How much for a pair of jeans?

October 5, 2007 12:52 PM

Is it worth it to spend lots of money (like, $200) on a pair of jeans? If so, why?
posted by mpls2 to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (62 answers total)

That depends entirely on your definition of what "worth it" means.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:55 PM on October 5, 2007 [2 favorites]

If you are asking "are they that much better than the $50 ones" then yes, they are. Well maybe not $200, I feel after about the $150 mark they start to top out.

Me, I'm all about them, but then again I'm pretty into style and fashion, so it is worth it to me. If it isn't to you, I wouldn't do it. But yeah they do make your ass and legs look really good.

Also, if you decide to get some, go try them on in the store, write down all the information (style, cut, size, etc) and then go buy them on ebay. I usually can get them for about $90.
posted by whoaali at 1:02 PM on October 5, 2007

Response by poster: as whoaali said, "worth it" means "are they that much better than $xx jeans?"
posted by mpls2 at 1:05 PM on October 5, 2007

I really feel the quality and looks make them worth it. I have had a pair of diesel's for over 3 years (basically buy one pair a year, have about 3-4 in the rotation). I find the ones I like and buy them for 90-150 on ebay. Best part is that I have sold my used ones one ebay and it has fetched 50-70 bucks every time. The jeans look awesome, feel great, last a very long time, and with ebay in the equation, the pocket book doesn't hurt as much,
posted by boyinmiami at 1:08 PM on October 5, 2007

However, I should add that you can get a pretty decent/fashionable jean for around the $60-$80 mark. The jump from $25 to $60-$80 is pretty huge. There is still a big difference between $80 and $150, but not as massive.
posted by whoaali at 1:10 PM on October 5, 2007

I don't have a CostCo membership, but I'm told you can get Diesels, Chip & Peppers, etc. there for $70-80 vs. the $200 they cost at denim boutiques. Can anybody confirm?

But yeah, they're worth it... and that pisses me off.
posted by LordSludge at 1:14 PM on October 5, 2007

This might be a controversial way to look at it, but my conscience is begging me to link to The Singer Solution to World Poverty. I find myself often having to take a different perspective on the idea of spending money on myself, since we are pushed so persuasively into it by our culture.

In other words, your ass might look damn good, but possibly at the expense of something far more important.
posted by lauranesson at 1:15 PM on October 5, 2007 [2 favorites]

I can't imagine spending more than twenty dollars on jeans, or any other clothing item other than shoes for that matter.
posted by blaneyphoto at 1:15 PM on October 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

Do you want to have sex with people who will notice $200 jeans?
posted by klangklangston at 1:15 PM on October 5, 2007 [17 favorites]

I'm with whoaali. $100 isn't unreasonable for a pair of jeans that last for years. People go a bit nuts, IMO, over stuff like Japanese Selvage denim and fancy stitching. The important criteria is: Do you like the way they look on you? If so, they're worth it.

Personally, I've found a good price:quality compromise with Lucky jeans.
posted by mkultra at 1:16 PM on October 5, 2007

Jeans at that price range and above _sometimes_ exhibit a higher (or merely quirkier) quality of workmanship, such as using antiquated denim looms, dyeing with pure indigo a few dozen times, etc.

In these cases, more money has actually gone into the product, making it cost more. Valuing these differences, though, is somewhat of an act of faith. Only after you've laid down the 200 bucks can you experience them. So sometimes you just buy them and convince yourself afterwards.
posted by kickback at 1:17 PM on October 5, 2007

I think if these $200 jeans have nomex and kevlar in them, they would be an absolute steal. Otherwise you better be filthy rich to want to buy those.
posted by JJ86 at 1:23 PM on October 5, 2007

You're paying for the marketing. You're paying for the name recognition. You're not getting a better pair of pants.

Is 200 bucks worth it to you if it leads to other people who wear 200-dollar jeans enthusing about they're, like, totally better quality? That's what you're paying for.
posted by thehmsbeagle at 1:26 PM on October 5, 2007

I can't believe it's even a question whether a pair of jeans is worth $200...or that the quality of things has apparently dropped to such a low level that people feel they have to drop $200 on jeans in order to get acceptable quality.

