Maybe I should just throw my jeans in a puddle...

January 16, 2007 7:40 AM

So my girlfriend has a bit of a thing for those 'worker' jeans they have at Gap. I'm quite happy for my jeans to be blue, personally, but apparently the rolled-in-mud look is what she likes, and I guess I should have at least one pair of jeans that she can stand. My question is: where might I get something like them without breaking the bank?

I'm in Manchester, if that matters for shops, but a DIY solution could be good too. Just to be clear, I'm not after faded jeans -- they're more browny-dirty looking things.

And yes, I am already aware that this question makes me tool of the century, thanks.

posted by reklaw to clothing, beauty, & fashion (19 comments total)

Well, what's your price range because Gap jeans are pretty cheap. River Island have those "worker" looking jeans too - for a similarly cheap price.
posted by meerkatty at 7:43 AM on January 16, 2007

I think Target has some of those retardojeans, last time I checked. This was in the men's section though.
posted by cellphone at 7:45 AM on January 16, 2007

meerkatty: If £35-45 is your idea of cheap jeans, then... well, there are no words.
posted by reklaw at 8:14 AM on January 16, 2007

Reklaw - I own about five pairs of jeans from Gap and I've never spent more than $20 on any one pair.
posted by Diskeater at 8:18 AM on January 16, 2007

Spending a bit extra on a pair of nice jeans isn't too huge of an expense if you'll be wearing them often and/or for a long period of time (fashion experts call this thinking about the "price per wear"). I live in jeans, so I'll pay full retail prices at Gap (generally, $60-70 in USD). You might be able to find some pairs on clearance, too.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:20 AM on January 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

i agree about price per wear, so watch out for the "preworn", frayed, holes-style jeans. these, being preworn (style), wear out fast.
I bought a pair of fancy jeans but they're that brand new, heavy denim, feel-like-cardboard style. i actually think they might last the rest of my life.
posted by alkupe at 8:27 AM on January 16, 2007

Gap jeans are generally a bargain. Similar quality and fit jeans can easily cost twice as much. Get them on clearance.
posted by sid at 8:36 AM on January 16, 2007

What about checking out ebay? They've got a ton of those jeans there for not that much money.
posted by visual mechanic at 8:46 AM on January 16, 2007

Just wanted to throw in that I don't think it makes you a tool. It's nice that you're getting a pair of jeans to look nice for your girl. People buy and wear things they probably would not normally wear in order to please the gender of their choice all the time. Nothing wrong with it.
posted by gauchodaspampas at 8:54 AM on January 16, 2007

Note that jeans are heading back the other way to raw denim, dark indigo, and very subtle distressing now. The ultra-distressed, dirty look that's been popular for the last few years is on its way out. Even Gap themselves are all indigo and vintage this season with no torn, abraded, or pre-stained finishes I can see.

On one hand this will make it easier to find ultra-distressed jeans on sale; on the other hand it might also make you feel like you're walking around in the equivalent of acid-wash jeans in six months.

(Lastly, "worker" is more a style of jeans than a finish -- the loose-fitting kind with a hammer loop and a knife pocket. It sounds to me that you're after severe distressing and the "dirty" look. That might help you find things online.)
posted by mendel at 8:54 AM on January 16, 2007

mendel: Yeah, it looks like I did get confused between cuts and finishes... "dirty" is definitely what I'm after.

Quite reassuring that it's unfashionable, really, because someone ought to have some they don't want. eBay looks promising. Any other ideas?
posted by reklaw at 9:13 AM on January 16, 2007

bluefly has discounted designer wear.
posted by alkupe at 9:22 AM on January 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

Materials needed:

- One package of Rit Tan Powder
- 1/2 cup or 4 ounces of Rit Tangerine Liquid (optional)
- Distressed denim jeans, skirt, jacket or other item
- Rubber gloves
- Washing machine

etc, etc
posted by kmennie at 9:28 AM on January 16, 2007

you know, old navy is owned by gap, and they usually have jeans for about 20-25 dollars... they might have some similar styles. and as a girl, i think it's sweet that you'd buy a pair of jeans you don't normally wear just to make your girlfriend happy -- not at all tool-like.
posted by kerning at 11:24 AM on January 16, 2007

I, too, agree with kerning and think it's very sweet that you are considering buying a pair of treated jeans but if I want my boyfriend to wear something specific, I'd buy it for him.

I suggest getting a pair of your old jeans, douse something grimy on your car tires and run over them a few times. Run around in the woods and roll in the brush.

Wasn't there a Levi's commercial where a guy abused a pair of jeans to give to a girl he was leaving behind into thinking he gave her his favorite pair?
posted by spec80 at 12:57 PM on January 16, 2007

Aside from thrift stores? (Perhaps called "boot sales" in the UK, or at least that's the record shop lingo).

The easiest thing you can do is to buy some super stiff, heavy-duty work jeans, all pristine. Then, you should change your oil and do some heavy carpentry. Or you can take sandpaper to 'em, and just grind in some grime. This'll make 'em more unique, and more fashionable (as the super high-end jeans are all based on actual distressing). Cheese graters work too.
Just remember to wash 'em on their own after you get the grime into 'em, as stains tend to wash out.
(I knew a guy who got a job distressing jeans for other people in a boutique. I thought it was about the most inane job ever, but he was strikingly handsome and worked where the women shoppers could see him, so what the hell).
posted by klangklangston at 3:05 PM on January 16, 2007

Why not look at few thrift stores? Around here Goodwill is pretty decent.
posted by davy at 3:05 PM on January 16, 2007

This post may have returned fewer, but moew relevant responses, had it been clear that reklaw lives in the UK.

Sadly, I am a Levis man. I cannot add anything of use to the discussion.
posted by dash_slot- at 4:21 PM on January 16, 2007

I'd go with the DIY ideas. You could even set aside one pair to not wash frequently and just rub actual dirt on them.

Seconding "it doesn't make you a tool". Nothing wrong with doing something like that because she thinks it's attractive. (If it were something extreme, like plastic surgery, or something that would affect your health negatively, or be incredibly expensive, or go against your core values in some way, then yes, you might be a tool, but a pair of jeans? Nope.)
posted by sleeplessunderwater at 5:04 PM on January 16, 2007