% cotton selvedge denim
Fabric weight: 13 ounces
Return policy: one week

When information technology comes to finding a corking pair of jeans for people who wear sizes larger than twoscore, there's a dearth of options. And those that were available were often cheap. We brought in iii plus-size pairs of jeans for testing with Bruce Sturgell, the founding editor of Chubstr—and we establish two pairs of great jeans available in a wide diversity of sizes. But it'southward important to acknowledge that we found the number of decent plus-size jeans options to be overshadowed by the significant corporeality of smaller-waist jeans.

Availability is an issue, but fit is as well more difficult when information technology comes to jeans. It's not like wearing a T-shirt, Sturgell explained. "Denim [...] is even more complicated." With jeans, you not only take to consider the waist size but also how a pair fits around your thighs and calves, how much range of motion they permit, and how loftier the rise is (so that they sit down at the right signal on your torso).

"The cruel reality of it is you lot're not going to find a one-stop shop if you're a bigger guy who's interested in style," said Sturgell, who wears a size 44 waist. "Every bit a bigger guy, I'one thousand short and wide. I have a pretty traditional trunk blazon as far as my shape goes." Even with his more than-traditional trunk type, Sturgell has to look high and low when it comes time to purchase a new pair of jeans. (And some jeans, like those made from selvedge or raw denim, can be near-impossible for bigger guys to discover in their size, unless they're custom-made.)

There are some Big and Tall retailers that sympathize manner is as of import to a plus-size audience as it is to anyone else—Sturgell mentioned Fatty Trunk Jeans and a UK brand called Kam Jeanswear for their extended sizes, specifically. Simply it tin can be difficult to find anything from a mainstream retailer that actually works. Outside of Uniqlo and Bonobos options, which nosotros encompass in this guide, Sturgell recommends Levi's 541 in the athletic fit. "They're a great fit for bigger guys who have thicker thighs," he told me. "They accept the nigh stretch in them of any of the jeans I've tested that have stretch." And, unlike the Levi'southward 511s and 512s we tested, the Levi's 541s come in sizes all the way upwards to a 62 waist.

I'm a style staff writer at Wirecutter, and I compare, test, and write nearly everything you tin can carry or wear on your person, from T-shirts to jeans. In preparation for this guide, I read reviews of men's jeans from a host of trusted sources to define what makes a smashing pair. To learn more I as well interviewed a handful of jeans experts, including Steve Cruz, shop manager at New York Urban center'southward Naked & Famous Denim; Kiya Babzani, co-founder of Cocky Border, who admittedly schooled me on selvedge denim; and glory menswear stylist Ashley Weston.

A pile of men's jeans we tested for this review.

Photo: Rozette Rago

Nosotros started this guide by researching hundreds of pairs of jeans, alternative the listing to around 50 pairs of involvement from popular retailers, other reviews, and roundups. For this slice, nosotros focused on slim jeans marketed "for men," though they can be worn by people of whatever gender. These jeans are shaped differently than jeans that are marketed as being "for women." The jeans in this guide have straight cuts extending across the leg, a narrower waist, and a wider hip. By dissimilarity, jeans made "for women" generally take a narrower hip and more than size variety in the waist (as well every bit smaller pockets). We recollect slim jeans should fit comfortably—neither too loosely nor too tightly (compared with skinny jeans). They should fit straight through the hip, with a narrow opening effectually the leg. Nosotros used the post-obit criteria to narrow down our list even further:

Structure: We spent time wearing each pair of jeans for a few weeks, also equally poking and prodding them to pinpoint problems like uneven stitching or flyaway threads.

Shrinkage: We measured the dimensions of each pair of jeans, and then we washed and dried them, noting any shrinking that occurred. None of the pairs we recommended shrank notably, merely it was an issue with some that we dismissed.

Comfort: Nosotros considered how the fabric felt—whether information technology was fibroid and rigid, or soft and smooth—and how it might experience to wear all day.

Pockets: A jean's forepart pockets should be big enough that you tin fit your whole hand inside, and y'all should be able to stick your wallet inside your back pocket. We measured watch/coin/condom pockets, too (you lot know, that weird little one inside the front right pocket).

Look: As Wirecutter's style author, I was determined to make some aesthetic decisions most each pair of jeans I tested. Was a pair of jeans awkwardly loose around the crotch? Did another pair of jeans take a retro-wavy blueprint on its back pockets that had me spiraling nearly the summer of 2011?

Textile: We noted the combination of textile used, though virtually of the jeans nosotros tested were 98% or more cotton fiber, with the remainder existence elastane.