No pair of jeans are worth $200. Ever.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:30 PM on October 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

I wear jeans about 360 days a year and haven't yet found a pair that move the way I want them to move and fit the way I'd like them to fit. And I don't think it's because I'm a mutant or have exceedingly high standards. I think I buy thrifty jeans and haven't found the brand/pair that's built for my body type (short, curvy, post-baby body). So I'm toying with the idea of having someone (a personal shopper?) help me find a pair of jeans that I love. If I were able to do this, and do as boyinmiami says and add to the rotation over time, I'd probably buy one pair of expensive jeans a year instead of 8 different cheaper pairs that add up to more than $200. To me this approach makes financial, stylistic and ecological (a la lauranesson) sense.
posted by cocoagirl at 1:34 PM on October 5, 2007

Response by poster: If I could find a pair of 28x30 jeans at Old Navy that fit my ass and legs well, and had a nice style to them, I'd buy them. I don't care what people think of how much money I spend on my clothes.
posted by mpls2 at 1:34 PM on October 5, 2007

Well, whats worth mean in this scenario?

If you live in a culture/subculture or socialize in a clique or work in a culture that expects you to do such things then probably. If the cost of not doing this means hurting advancement (socially, professionally, romantically, etc) in the future or hurts you in the present then its worth the cost.

But no, its not necessarily a better physical product. When youre dealing with inflated prices, status symbols, and branding youre not dealing with just a cut and dried quality vs generic comparision.
posted by damn dirty ape at 1:37 PM on October 5, 2007

Response by poster: I guess I should say that the reason I ask this question is that I have to buy most of my clothes online because I'm so freaking thin, and returning clothes bought online is not always easy.
posted by mpls2 at 1:44 PM on October 5, 2007

The only time a pair of jeans is worth $200 is when it comes with 7 $10 bills in each front pocket.
posted by enfa at 1:46 PM on October 5, 2007

In my opinion, it's also important to keep in mind who the responder is. I've gotten into lengthy arguments with men about expensive jeans. Of course they don't spend $200 on a pair of jeans because many of them can walk into just about any store and find jeans within five minutes. As a woman, it often takes me hours or multiple shopping trips to find a pair that fits right. But keep in mind, I also wear my jeans to work everyday so my jeans are doing double-duty. I don't have to spend on additional dressy work clothes so I don't mind spending a bit extra on jeans I can wear to work and out.
posted by awegz at 1:46 PM on October 5, 2007

In a lot of clothing the really expensive stuff really is a whole lot better made. The Chanel signature chain is an example -- they add those little gold chains to the back of jackets so that they hang straight and look better. There are myriad inside the lining examples of where high end goods just really are made with more care. They use better interfacings, hands pad stitch shoulders so they stand up properly, turn collars perfectly, etc. They cut the fabric one at a time, and not in giant stacks so the fit is truer to the size, and then tailor it to you personally anyway. All of this doesn't generally add up to $4000 for a dress, though. A huge part of that price is deliberate branding and exclusivity.

Jeans, eh, I dunno. Certainly there's a big gap in denim quality between cheap crap jeans, and mid-range jeans in a Levi's sort of vein. I'd absolutely choose $60 jeans over $20 jeans any day. I'm not convinced there's another major leap in quality between $60 jeans and $200 jeans, though. The construction in jeans is pretty exposed and visible, and there's just not that much difference. The really high end jeans may or may not fit your body type better, though, because they are cut and sized for a different market generally than the mid-range products. If they do fit you better, they might be worth it for you, where they might not be worth it for someone else who fits the mid-range stuff better.

If the mid-range stuff doesn't fit you brilliantly, you might also find it worth exploring whether it's cheaper to have a $60 pair of jeans altered or to buy a $200 pair of jeans in the first place.
posted by jacquilynne at 1:49 PM on October 5, 2007 [2 favorites]

Here's a question to ask yourself: could you get custom-made jeans for $200 per pair (I suspect yes)? If so, what's more important - the jeans or the brand?
posted by lowlife at 1:49 PM on October 5, 2007

You have your nice jeans, then you have your fancy designer jeans. Maybe you find them at Nordstrom Rack for $80, and then you feel twice as fabulous when you wear them.

