Jeans recommendations?

Kenneth Sullivan58 said:So, I decided to head over to Kings Corner today. It’s been five years since I last bought a pair of jeans, so I figured with all those shops there, I’d definitely find something.

But oh my god, what a disaster!!!!😠
I tried some stuff at Replay, Gap, Benetton... the denim quality is actually amazing, and I really don't want to be too picky, but the cuts...
I mean, who on earth can even wear these things???😲
The rises are so shallow that you basically have to be a skeleton just to get them on!!!! You need a waistline of about 15 inches to pull them off, plus legs like a giraffe!!! It's a total joke!!! And I only weigh 110 lbs
and I'm 5'3"!😁

Does anyone know if there are any "normal" jean cuts left out there?? Something with a low rise (but not ridiculously shallow) in a slight bootcut.
I'm going to keep browsing downtown later today, so hopefully, I'll strike gold.
Fingers crossed!!!!
😉

Levi's 525 (the ones with the red tab).

Amadeu Trapke are basically the only ones I haven't had to hem. For Wit Boy, you definitely need to take off at least 2-3 cm depending on the cut.

Hey, Brian Mitchell44, you don't really lose much length by shortening a tapered fit. You could just pick up some Wit Boy instead; they have plenty of tapered options—darker, lighter, faded, cuffed, uncuffed... It’s the same for me, I end up hemming them too, like I said. But a good taper is sturdy, so it doesn't feel like you're losing shape. I usually trim about 5 mm more in the back than the front so they don't drag too much, though they always kind of bunch up or sit maybe 2-3 mm above the floor. 😁 But when I'm obsessed with that tapered look and I need my pants to actually show my shoes instead of covering them up—not all the time, but most of the time—that's the goal. That's why I can't stand those baggy styles or straight cuts; it's just not my vibe. Anyway, at Wit Boy, they cost $117 and they're my favorite style there. They have different washes, front pockets but no back pockets, a wide taper that's more relaxed than a slim fit, a dropped crotch, and plenty of stretch. I hate pants without stretch; I won't buy them, even if they're the best looking pair I've seen. I can't stand that stiffness. I guess the price seems fair; everything else was around $40-$50, at least based on what I saw last time I picked up two pairs. Once I save up enough, I'll probably grab some more from $117 because mine have faded pretty badly from all the washing and stuff. 😁

Timothy Perez10 said:Is there really any point in even pretending they’re different? Sisley fragrances are just the exact same level of mediocre trash as Benetton. Honestly, why do we even bother debating them? It's all just cheap, mass-produced nonsense wrapped in a fancy bottle.

Just a thought worth mentioning. I ran into this guy the other day—he works over at the Benetton and Sisley outlets—and he let me in on a little secret. He told me straight up that the stock they’re actually putting on the shelves in these American stores? It’s absolute garbage. Honestly, you have to wonder: if the people working the floor know the quality isn't there, why are we even pretending it is?
It’s been quite a while since I last set foot in those shops, so I was a bit out of the loop, wasn't I? I honestly had no idea what the current situation was. But, for the sake of everyone else here, I figured I should weigh in and share what I know. 🙂

Stop throwing your money away!!! 😁

It seems the era of the oversized, wide-leg trapezoid silhouette has finally reached its expiration date, or at least that is my observation from the current fashion landscape. I recently decided to invest in a pair of denim jeans from Esprit, and since I stand about five feet seven inches tall, I found they fit my proportions perfectly without requiring any tedious alterations at the tailor. They are quite exceptional, really.😍

Statements like "this just isn't working anymore" feel pretty pointless to me.

placidotter15, that isn’t quite what I intended to convey. I find the notion of mindlessly chasing every passing fad just as vacuous as you do; one should simply purchase what resonates with their own personal taste. However, I have observed that those wide-leg flares aren't exactly the height of fashion anymore. You will likely find it much easier to track down denim that actually fits well and offers a more subtle taper. It is quite practical, really—buying items that are currently in circulation gives you a vastly superior selection, particularly if you happen to reside in a smaller town. I recall a few years back, I searched every single shop in my entire town and couldn't find a simple yellow belt to save my life. Yet, by next year, they'll be appearing on every street corner in America.🙄

True. Everywhere I go lately, it’s either straight-leg jeans or these miserable little micro-flares. It’s not like I’m hunting for those massive hippie flares, but I just want a bit more room, you know? The only places I actually found anything decent were Amadeus and Wit Boy. Even the girl working at Wit Boy mentioned how weird it is—girls are constantly looking for flares, yet most of the new stock is just straight-cut. So there are only a few styles everyone ends up buying. I felt a bit silly after grabbing some denim only to realize every fourth girl at the mall was wearing the exact same pair. Not that I care about being unique or whatever; if I like it, I wear it. I just hate wearing the same thing as someone I don't particularly like. It just reminds me of them, I guess.😁

Found some denim at Express. My only real worry is that they fit me perfectly, but there’s zero stretch in the fabric. I’m just crossing my fingers they don't lose their shape after a week of wear.😕 😢

Larry Lewis2 said:Found some jeans at Gap. My only concern is that they fit perfectly, but there’s zero stretch in them. Hopefully they won't stretch out too much.😕 😢

They’re bound to bag out if there isn't any spandex in the mix.

