Recently, over dinner at a dive bar, I noticed my ever-stylish pal Bill was wearing possibly the sharpest pair of men’s jeans I’d ever seen. I assumed they were vintage, and being nosy, I peppered him with questions about the pants. With a casual shrug, he said they were from Amazon.
At the risk of fortifying tired gender stereotypes, it can be hard to find useful information on men’s jeans. When I asked the men in my life about their beloved denim, I got answers like “Amazon,” “I wear whatever’s clean,” or my personal favorite, “I do like a little spandex, but please keep me anonymous.”
When looking for intel about men’s jeans on the web, you’ll likely find either short answers like the ones above or multi-page essays in illegible “fashion” language about raw denim that costs more than your monthly car payment.
To quell my own curiosity and in the hope of putting some helpful, accessible info on men’s denim into the wild, I asked, berated, arm-twisted, clarified and begged some of my favorite people to share with me their favorite brands and styles of men’s denim.
There are budget-friendly picks from Walmart and Amazon as well as some pricy options from small designers. Yet, rest assured every option has been vetted and worn by a real-life human — and is now recommend to you to wear on your own.
HuffPost receives a share from retailers on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.
Wrangler men’s 13MWZ cowboy cut originals
The jeans that stopped my heart were these dark wash Wrangler men’s “cowboy cut” dungarees. They have the leather label and yellow "W" on the back pockets like the vintage styles, only they're brand new (and honestly, pretty affordable). Per my friend Bill, they're better quality than other jeans he has and have been holding up in the crotch, whereas others wear out.
My longtime friend and style icon
Nate Stern, current associate menswear designer at Lucky Brand, also loves Wrangler jeans. "Besides being a western wear staple, I think Wrangler makes some of the best and more durable denim," he said. "One of my fave details I’ve seen on their jeans is they put the felled seam on the out seam as opposed to the inseam, so you get that thick, washed-down chunky seam on the outside. Typically most jean makers choose to put this on the inside of the leg and bust open the outer seam, but I like the heavier-duty look of a felled seam on the outside.”
Levis 550s
"Levis 550s are great,"
Karim Sharif, a musician and social worker, told me. "They give you the jeans-equivalent of the pintuck trouser look in my opinion, room in the thigh with a slight taper in the calf but still loose and they sit where I want jeans to in the waist."
American Eagle AirFlex+ slim jean
"As a millennial, I recently made the move from skinny jeans to a more relaxed loose style of jeans. I’ve always been a fan of American Eagle jeans because a lot of their men's jeans have stretch to them no matter the style or material. I especially LOVE their AE AirFlex+ Slim Jean in Black Wash," said
Gabe Castaneda, a HuffPost video editor.
"It’s very difficult to find a black wash jean that doesn’t pick up every single dust particle on the planet and then you’re forced to carry a lint roller every time you put them on. But these black wash jeans you don’t have to worry about that! They’re a soft material that has some give to them without feeling like leggings."
Levi's 541 athletic taper fit in big and tall sizing
Another one of my personal fashion icons,
Tevin Evans, a stylist, model and plus size men's content creator who goes by the impeccable moniker "
Fat Chuck Bass" on Instagram, recommend Levi's 541 athletic taper fit in the big and tall section for extended sizes.
These come up to a 52-inch waist and 36 inseam in a bunch of washes and colors. They give a little more room in the thigh but come in at the knee, so they're not baggy or bulky.
Dickies men's flex carpenter denim
My friend
Adam Rose, who's in the process of starting
Grant Mountain Vineyard in the Oregon Coast Range mountains, told me his favorite jeans are "whatever's clean." Yet for long days doing intense manual labor outside, he likes Dickies' jeans for their durability and comfort.
Chimala dark wash selvedge denim
"My favorite denim jeans are dark wash selvedge by Chimala," said
Kyle Norville, a teacher. "The details on them are so amazing. Nice length to fold multiple times or go for a long cuff. Super lightweight and my go to for the fall and winter months."
Anything from H&M
Noah Michelson, editorial director for HuffPost Personal, said, "I used to spend hundreds of dollars on a single pair of designer jeans and then I realized that H&M jeans are seriously just as good for way less. They’ve got every fit and style you can imagine (and lots more sizes and inseams and colors online that aren’t available in their brick and mortar stores) for under $50."
Wrangler Rustler relaxed jeans
While I am not a biological male, I have the personality and wardrobe of an uncle on vacation. I've found my favorite (and the cheapest) pair of thick, non-stretch denim is Walmart's Wrangler Rustler jeans in the relaxed fit. They look cool and vintage, come in a ton of colors and washes and have a pretty solid size range, up to a 50-inch waist. I wear them as long pants, but also primarily use these to make denim cut-offs in the summer.
Baggy jeans from Estudio Niksen
"I’ve been wearing denim a lot lately from this brand called
Estudio Niksen," said
Vinh Luong, owner and creative director of the brand
PNKDRMS. "They go with everything! I love everything they make. Their silhouettes are great. Anything that is big and baggy is a go-to. Plenty room for activities."
Levi's 501
"My 'oldie but goodies' are my vintage Levi’s 501s, bleach stain and all. 501s are arguably the most iconic jeans ever made. The denim is heavy, the cut looks great, and they just get softer and more charming with age,"
Shawn Cremer, a stylist and author of the
Exquisite Corpse newsletter, told me.
Ripped, dyed, patched and otherwise maximalized jeans from Kapital
“I’m a sucker for some really out there NSFW denim," Nate Stern said. "Whether it’s patches, rip and repairs, unconventional washes, stitching details, cool hardware, I love when a jean lands on the opposite end from normal. No one, IMO, does this better than legendary designer Japanese denim label Kapital. Their stuff is pricey but they somehow take one-of-a-kind ideas and mass produce them in a jaw-dropping, beautiful way. I always strive to emulate their quirky, eccentric style."