There's nothing wrong with buying into fashion if it's fun for you. It doesn't make you a superficial, evil person.

It's like having a nice set of china. Some people only bring out their china for special occasions, some use it every day, some don't even bother with the expense whatsoever.

Personally, I like having a few fancy, frivolous things amongst the rest of my more functional and affordable choices. It gives me range, which can match my mood and allows me more play in my life. I feel even better when those nice things are found on discount rack or sale.
posted by iamkimiam at 1:55 PM on October 5, 2007 [3 favorites]

I don't know what "worth it" means to you, but here's my personal experience- YMMV:

I own about 10 pairs of jeans. They are an essential part of my wardrobe, and I am rarely seen in anything but denim. I have 3 pairs that were $25 at Target. The remaining 7 or 8 pairs are "high end" brands, and each cost somewhere between $150-$200 retail.

The Target jeans only seem to make it out of the closet when I've neglected my laundry for a long period of time. In m opinion, the look, fit, and feel of the premium brands simply cannot be beat by the cheaper alternatives.

I also find that the more I spend, the longer they tend to last. I have a pair of Blue Cult jeans I bought almost 4 years ago that are still going strong, whereas one of the $25 Target pairs are already falling apart after less than a year of wear.

So, yes. Premium denim is worth it to me. I'm a student and have to scrimp and save for every pair I buy, but hey- if I'm getting 4+ years of continuous wear out of a single pair AND they also happen to make my ass look great, I feel it justifies the cost.

If you do decide to take the plunge, Ebay and consignment shops are great places to look for deals. I just scored a brand-new pair of $250 Rock & Republics at a local Buffalo Exchange for a mere $45.
posted by MiaWallace at 1:58 PM on October 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

Count me as one of the people who thinks there is SOME increase in quality with cost, but only to a certain point.

I say this as someone whose jeans are primarily $25 Old Navy jeans: they are crap. Cheap jeans have hems that flip up in the back, waistbands that don't lie completely flat, pockets of different depths, or pocket liners that pooch out at the top.

Since I wear jeans to work almost every day, I need several pairs, so I keep lots of cheap ones on hand. But they bug the crap out me sometimes and I wish I had some better ones.
posted by peep at 1:59 PM on October 5, 2007

I think it depends on your shape. I am 5'2 and wear a size 2-4, but I have ample thighs that look awful in most jeans. I have a horrific time finding jeans that fit my body to begin with, but I've found that it's even harder with cheap jeans. They just aren't cut as well for me, plus the material is not as nice feeling. I have friends that are tall and thin who can wear stuff like Old Navy $15-if-they're-on-sale jeans and look amazing since a simpler cut doesn't look noticeable on their bodies. For me, the right pair of jeans is a difference between looking weird and ill-proportioned vs. looking normal albeit curvy.

That said, I buy my expensive jeans at places like Off Fifth or TJ Maxx, so the most I've ever paid for jeans that retail for $200+ was $70. If I weren't a sales shopper I would probably pay retail if I ever really needed a new pair, because my time is worth something and I know it's easier to find jeans that look nice if I stick to certain brands.
posted by gatorae at 2:00 PM on October 5, 2007

Here's a question to ask yourself: could you get custom-made jeans for $200 per pair (I suspect yes)? If so, what's more important - the jeans or the brand?


If you know a tailor that good that will make me a pair of custom jeans for $100, then please give me their number immediately. And a lot of very expensive jeans have very little visible branding. We aren't talking LV bags here.
posted by whoaali at 2:03 PM on October 5, 2007

Best answer: -- $30 jeans are a lowest-common-denominator product. They're designed to fit everybody okay, but they won't look great on anybody. The right pair of $200 jeans will look amazing on your body, but you have to search for the right brand/style/fit. Paying $200 will not automatically guarantee you hotness; in fact, some $200 jeans will look worse on your body than a $30 pair.

-- Most high-end denim companies sell their standard washes and fits at $125-$150. Paying more than $150 isn't buying you better quality, it's buying you exclusivity -- you'll be the only guy or girl at a party in that particular style.

-- All my high-end jeans were made in the USA, not in Indonesia or Bangladesh. Depending on how you feel about globalization, Asain sweatshops and the American trade deficit, there's an argument to be made that it would be better if all Americans owned 3 pairs of $150 jeans instead of 15 pairs of $30 jeans. (Pay more, buy less is a good philosophy IMO.)

