It All Went Downhill Once Luke Brower Moved In

March 28, 2008 11:03 AM

My blue jeans look like they belong to Kirk Cameron.

When I wear jeans on weekends, I wear Levis 505s (yes, they are still manufactured!). I have been wearing the same size and brand since 1985. They may even be stonewashed. I am a married, urban, professional male in my mid 30's, and I shouldn't be dressing like Mike Seaver. To what kind of jeans should I upgrade? I would wear them only on weekends, never to work. I would like to look my age without looking like I haven't updated my wardrobe since Frank Bartles and Ed Jaymes ruled the zeitgeist. I'm not terribly price sensitive. Or stylish. Suggestions? Thank you for your support.

posted by A Long and Troublesome Lameness to clothing, beauty, & fashion (23 answers total)

would be helpful if we could get your height/weight and body type.
posted by violetk at 11:10 AM on March 28, 2008

Eddie Bauer, the GAP, Calvin Klein.

You have asked your wife, I hope?
posted by desjardins at 11:12 AM on March 28, 2008

I took a look at the Levi's site- is this the style you're wearing? If so, you're fine. I would suggest upgrading to dark colors- light denim looks dated.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:19 AM on March 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

Five foot eight, 145 pounds, 32 inch waist. I am hoping to shock my wife by having some insight into this at the outset.
posted by A Long and Troublesome Lameness at 11:19 AM on March 28, 2008

I am your age, and personally, I favor brown cotton duck carpenter-like pants over jeans. Pre-washed Carharts are the most common expression of this dungaree-cut pant. They're chino-like, with the ruggedness of a jean. Of course, I am also completely L-7 and doubtless hideous to behold, so my fashion advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.
posted by mumkin at 11:19 AM on March 28, 2008

I am also your age, and I prefer painters pants to jeans. Painters pants have a more baggy, casual look than jeans and still look nice with a sport coat (in a dressing-down-on-the-weekends kind of way). If you must have jeans, try Old Navy; they have a loose-cut jean that I like very much.
posted by Pecinpah at 11:26 AM on March 28, 2008

Get thee to a department store and try on as many manufacturers and cuts as you can. I am currently wearing a pair of Arizona jeans that were extra cheap at JCPenney and they are the best-fitting jeans I have bought in quite some time. YMMV, of course, but you won't find anything if you don't look.
posted by mkb at 11:29 AM on March 28, 2008

The key thing here is that they be dark. Go for a different cut as well. Something like this perhaps.
posted by phrontist at 11:32 AM on March 28, 2008

Get some dark denim jeans. Maybe dark blue indigo, or dyed black. I'd get some raw Imperial Denin or Julian Reds. Wings + Horns and Sugarcane also make jeans I think are nice.
posted by chunking express at 11:33 AM on March 28, 2008

Like the comments above darker denim (dark blue is more versatile than black) will go a long way in making jeans look less dated. If you are wiling to experiment with fit, a style that sits below the waist also looks more modern than one that sits at the waist. Adding to the store list, Banana Republic also has some great men's jeans.
posted by kitkatcathy at 11:37 AM on March 28, 2008

Yes to dark. Also popular now is a slight fade around the knees/thighs, but not a uniform stonewash. An example from Express.
posted by nev at 11:39 AM on March 28, 2008

Yeah get dark jeans. phrontist showed you a nice-looking pair of jeans, and I would go with that. Or you could look into corduroys; really jeans don't have a monopoly on the casual pants market. However, the key thing is how they fit you, so you're going to have to try on at least a couple of different pairs, and you should probably have your partner at your side. She will know what she wants your ass to look like in pants.
posted by creasy boy at 11:44 AM on March 28, 2008

My husband is about your size. He has some very nice jeans from Diesel that aren't quite as bootcut as the ones that phrontist linked. I think that the less bootcut (but not tapered) straight-leg dark jeans look nice. Won't make your lower leg look like a puddle/wider than your hip. Department store is the way to go on this.
posted by weezetr at 11:54 AM on March 28, 2008

Your main considerations are obviously cut and color. Make sure you're not getting something tapered. That's a ground rule. As far as color goes, it's kind of a personal opinion as far as not only what you prefer but what you think looks better on you. These days, the darker the better, but again, it's a preference. That said, I'd advise against anything very light. That would be going from Mike Seaver to Brandon Walsh and that's just a lateral move.

I think Gap's men's jeans are nice and hip without being way too bells and whistles-y (like colored embroidery, wacky pockets, which I have actually seen on some super trendy men's brands).
posted by sneakin at 11:56 AM on March 28, 2008

At your size, you're not going to go muffin-top with a lower belt-line, which is more modern. Right now, you're thinking "low-cut jeans? I said I want to look my age!", but don't worry - you will not be mistaken for a hipster if you tuck your shirt in :)

nthing dark blue.
posted by -harlequin- at 12:07 PM on March 28, 2008

Hmm. You people seem to be suggesting--proving, even, through links and such--that jeans exist in colors other than this. Although I find your strange world disorienting and even frightening, I will take your kind advice and explore these bizarre, non-acid-washed "jeans." As long as they'll go with my awesome, purple/black/maroon print sweaters.
posted by A Long and Troublesome Lameness at 12:13 PM on March 28, 2008 [2 favorites]

I recommend Mavi or AG Jeans. Both are very, very comfortable.
posted by charlesv at 12:28 PM on March 28, 2008

Carhartt jeans!
I wear them almost exclusively of my other jeans, and I wear jeans a lot.

I wanted something a little different too, so I wear the logger dungarees, though I've been wanting to try a pair of these. The double fronts are awesome.

Lucky's seem to fit pretty comfortably as well, and have a bit more refined look to them. This is my preferred pair.
posted by terpia at 12:48 PM on March 28, 2008

Also, make sure you get jeans that fit. They should be snug enough to not fall down without a belt but still feel comfortable and relaxed. Don't be afraid to try out multiple cuts/styles until you find one that fits well. Ideally, go to a store that carries many styles of jeans and have someone help you pick out a few styles and give you feedback. Once you have your exact preferred style nailed down, you can shop for it elsewhere.
posted by junesix at 1:18 PM on March 28, 2008

I agree with that Gap's and Banana Republic's men's jeans are stylish without looking too dated or trendy. I also agree that the main things you want to avoid are jeans that are too high-waisted, too light, and too narrow or tapered.
posted by scody at 1:44 PM on March 28, 2008

go to the gap and get some dark jeans. take your wife for input. you'll be golden. the gap, though it has many flaws, has wonderful jeans.
posted by thinkingwoman at 11:03 PM on March 28, 2008

I think of myself as young, trendy and stylish and I would recommend:
Seven for All Mankind (Sevens)
Citizens of Humanity (Citizens)
Diesel
True Religion

Go to your nearest Nordstrom or Bloomingdales or w/e high end department store and have a sales person bring you a bunch of different styles. They're silly expensive, but designer jeans are a luxury I think is worth it when you find perfect ones that make you feel good going out at night or the weekends or whatever.
Good luck!
posted by baserunner73 at 1:15 AM on March 29, 2008

Just to give you some closure so you can all get back to your lives, I went with these (minus the Chuck Taylors). While I am happy with my selection, this move has gotten me kicked out of my Def Leppard cover band.
posted by A Long and Troublesome Lameness at 4:00 PM on March 29, 2008