The Denim Report™
Solid entry-level denim for under $200, a look at my personal rotation, and more!
The internet is so annoying sometimes because a person will find a piece of clothing, make a video about it, and then all of a sudden you got all of the explore page warriors flocking to buy the same thing in hopes of getting a viral video of their own — that’s the vibe I’m getting from the baggy jeans from Acne Studios right now. Listen, there’s nothing wrong with them but I do find it funny to see how the fashion bros have been claiming them to be the best jeans out there right now — if we are keeping it 100, I don’t think that’s true.
A good pair of jeans is definitely not cheap, but there’s no reason for you to be spending $1,000 on something you will most likely not wear nearly enough to get your money’s worth. That’s why in today’s newsletter we’ll be checking out jeans that are worth the money, entry-level jeans for under $200, we’ll also be checking out my personal rotation, and brands to keep tabs on next time you’re looking to upgrade your denim lifestyle.
MY ROTATION
As a man why do you have more than 1 pair of jeans? Ok, jokes aside, obviously it’s fun to have different options, but in reality, if money is tight you can do just fine with one solid pair of quality denim. As of right now, I have four pairs in the rotation, each of them is different which gives me a solid level of versatility in my wardrobe — I usually gatekeep the personal rotation for various reasons, but today I’m feeling like sharing some intel that might help you narrow down what jeans might work for you.
Dime Classic Baggy Denim
One of my favorites right now. For only $126 you get an extremely comfortable pair of pants straight out of the bag that is light, and doesn’t require any time to break in. They are more on the baggier side but they do also offer a relaxed version that’s slightly slimmer but with plenty of room left for chilling in. These are wider in the thighs but they do slim down slightly around the leg opening, which allows them to stack nicely on the shoes — arguably the most important element of a good pair of pants. The wavy pocket detailing is cool too, not only does it look great but it also makes it easy to access your pockets when you’re sitting down — a detail you might relate to if you’ve ever owned a pair of fresh selvedge.
With lots of colors to choose from, sizes going all the way up to 38, and constant restocks, it is silly not to give these a try. Dime’s second drop for Spring 24 recently went live on their website and has a bunch of new colors to choose from.
18 EAST Saph 2 Five Pocket Jeans
The shape on these is interesting. Their front rise is significantly larger than the rest of my denim — for example, it’s almost a 3.5-inch larger in comparison to the Dime jeans, so there’s a lot of room in the crotch. I probably should have sized up because they aren’t as wide around the hips, but in reality, denim stretches so it’s not all that bad — but if you were to get these, I suggest going up a size to save yourself the hassle. The wash on these is nice, they are lightweight and the construction is solid. The only problem is that they aren’t currently available in their store, but I’m hoping a restock will bless you all real soon.
HAVEN Station Pant
A good pair of selvedge denim will last you a lifetime, that’s why I’m excited to see how the journey will unfold with my new pickup from HAVEN. Crafted in Japan, these have some sweet details you don’t often see in other jeans out there. They have a hidden zipper pocket in the back and double snaps at the waist that allow you to easily adjust your waist size on the go.
Like any proper pair of selvedge, you’ll need to spend some time to break these in, but through that process, you’ll create a pair of denim that’s unique to you. The fit out of the bag is great, they are extremely soft, and the build quality is exceptional — definitely can’t wait to see how these joints will fade over time.
They do come in two different colorways, and are currently both available on the HAVEN website here. I’m between a size 32-34 and went with a size 2 and they fit perfectly.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to street night live to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.