-- Consider cost per wear. I have friends who buy jeans for $25 at Sam's Club, wear them once, and never take them out of the closet again because they don't fit well. That's $25 per wear! $150 jeans worn once a week for 3 years is less than a dollar per wear -- a much better value.

-- Finally, everyone should be careful about buying high-end denim on eBay. A lot of that stuff is counterfeit, and if you've never actually paid $150+ you might not be able to tell the difference. Off 5th, TJ Maxx, Nordstrom's Rack, Filene's Basement, etc are great places to find authentic denim on sale.
posted by junkbox at 2:05 PM on October 5, 2007 [3 favorites]

So can anyone recommend a brand of high quality denim for something like the price range we're discussing? Are Diesel jeans any good? Some of those high end Japanese brands?
posted by Justinian at 2:09 PM on October 5, 2007

(A) No, of course not. Even if the $20 ones from Target don't last as long, the good ones don't last ten times as long.

(B) Yes, of course it is, if spending the $200 on jeans makes you happier over the long run than all other uses for that $200.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 2:28 PM on October 5, 2007

(notices both an A.P.C. and Diesel store within a 5 minute walk of his home... thinks about trying A.P.C.)

If I get some $140 A.P.C. raw selvedge denim jeans today I'll post my impressions about the difference between them and the $20 Target or whatever jeans.
posted by Justinian at 2:30 PM on October 5, 2007

People who whine about expensive clothes and the people who covet and buy them have usually never worn any themselves. There is a massive difference in the quality and cut of a pair of Dior Homme jeans compared to the pair that cost £8 from George at ASDA. Each to their own, and I've worn both, but you usually get what you pay for and it's that simple.
posted by fire&wings at 2:49 PM on October 5, 2007

the quality of things has apparently dropped to such a low level that people feel they have to drop $200 on jeans in order to get acceptable quality

That's about the size of it, yes.

I'd rather have one pair of $200 pants that look and feel great and get worn a lot than four $50 pairs that look so-so and mostly just take up closet space. I am not a careful observer of jeans and can't recognize many brands, but -- next time you're on public transportation or in a university lecture hall, check out how not straight the seams on most people's jeans are. Levi's, for one, are garbage.
posted by kmennie at 2:59 PM on October 5, 2007

Coming from someone who owned several pairs of <> $200), yes the $200 jeans were worth it. Japanese selvedge is nice.

I usually don't care much about jeans as long as they're comfortable and they make me look okay. But the $200 jeans make me look GREAT.

I only wear those two jeans now. As for durability, they've lasted longer than my <>
I've had to get the crotch part of the $200 jeans reinforced, but I attribute that to me riding my bicycle in these jeans.

Would I buy $200 jeans all the time? Probably not that often. At this rate, 1 pair of these jeans every year or two would be enough for me.

Also Justinian if you want to talk about about denim and brands, feel free to PM or email me. For the price you're paying for brand name of Diesel, you can get something better.
posted by nakedsushi at 3:10 PM on October 5, 2007

I have several pairs of high-end designer jeans and to a one, they fit better and look than my jeans from Gap and Old Navy.

However, I bought all of them at thrift stores or on eBay. Seven for All Mankind, Paper Denim and Cloth, Red Engine, Chip and Pepper, Diesel--none for more than $15. Some cities have a high-end boutique thrift shop outlet for Goodwill or Salvation Army, that's a good place to start looking.
posted by padraigin at 3:14 PM on October 5, 2007

I've noticed that the high end jeans fit incredibly better than and GAP/Old Navy/Target jeans I've ever bought. I really held out for a long time and vowed never to pay that much for jeans, until I tried a pair on for shits and giggles. Totally effing worth every penny.

The material is better, the cut is better and even the washes look like a great pair of jeans as opposed to that nasty fake blue you find with cheaper jeans.