Both Ali and one other guy ended up stretching out their elastic bands too much, they just snapped.😕
A smaller number of people from the group of 34 didn't have them at all.😢

So, I actually went ahead and ordered some jeans from the Otto catalog just yesterday—honestly, it was my first time ever buying anything through a mail-order catalog like that!
I picked out these denim jeans with a bit of stretch; they have a low rise and look super cute and classic, nothing too flashy, but the description claimed they’d visually shave 3 pounds off your figure, and even though I’m totally skeptical about those kinds of claims, I think that little detail was actually what sealed the deal for me.
I mean, I am such a sucker for a good advertisement, 😵especially when it comes to those super convincing commercials for cleaning supplies 🙂that make everything look so easy!

placidotter15 said:It’s true. Everywhere I go, it’s either standard straight-leg pants or these pathetic little micro-flares. I’m not exactly hunting for those massive, bell-bottom hippie vibes, but a bit of actual flare wouldn't hurt. So far, the only places I've actually found anything decent were Amadeus and Wit Boy.

I was over at the Big Star mall earlier. Picked up some dirty teal jeans, but they only had size 30 in stock—at least that’s how it looked just a few days ago.

Jeans are hands down one of my absolute favorite wardrobe staples. I just treated myself to a pair in this deep burgundy shade—they’re tight through the hips and then flare out into a subtle bell bottom. Seriously, they are to die for. 🙂 😍

Brian Mitchell44 said:Just wanted to drop a quick heads-up here. I ran into this guy the other day who works at Benetton and Sisley, and he straight up told me that the stuff they’re stocking in the stores here in America is honestly pretty low-grade...
It’s been a minute since I actually shopped there, so I didn't realize, but I figured I'd pass it along so everyone knows... 🙂

Don't waste your money!!! 😁

Honestly, if you're shopping in NYC, the quality is way better than what you'll find in a place like San Diego, for example. Every time I hit up the Sisley and Benetton shops in NYC, the stock is totally different from the stuff in SD—there's more variety, better selection, and the quality is just on another level...

I picked up some Miss Sixty dark denim—the kind with that slight faded look in spots. They're a subtle flare, size 26. At 5'7", they were way too long, so I had them hemmed. Now they're👍 absolutely perfect. They cost $267, but it was worth every cent. These are the ones.
Take Two also makes great pieces. I’ve owned a pair for years now. I’ve worn them constantly, yet they still look brand new.

rustyridge said:Honestly, the stuff you find in NYC is way better quality than what they have out in, say, Philly. Every time I hit up the Sisley or Benetton stores in the city, the selection is on another level compared to the shops in Philly. Sure, there’s some overlap, but the variety is huge and the quality just hits different.

I wouldn't say that, honestly. In NYC, the stuff is straight from Italy, but in LA, it’s mostly geared toward the East Coast markets. The importers are totally different.

I only shop at Zara. I won't even step foot in Sisley in downtown LA.

So I was actually in NYC a few days ago, so I can definitely make a comparison. Honestly, there isn't a massive difference... some things you'll find there that are totally missing here, and vice versa. But overall, it feels pretty much the same. It actually felt like NYC had way more stuff to choose from before...

rustyridge said:I was actually just in NYC the other day, so I can compare. There isn't a massive difference, honestly. Some stuff you find there, you won't find here, and vice versa. It’s pretty much the same overall. I used to think NYC had way more stock available.

NYC really does have more stuff, sure, but what I mean is that the quality there is good enough for Europe, whereas things further south? Not so much. I only bother buying clothes when I'm in the city, because I rarely run into the same pieces if I'm shopping elsewhere. Prices at places like Target in the city are lower too, not to mention during those summer sales.
I'm done talking about it.🙂

Jeans have always been a staple for me, and now I think I’m officially obsessed. I’ve got these Gas jeans, size 29, but they stretched out so much they’re basically unwearable. I tried the 28s too, but they were cutting into my hips so hard I almost lost it. They were $217 absolute trash. Then there are those other pairs—honestly, a single pair of Miss Sixty jeans is worth ten of the others. I picked them up about two years ago; they were $200 and easily the best denim I’ve ever owned. But now I’ve hit a wall. Does anyone know if you can still find them in stores around Seattle? It feels like all the shops are constantly moving or closing down lately. I really need to go hunting, but honestly, the thought of searching, trying things on, and dealing with these insane prices is exhausting. My budget is strictly $650; I am absolutely not paying more than that for jeans, no way... especially after getting burned by those Gas ones...

So, my bestie just picked up some new ones the other day—and oh my god, they are absolutely stunning! She got them at Esprit and they cost her like $40 (!) ... I honestly couldn't believe it when she told me.
I seriously need to upgrade mine too—right now I’m still rocking these Mustang ones that have been holding on for dear life for about a year and a half now, but man, they were such a splurge back then...🙂