The 10 Best Jeans
This wiki has been updated 21 times since it was first published in April of 2020. At over 100 years old, jeans are among the most popular articles of clothing. From bell-bottomed to tapered, whether you like them baggy or form-fitting, their durable denim construction breathes and wears well and they are usually good value for money. Finding the perfect pair can be quite a chore, though, so we've done the "legwork" for you and listed the best options available below. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Levi's 501
2. Levi's 505s
3. Gloria Vanderbilt Amandas
Editor's Notes
May 27, 2020:
There are as many different body types as there are people on Earth. As such, we encourage you to get whatever jeans work best for you, regardless of any gender related labeling. Clothing is the skin you choose, and jeans can be like a second home, so explore your options thoroughly, and don’t be afraid to experiment. While jeans have been a popular choice of pants for over half a century, their use has become even more widespread over the last few decades. Whereas once they were more likely to complement t-shirts and leather jackets, it is now not uncommon to see them incorporated into business attire alongside dress shoes, blazers, neck ties, and more.
Popular jeans with a wider range of size options were given priority since they can potentially benefit more people. Not everyone wants to roll their jeans up, so it seems more prudent to include jeans that have a greater range of inseams. That way, if someone wants to cuff their jeans, they can just buy a longer pair, and those who don’t want to cuff their jeans are not forced to roll, cut off, or hem them. However, some pairs are so popular and well-made we can’t help including them regardless of these limits, such as the Lee Monroes and Levi's 721s, which both come in only three length options. Similarly, some choices with a broader selection of waist sizes like the Levi's 505s and Gloria Vanderbilt Amandas are shown preference since they can accommodate more body types. Finally, we erred on the stricter side of things when it came to fabric compositions. After a certain point, a pair of pants that has more spandex and other synthetic materials in its weave than it does denim isn’t a pair of jeans as much as it is a pair of stylized tights or jeggings.
Special Honors
Blue Jeans Go Green Like fine wines, many jeans only get better with age. However, even with the popularity of distressed and vintage looks, each pair must eventually face their day of reckoning. If you aren't already planning on repurposing your old jeans for crafts or other uses, consider stopping by this website to see where you can recycle yours. Through partnerships with companies like Levi's and Old Navy, you can drop your jeans off at convenient locations and sometimes even get an in-store discount as a small thanks. All jeans collected by the organization are turned into insulation for building, and they accept applications for both civic grants and Habitat for Humanity affiliates. bluejeansgogreen.org
Okayama Denim If you're working with a less restrictive budget and looking for something that's high quality and truly different, it might be worth your while to stop by this site. Based out of Japan, this purveyor of artisan clothing only sells jeans woven from textiles that have their provenance in Kojima, a city in the Okayama prefecture. All of their jean offerings are made from the rigid and durable selvedge variety of denim and their inventory can be easily explored with a handy selection of helpful filters. okayamadenim.com
4. Wrangler Relaxed Fits
5. Levi's 511s
6. Dickies Carpenters
7. Levi's 721s
8. Wrangler Regular Fits
9. Signature by Levi Strauss & Co. Gold Label Relaxed
10. Lee Monroes
Samuel Johnson Moyle is a writer residing in Portland, Oregon, with his artist wife and two jobless cats. In addition to researching for Ezvid Wiki, he assists students in Portland State University’s writing center, teaches college courses such as 222 Research Writing and 323 Writing as a Critical Inquiry, and does every front-of-house job imaginable at Portland’s most popular restaurant, where he has worked for over ten years. He earned his bachelor and TESOL certification at Portland State before heading to Tokyo to teach ESL and later returned to his alma mater to earn his master’s in English as a fully funded graduate assistant. His range of job and life experiences grant him expertise in categories including camping, outdoors, pets, furniture, and more.