When quality is your main concern, these jean brands are the best of the best. Whether your style is skinny, straight leg, boot cut, or relaxed fit in dark or light, these are the best brands to buy.
Jeans are often considered a versatile product, so ubiquitous in our wardrobes that they are the single most worn item of clothing on the planet. As such, investing in a pair of expensive jeans may seem excessive to some.
But for the denim-obsessed – and there are some real obsessives – this means ignoring the fact that denim is a specialty fabric that, while easy to mass-produce in its basic form, is actually artisanal when traditional and time-intensive techniques are used.
What Are The Best Jean Brands For Your Closet?
Madewell
Madewell’s bread and butter is denim, so it’s no surprise that the brand is one of our leaders in creating versatile cuts that aren’t too heavy or too stretchy. The brand offers a wide range of straight and plus-size styles with dot inseams for petite and tall—without tailoring.
Everlane
Everlane has just about every wardrobe essential you could need, including high-quality jeans that any denim enthusiast will appreciate. Expect to find everything from light-weight skinny jeans to selvedge denim (recognizable by the white and red stripes that run along the seams), all for under $100.
Reformation
The stylish Reformation cut is perfect for combo sweaters, small bags and relaxed boyfriend blazers.
An editor’s staple is its distressed denim jeans that have a vintage feel, and the brand offers plenty of cute, eco-friendly pairs—from bold cheetah prints to classic straight-leg jeans that sit higher on the waist with a hint of stretch for comfort.
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Good American
With jeans in sizes 00 to 26, Good American has become a household name for inclusive fit. Fronted by Khloe Kardashian and Emma Grede, the brand debuted in 2016 with a small selection of styles.
It has since expanded into more silhouettes and categories like swim, athletic, and footwear. For those looking for the perfect shapewear jean, Good American should be on your radar.
Agolde
Whether you’re looking for baggy jeans with the best fit or full-length skinny jeans, all denim from Agolde has that great life feel that only gets better with wear.
The brand relaunched in 2014 with styles that will instantly have you waxing poetic (looking at you, Pinch Waist), thanks to their perfect high rise and ultimate hip-hugging feel.
Re/Done
For a cool throwback vibe, check out Re/Done. The celebrity-endorsed brand, whose clients include Gigi Hadid and Kaia Gerber, continues the Levi Strauss story by repurposing and reimagining vintage pairs.
Its denim goes for up to $300, but check out Re/Sell, a peer-to-peer marketplace that lets you get (and resell) your favorites at much lower prices.
Feel Studio
For Feel Studio, less is more: the brand offers only one cut of jeans in three washes and two different lengths. The idea is to celebrate the vintage appeal of denim while also considering its impact on the environment.
Jeans by Feel Studio Inc. are made in California from durable, non-stretch denim and shipped in biodegradable packaging.
The brand also has premium denim style in its signature cut, cut from Japanese denim. Any unused and discarded fabric is used to insulate homes as part of a partnership with the Blue Jeans Go Green Initiative.
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Still Here
Looking for a vintage uniform with a twist? Consider Still Here, a company founded by Sonia Beida Mosseri in New York and making their wares in Los Angeles.
Each pair of jeans has unique details, such as hand-painted stripes or hand-stitched embroidery, which are a true testament to impeccable craftsmanship.
Most styles cost between $235 and $350, so they’re an investment, but they’ll definitely stand out in your denim collection.
Universal Standard
Arguably one of the most inclusive fashion lines on the market right now, Universal Standard launched its first denim line in 2019 in the full size range from 00 to 40.
Co-founders Alexandra Waldman and Polina Wexler worked to crack the code on the perfect amount of stretch in tailored jeans available in a variety of light, medium and dark colors. With a wallet-friendly price tag of $90, Universal Standard proves that its inclusive mission goes beyond size.
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Best Jeans Brands For Men
Wrangler
Wrangler is an “everyday denim brand,” and we couldn’t agree more. They have been around since 1947 when they were founded in Greensboro, North Carolina. Their design focuses on functionality, especially for cowboys.