My favorite brands are Seven for All Mankind, Tsubi and Rich and Skinny....I keep my eye out for sales and I usually limit myself to spending $150 tops on denim.
YES, it's worth it. Totally worth it.
posted by dearest at 3:22 PM on October 5, 2007

I think very expensive jeans come in more styles. It's easier to find ones that fit well no matter your body shape. If you have a certain shape that looks good in the standard cuts, then you need not spend so much. I have lots of pairs of gap jeans and one pair of D&G jeans (which I got at a factory in India). I wear the D&G ones all the time--they look the best.
posted by bluefly at 3:27 PM on October 5, 2007

Personally, I usually settle for something that fits, which excludes most high-end and low-end jeans. I'm stuck firmly in the 60-100AUD category for jeans. If I could find a pair of $200 jeans that didn't look awful on me, I might consider buying them. Maybe. If they actually looked any better.
posted by ysabet at 3:28 PM on October 5, 2007

So can anyone recommend a brand of high quality denim for something like the price range we're discussing?

I got some great suggestions when I asked a very similar question.
posted by dersins at 3:40 PM on October 5, 2007

2 words: HELL NO!
posted by uncballzer at 3:41 PM on October 5, 2007

Me, I'm thinking of buying a pair of tailored jeans from an outfit in India that will put together, in six weeks, a pair according to your own measurements, specified in inches on their website.

Selvedge jeans. Raw denim. But tailored, perfectly suited to your asserage and other measurements. Ain't that a trip?

$27 to ship, and around forty bucks a pair for raw denim, eighty for Japanese selvedge off of old-school looms.

Course, who's to know whether the quality is top-notch? I've scoured google but found no user reviews. So it's a gamble.

But the prices, and tailoring edge, can't be beat. I'm in.
posted by Gordion Knott at 3:49 PM on October 5, 2007 [7 favorites]

No. They looked really excellent at first and fit better than any pair of jeans I'd worn before, but both pairs of the expensive jeans I've had (two different brands) wore out in the crotch in less than a year. Normal (Levi's, Gap, American Eagle) jeans seem to be more likely to shrink after a couple washes, but they actually last longer.
posted by rxrfrx at 4:21 PM on October 5, 2007

You know very few other people have them, reducing the chances you'll be in the same room with someone else wearing the same pair.
posted by jeffamaphone at 4:37 PM on October 5, 2007

Gordion Knott's makeyourownjeans.com link looks really cool. I think I'll order some inexpensive linen shirts.

This was an interesting ask-mefi thread on internet-based / measure-at-hotels / measure-on-holiday Indian / HK / Chinese tailors.
http://ask.metafilter.com/71541/Does-this-tailor-really-exist
(didn't mention jeans, however)
posted by sebastienbailard at 4:41 PM on October 5, 2007

anyone who spends that kind of money on a pair of jeans is just a swell headed loser
posted by caddis at 4:50 PM on October 5, 2007

Best answer: Well, one of my good friends owns a "designer" boutique in LA, and his boyfriend owns a jean company. As a result I get designer jeans at either cost, below cost or for free. So, I am somewhat unbiased to the price, and am not really impressed by the name brands (given that there are several dozen pairs in my closet). And despite that I'm fairly conservative, at least compared to what I see come in.

And in summary, yes it is worth it. To the point where I never wore jeans before and do now sometimes. They are incredibly soft, the fit is always amazing, and the style is cool. Most of the washes are done by hand, which means they have to pay someone in China/Mexico to distress the jeans. Even in China/Mexico this is expensive, but adds to the look -- how much so is depending on your tastes. The quality and build is generally better, but in a non-linear fashion (as in price out paces quality). What you're buying is a combination of (1) name brand, (2) quality, (3) wash, (4) the fact that the jean is not mass marketable and thus demands a higher price because of economies of scale.

So it is not a total rip-off, but the retailer is almost always making 100% on each pair sold. On $360 jeans, that's quite a bit.

In all honesty I'd probably purchase a few pairs of $200 jeans, get them tailored and wear them for a few years. I'd stay away from trends, this is not impossible to do, to get at least a couple season wear out of them. It is like buying the one nice suit you wear once in awhile (well I have to wear suits everyday, but that's a different story).