Price: We considered jeans priced betwixt $30 and $200. After an initial round of scanning, nosotros found that anything more than $200 wasn't of substantially higher quality or more noteworthy (autonomously from raw denim).

I used the above criteria to cut the listing downward to xxx pairs of jeans to test in person. I wore each pair of jeans in a size 31 waist past 30 length. While wearing them, I inspected their structure and condolement. Then I washed and dried each pair of jeans to run into how much they shrank in the wash.

I found xi pairs of jeans worthy of further testing, and I sent them to a panel of experts to perform a blind test. The testers included: Wirecutter editor Thorin Klosowski (who wears jeans in a size 29 waist by 30 length); Neil Berrett, co-founder of Standard & Strange (who wears a size 34 waist by 32 length); Chubstr founding editor Bruce Sturgell (who wears a size 44 waist by 30 length); and This Fits blogger Aliotsy Andrianarivo (who wears a size 33 waist past 28 length).

Thorin and I loved the J.Crew 484 Slim-Fit Jean in 1-year launder denim. The J.Coiffure 484s were the jeans that I had the almost familiarity with going into this project, and it would be impossible for me not to give them a shout-out: They're comfy to wearable, their quality felt hefty and durable, and nosotros think they look smashing. We didn't end upward recommending them considering our testers pointed out some inconsistent construction, though. "Some of the J.Crew'south bar tack stitches look like they were put on Friday just before endmost fourth dimension," quipped Berrett. Aliotsy Andrianarivo of This Fits and Berrett both complained that the J.Coiffure jeans were too slim all effectually, also.

Our testers all appreciated the fit and stretch of the Lucky Make 121 Slim Straight Advanced Stretch Jean. Berrett said "at that place were times that I could convince myself for a brief moment that I was not wearing pants at all," and Andrianarivo marveled that they felt like pajama pants. If that's your vibe, then we have the comfiest pants for y'all. The sewing was not peculiarly clean on the Lucky Brand jeans, though. And Thorin and Berrett both noted the garish distressing, which makes these jeans more than coincidental than something y'all'd want to wear, say, to the function.

We loved the $200 Hudson Blake Slim Straight Jeans in testing. But they were merely too expensive to recommend when the Cadet Bricklayer jeans, with their yr-long render policy, were sitting right at that place. And the Hudson jeans felt overly lightweight, given their price. Berrett and Andrianarivo both noted that the sewing quality and the construction were above average, with a strong just light cloth that we retrieve will vesture gracefully over time. They come up in simply one length, an annoying feature when you're paying this much.

Of the selvedge jeans I dismissed subsequently testing, I actually liked the Nihon Blue J104 Circle Selvedge Skinny Jeans. They were well fabricated and light, and were comfortable to wear for long periods. But I didn't similar their skinny ankles (which were a much tighter fit around the bottoms of my legs) or the threads popping out of the buttons.

The Buck Bricklayer Maverick Slim Jeans were a totally fine pair of selvedge jeans: They were well constructed, pretty comfortable to wear over time, and the branding was subdued. I institute the pockets were unusable in testing—too tight for me to stick my mitt inside. And, all things considered, I'd recommend the similarly priced Naked & Famous Denim jeans or the Japan Blue jeans over this offering from Cadet Mason.

Though I appreciated the Levi's 501 Compress-To-Fit jeans for their cheap price (just $sixty at the time of writing), y'all tin go a better introductory pair of selvedge denim jeans in the Unbranded Make UB101 we recommend. I didn't love the coloring of the Levi's stitching or its buttons, nor the few loose threads I constitute, either.

I secretly loved the RRL Slim Narrow jeans for their characterization—the messages R, R, and L running into one another like a stream—and their extremely broad pockets. But they're small for their size, and then shrank almost 6 more inches inches in the dryer. If you lot're considering the RRL Slim Narrow jeans for their textured experience, their brass-colored buttons, or good-looking label (it was a standout in testing), size up.

A.P.C. has been a prominent proper noun in raw denim since its debut in 1987. (It has even famously encouraged us to wash our A.P.C. jeans in the body of water.) All of this visitor'southward jeans have a street price above our initial $200 cutoff. But in the time to come we'll consider A.P.C.'s Petit Standard jeans. They are merely slightly above that limit, and they are made of 14.v-ounce denim, with a straight leg, a low rise, and a push button-fly zipper.