Carhart
The classic workwear brand Carhartt was founded by Hamilton Carhartt in 1889 and has been family owned and operated ever since.
Any office worker known for their business pants should own a pair or two. In the fashion world, workwear is on trend, so you can have fun with Carhartts off the clock. Think of your dad’s jeans if your father was Ron Swanson.
Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein denim arrived on the scene in the 80s and was a breakthrough for a new era of designer jeans for men. Before that, jeans were considered “labourer’s pants” and spending serious money on them sounded ridiculous.
Today, Calvin Klein denim represents the brand itself – they are bold and seductive, usually in fitted cuts. Remember that taking care of your jeans is just as important as finding a good pair.
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Best Jean Brands For Women
Everlane
An eco-friendly brand, you can feel just as good wearing a pair of Everlane jeans as you look in them. Everlane is one of the best denim brands in 2021, and their ethical approach to denim production, along with radical transparency in pricing, is a big part of the appeal.
Denim made to last, getting a pair of jeans from Everlane is a good idea. They have every style, from slim to sporty, lightweight to medium.
Maidwell
The history of Madewell is interesting. The brand originated in 1937 as a men’s workwear brand. It was relaunched in 2004 as a womenswear brand, but in 2018 added men’s jeans again. Men everywhere breathed a sigh of relief, because our jeans range has expanded significantly.
Their selection is small, but powerful. You’ll find a pair for every occasion. The Relaxed Tapered jeans are a bestseller.
Frame
FRAME is a denim brand that knows as much about marketing as it does about making high-quality denim. In just ten years (they were launched in 2012), FRAME has positioned itself as one of the best jeans brands for men.
The star of the FRAME denim line is their skinny jeans. Worn by A-list musicians, models and actors, they have the stamp of celebrity approval. So yes, they are expensive, but if you ask FRAME fans, they are worth every dollar.
Rag & Bone
The New York label entered the denim market in 2002 and has maintained its presence ever since. They’re known for their “edgy yet understated New York aesthetic,” according to their website.
Rag & Bone makes some of the best jeans in a variety of styles and washes. The Slim Fit Indigo Authentic Stretch Jeans are a crowd favorite.
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Best Jean Brands Petites
Citizens Of Humanity
Based in Los Angeles since 2003, Citizens of Humanity focuses primarily on denim, which is usually good to look for and can often be found in top denim brands. If it doesn’t, you might want to be careful.
Naked And Famous
Canadian brand Naked & Famous is here to offer something different – a super heavy 32oz pair of jeans, or denim mixed with linen, or both left and right twill that create a subtle checkerboard pattern.
Some of the ideas are pure novelty (scratched denim anyone?), but Naked & Famous opens up the possibilities for denim, and at a good price. Try the Super Guy Skinny Fit denim for starters.
Diesel
Diesel was founded in the late 70s with the goal of becoming known as an alternative jeans brand. If you’re not one to follow the mainstream, check out Diesel for their graphics that are upsetting, and for the boldest among us, go for designs that really make an impact.
Their jeans are consistent bestsellers and are available in a variety of washes.
CONCLUSION
Finding the right pair of jeans is difficult. There are so many things to consider: fit on your build, stress level, which pairs can be worn for which occasions and whether they need to be altered. Styles also change, so you have to keep up with what’s in, out and back. It’s enough to give you such a bad headache that you give up shopping altogether.
But here we are, with the hope and optimism you need to make shopping for jeans a little easier, if not quite enjoyable. There are some brands, styles and washes that are pretty hard to go wrong with and will last for a long period of time.
There are others that may not be staples in your wardrobe, but are nice to have. Then there are the jeans that you buy when you have the basics and you’re just looking for a pair that will stand out.
REEFERENCES
- glamour.com – The 17 Best Jeans Brands to Know (and Shop!) in 2021
- fashionbeans.com – 20 BEST JEANS BRANDS FOR MEN TO BUY IN 2022
EDITOR’S RECOMENDATION