I know the knee-jerk response is to say "I won't spend more than $30 on jeans!", but that's sort of ridiculous. Most people look terrible in jeans, and spending some money on tailoring and a current fit can really, really make them look better. For dicking around outdoors, well these jeans aren't made for that. They're made because everyone wears casual wear everywhere, and thus casual wear becomes expensive. I am sure in 50 years we'll see $400 gym shorts.
posted by geoff. at 5:32 PM on October 5, 2007 [2 favorites]

Oh, "Old school looms" is total bullshit. The thread count, the time of cotton and the wash are the only things that really make up jeans besides the fit. Unless you have a really odd shape, a decent tailor can make the jeans look nice for <$30.
posted by geoff. at 5:35 PM on October 5, 2007

Depending on how much time you're willing to spend, you can tots find these at the salvation army and goodwill and what have you.

Seriously!

AND. Salvation Army has a rotational sale system, where things are tagged with seven different colors, and each day a different color is on sale. I once walked in with $3 in my wallet to donate some stuff and walked out with a really nice pair of chinos that fit perfectly and I dropped $1.04 in the donation bucket. :D
posted by kavasa at 5:53 PM on October 5, 2007

I have nothing to say on the topic of whether or not $200 jeans are worth it. But there is Zafu, where you enter in a pretty detailed description of your body type (what your waist looks like, butt, thighs, etc) and recommended jean brands and styles will pop out. They have a wide variety of brands, too.
posted by Anonymous at 6:25 PM on October 5, 2007

I'm one of those people that would rather spend more for higher quality if it means the product will last longer; I buy $60 Levi's (or whatever else) at Macy's when they're on sale for $30.

I have up until the recent past shopped almost exclusively at department stores for clothing, simply because I could not fathom spending so much extra for a name at another store. However, recently I started shopping around and found that (for my relatively small frame) the higher end chain stores tend to have more options that fit me much better. So, I bought a shirt for $70 instead of the usual $25. Fits great, haven't had it long enough to comment on durability.

The point being, I agree with others that quality goes up with price... to a point. $200 for a pair of jeans still seems excessive to me.
posted by backseatpilot at 6:29 PM on October 5, 2007

The women I know love expensive jeans. On themselve. Not so much on guys. They don't want guys to be wearing jeans that cost more then their's cost. They want a guy to care about his jeans but not to care too much. This is what I have been told.
posted by probablysteve at 6:30 PM on October 5, 2007

I have a couple of pairs of imported jeans that are pretty expensive for our market (NZ$170 each when NZ$80 is standard). My friends did a double take when I mentioned how much they cost. But, for me and for this season, they are totally worth it. They've garnered compliments in some unexpected sources too, so I know they look hot.

The reasons aren't so much to do with quality, although these are damn well made jeans, but about style. I tried on something like twenty plus pairs of jeans in other places and they all made me look like an elephant. What's in fashion this year simply isn't made for anyone with curves, no matter what the style section of the newspaper tries to tell me, and the only way I could get nice looking jeans is to get something not at all fashionable. Cheap jeans are actually more likely to conform to the current 'in' shapes and are badly made as well, so they are right out. Going more expensive was the only way I could find jeans that are focussed on making the wearer look good rather than making them look fashionable. I decided to spend the money because they'll last longer anyway and I wear them nearly every day, and no one likes looking like an elephant.

NZ can have a rather limited range of clothing, particularly if you're not buying designer, so this phenomenon of being the wrong shape for the fashion and therefore unable to buy clothes that year may not exist elsewhere. This would change the answer. Also, three years ago I looked great in everything no matter how much it cost (fashion liked me then), which again would reduce the worth of those fancy imported pants.
posted by shelleycat at 6:46 PM on October 5, 2007

If you're going to get your money's worth out of them then yes they're absolutely worth it (same applies to anything really).

I think about expensive clothes this way - if I'm going to love it and wear it lots and it's top quality so it's going to last me for years and years then I don't mind what it costs. But if I'm going to pay a high price for an item I expect it to be both worth the money (must be well made, not just a brand name) and to know I'm going to get good use out of it.