$20 to $50

We have to give Target's Goodfellow and Co. Men'south Slim-Fit Jeans props for being available in a wide variety of sizes—up to a size 48 waist. Still, this pair didn't print. Everyone noted that the jeans looked cheap and the fit felt off. Neil Berrett put it best when he said that Target'southward jeans "simultaneously felt too big and also pocket-size, likely due to a lack of stretch recovery."

While testing the inexpensive Amazon Goodthreads Men's Standard Comfort Stretch Straight Slim-Fit Jean, Thorin didn't like the whiskers on the forepart of the pants. And he said the pockets on the back hung "so low I had to double-check I didn't fourth dimension travel to 1996." Thorin and This Fits blogger Aliotsy Andrianarivo said these jeans were fairly comfortable, at least. Only we recommend the Uniqlo Slim-Fit Jeans if you need a quick and affordable pair of jeans.

The H&One thousand Slim Jeans were a tighter and less-comfortable fit than the other jeans we tested even before we washed them, peculiarly around the crotch. Then they shrank 4 inches in our tests. H&M suggests that y'all mitt-wash them, which seems a silly chore for a pair of $twenty jeans.

We institute loose threads around the waist and ankles of the scratchy-feeling American Eagle AirFlex+ Slim Jeans. The stitching down the legs was a brilliant orangish, too, which made these look cheaper than other jeans nosotros tested. The American Eagle jeans also shrank a whopping 6 inches in our tests, losing more than than an inch individually from the hip, length, knee, and inseam.

$50 to $100

Assistant Democracy's Slim Legacy Fit Jeans struggled with a combination of bug: They were loose around the crotch, the design on the buttons was ugly, and the pockets were shorter than those of others we tested. Also, these jeans had lots of flyaway threads popping out from the pockets and around the ankles.

The Everlane Athletic Fit Jean and Slim 4-Way Stretch Organic Jean had slimmer, smaller pockets, which were less useful. We idea the design on the buttons was pretty ugly, too—and the buttons themselves were shiny and distracting. Plus, Everlane items often come in and out of stock.

The Gap Soft Wear Slim Jeans with GapFlex were largely fine, just we found more compelling inexpensive jeans that didn't shrink as much, like those from Uniqlo. Gap's jeans were really loose around the calves and ankles during our tests, and they shrank well-nigh five inches combined beyond all dimensions.

$100 to $150

Though their quarter pockets were nice and deep, the DSTLD Mens Slim Jeans felt coarse to wearable. And they shrank notably—around six inches—when we washed and dried them.

The DL1961 Nick Slim jeans were dismissed for aesthetic reasons, despite being comfortable (though they felt strong to the touch on). The jeans were slim through the leg, but they flared out toward the ankle in an unflattering style.

The Madewell Slim Accurate Flex Jeans were but non as flattering to wear or as comfortable as the Buck Mason or J.Coiffure jeans nosotros tested for around the same toll. The Madewell jeans had a starchy feeling to their textile that felt like cardboard after we washed them. They seemed skinny, rather than slim, likewise, and they didn't complement my effigy. They weren't noticeably bad, we simply weren't floored by them (or their brassy-colored buttons).

$150 to 200

We tested the seven For All Flesh Slimmy jeans with our panel. Andrianarivo loved them—they were one of his highest-rated pairs of jeans in testing because they were extremely comfy with the best fit he tried. But Neil Berrett (and I) establish the fabric's experience to exist heart-of-the-route. Berrett noted that the jeans' legs wrapped effectually his thighs too tightly for his comfort, as well.

The Joe'southward Asher jeans we tested didn't really fit with my idea of what we were looking for. Dissimilar the other 99% cotton jeans we brought in, Joe's jeans were 93% cotton, with a larger percent of polyester fabric. They had a thin, linen-feeling to them. They were less comfortable to article of clothing than the other jeans we tested, though they had nice, comfy front pockets.

There was an easiness to the construction of AG Jeans's The Tellis that was surprising; in my initial testing notes, I wrote that they felt more similar a pair of leggings than a pair of jeans. That'due south probably considering they were composed of 72% cotton, 26% lyocell, and 2% polyurethane. They felt polish and light, but altogether like a unlike animate being than the other blue jeans we tested.

  1. Kiya Babzani, possessor of Self Edge, phone interview , October 13, 2020

  2. Ashley Weston, glory menswear stylist, phone interview , October 13, 2020

  3. Steve Cruz, store manager, Naked & Famous Denim NYC, in-person interview , December nine, 2020

  4. Bruce Sturgell, founding editor of Chubstr.com, telephone interview , March 3, 2021

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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-jeans-for-men/

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