Q: Iʼm a thirty-something straight guy on a budget. Iʼd like to trade in my baggy, basic blue jeans for something more stylish and current, but a lot of the designer brands are way out of my price range. Iʼm not looking to shop at K-Mart, but I canʼt afford Barneyʼs either. Where in NYC can I go to find a cool pair of jeans for $100 or less?
A: Luckily, as mass-market retailers aim to keep pace with higher-end designers, the number of opportunities for budget-conscious consumers continues to increase. A lot of wallet-friendly stores, including H&M, Uniqlo, Zara, and Urban Outfitters, stock on-trend menʼs denim for considerably less than $100 a pair. (Check out Zaraʼs Basic Slim jeans, which retail for $49.90 and are available in five different washes.) And if youʼre willing to brave the hoards of teenage fashionistas, even Forever 21 offers a surprisingly decent collection of affordable menʼs denim, with most items priced around $40 or less.
If “trendy” isnʼt your thing, you can never go wrong with the classics. Leviʼs, Gap, and Lucky Brand all make jeans that rival their more expensive counterparts, and are readily available throughout the city. Try the 501 Original Fit by Leviʼs ($48 – $84 depending on the wash), the 1969 Original Fit by Gap ($89.95), or Lucky Brandʼs 361 Vintage Straight jean ($99.00).
Another possibility? Scour discount stores like Loehmannʼs and Century 21, which often stock higher-end brands including Joeʼs, Diesel, and Seven for All Mankind for a fraction of what youʼd pay in a department store. (Online, try sites like Overstock.com and Bluefly.com, which offer similar deals.) Or visit resale shops like Buffalo Exchange or Housing Works—you might luck out and find a great piece of gently used designer denim at an even better price!
On another note, there is something to be said for the way a truly fantastic pair of jeans can make you look and feel. If youʼre thinking about refreshing your wardrobe with 2-3 pairs of less expensive jeans, it might also be worth considering the purchase of a single, more expensive pair from a designer like AG or Hudson instead. (Youʼll probably have to try on quite a few styles before finding one that fits perfectly, so start at a department store like Bloomingdale’s, where the menʼs store offers a huge range of brands in one convenient location.) If you go this route, be sure to choose your denim wisely, and opt for classic cuts and colors instead of trendy embellishments. A solid, dark-wash jean with a slim or straight leg is versatile enough for just about any occasion, and unlike rips and tears and whiskering, it will never go out of style. Just think of your new jeans as an investment–exercise proper denim care, and theyʼre likely to last for years to come!
Rebecca Frey is a costume designer, wardrobe stylist, and personal shopper. She has worked on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live, and Conan, and is also the owner of Seek New York, a NYC-based company that provides a friendly, low-pressure approach to style and offers personalized shopping tours with licensed NYC guides. Every Tuesday, she answers your most pressing shopping-related quandaries. Need Becky’s help? Email your questions to emily@askanewyorker.com.