We typically buy far too many clothes in western societies - concentrate instead on a few investment items that will last you for years. I hope that helps :)
posted by katala at 7:17 PM on October 5, 2007

next time you're on public transportation or in a university lecture hall, check out how not straight the seams on most people's jeans are

If this sounds like the kind of thing you'd want to do in your life, then $200 will probably be easy for you to justify. If not, then they won't. Given that your profile notes that you're male, you should know that your spending will likely not be worthwhile if you are straight -- the bar is so low for how poorly guys dress that by merely getting a moderately nice pair that fits well you'll be in great shape. Or, as a lot of people have mentioned, spend less and use the extra money to get your clothing tailored, which is a lot more sane than spending extra money for a brand name.
posted by anildash at 8:11 PM on October 5, 2007

The only time I've knowingly encountered someone wearing $200 jeans, it was this loud, tall, bald black hip-hop guy wearing overalls of some brand I'd never heard of. He wasn't concerned with fit, with wear, with comfort, or anything except that wearing that brand of jeans would get him into clubs.

Yes. His jeans got him into clubs.

So, what klangklangston said.
posted by dhartung at 11:12 PM on October 5, 2007

For me, once I bought a pair of expensive ($250-350) jeans, I could never go back to what I was wearing before. It's not about the brand (I don't think most people can tell what brand of jeans you are wearing), it's not about marketing (I've never even seen ads for the companies that make some of my jeans), it's purely about how they feel on me and how they look.

As someone noted above, just being expensive will not guarantee they look good, you really need to put the time in to find the pair that is right for you.

Is it worth it? Well, like any luxury item, not really -- I mean, at the end of the day its just a pair of jeans. However, I am also of the "pay more, buy less" philosophy, I like nice clothes and my girlfriend likes me in them. So that's an added benefit.

I have a decent salary and can afford to "waste" money on the occasional pair of outrageously priced jeans. Would I buy them if it meant rent money would be tight that month? Of course not. Only get them if they are a luxury you can afford.

I also find it amusing that some of the folks decrying expensive jeans here probably spend an inordinate amount of $$ on the latest and greatest technology for computers.

Does anyone "need" a $300 MP3 player? No, you could just get a cheapo flash player if you wanted. Or a portable radio. Or a discman Or nothing, and just listen to music at home. Very little of what we purchase is "necessary". Luxury jeans are no different.
posted by modernnomad at 2:15 AM on October 6, 2007

I agree with you modernnomad; $200 for a pair of jeans? OUTRAGEOUS! $599 for a cell phone? I NEED IT!

This thread has convinced me to splurge for some jeans just as soon as I drop 7 or 8 pounds.
posted by Justinian at 2:52 AM on October 6, 2007

Buffallo Exchange.
I get expensive jeans there all the time, for under $30, easy. And yes, they do look and feel and fit much better than the cheap stuff.
posted by Espoo2 at 2:05 PM on October 6, 2007

I agree with you modernnomad; $200 for a pair of jeans? OUTRAGEOUS! $599 for a cell phone? I NEED IT!

True, the people who bought the iPhone are probably the bigger fools.
posted by caddis at 6:00 PM on October 6, 2007

Justinian wrote : So can anyone recommend a brand of high quality denim for something like the price range we're discussing? Are Diesel jeans any good? Some of those high end Japanese brands?

For the japanese brands, Evisu is pretty famous but i have no idea of the actual quality.

But if you want the mythic impossible to find ultra high-end denim from japan you want Neighborhood denim.
Those guys are so over everything they don't even have a website. One pair goes from 500$ on up
I've been to their shop in Tokyo and just being there made me feel like i was dressed like a hobo unworthy of living. The guys working in the shop will make you feel like shit just by looking at you.
The jeans were kinda nice though, not 500$ nice but nice.
posted by SageLeVoid at 10:40 AM on October 7, 2007

I can think of many other ways to spend my hard earned money...I'd be worried if I bought the really expensive ones I wouldn't want to ever stop. haha
posted by 20something at 6:37 PM on October 20, 2007

Go japanese for raw, heavy denim that ages and fits beautifully. I'd suggest brands like Samurai, Skulls, 45rpm, Pure Blue Jeans, IronHeart etc. These japanese manifacturers is giving attention to details, construction, dying and materials that belongs to the past in europe and USA.

Your affection for these jeans will increase as they get shaped and colored after how you use them.

Check out the the superdenim forum at superfuture for many many reasons to become poor.
posted by okokok at 4:41 AM on October 24, 2007