Slim but not tight jeans comfy as chinos/khakis

December 22, 2021 8:10 AM

I like to wear chinos (especially from Banana Republic). I like how they stop right at the ankle, are slim fit, but extremely comfortable and dont feel tight. I would like to buy sub $100 dark blue jeans that are similar in comfort and fit. Do you have any suggestions?

I would like to wear jeans because they feel more casual. Right now I wear Levis 513 based on some feedback that bunch in the bottom. They just seem awkward.

posted by sandmanwv to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (9 answers total)

I like Everlane jeans. My taste is on the "less stretch, straight leg" side, but they have many options and are affordable.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 8:27 AM on December 22, 2021

If you wear women's clothes, Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda jeans come in a huge range of colors and a few different lengths and are slim fit without being tight.
posted by hydropsyche at 8:31 AM on December 22, 2021 [1 favorite]

Levi's jeans have generally been hit or miss for me, but their 511 in Sequoia has worked very well for me and my frog-like physique. (In my experience, different colors of Levi's tend to have completely different fits/cuts regardless of whether they're officially in the same line, so my recommendation doesn't extend beyond the exact color that I linked to.)
posted by ambulatorybird at 8:42 AM on December 22, 2021

Response by poster: edit: I wear mens clothes- am short but fairly average sized in general. I've been looking at Everlane and Bonobos.
posted by sandmanwv at 9:08 AM on December 22, 2021

You might want to check out Old Navy's "relaxed slim" men's jeans.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 11:16 AM on December 22, 2021

Best answer: I keep getting Mugsy ads (and after visiting this site, will probably continue to). Dark wash jeans are traditionally going to be pretty stiff; these could be worth a try.

I've also been pretty happy with Uniqlo jeans, and they do tailoring for length pretty quickly.
posted by supercres at 11:40 AM on December 22, 2021

If you're willing to go a smidge higher than $100, J Crew has quality denim with a good range of fits and washes. I like the 770 — slim fitting without being tight. have a few pairs of 484 as well. Not bad but much closer to a true skinny jean. Bonus with the J Crew is that they fade really beautifully. I have a pair of 770 resin wash that's pushing 6 or 7 years and they have built up a lot of character.

I also have a few pairs of Everlane denim and it's decent but not great. Their slim fit was quite skinny for me, and their athletic fit was better but really more suited to someone with huge thighs (like, a body builder or competitive cyclist). Stretches out quickly as well.
posted by TurnKey at 1:39 PM on December 22, 2021

I'm going to 2nd the Amanda jeans - my wife swears by them
posted by TimHare at 11:40 PM on December 22, 2021

Best answer: You want Gap skinny jeans with GapFlex (I got mine from Gap Factory at much cheaper than that, but what I got is currently sold out). They have a nice slim profile without being painted on like women's skinnies (I wear both men's and women's clothes), the flex makes them super comfortable (I recommend sizing down from your normal size if you haven't worn pants with flex before; stretch is just starting to come to men's clothes and it makes a huge difference), and the denim is a good weight. Some of my favorite pants, highly recommend.
posted by joycehealy at 6:02 AM on December 23, 2021