Do you have to dive $200-deep into the jean pool to find a pair that does the job stylishly?
Thomas George, owner of E Street Denim in Highland Park, answers this way:
“I can’t afford a diamond bezel Rolex, but I do know that it’s 10 after 12 on my watch.”
For under $100, stores such as The Limited and Old Navy and brands such as Tommy Jeans and Choice Calvin Klein emulate the styling of premium pairs with cheaper materials, processes and labor.
But if you want jeans that look like nobody else’s, you can pay more than $1,000 for the latest premium twist: limited-edition jeans. (It took 500 hours to make each of the seven turquoise-embellished pairs from Escada, according to Us Weekly. They’re $2,550 each.)
The point is, options abound. And if they overwhelm you, you can always slip into something old-school cool, such as Levi’s, the choice of several male celebs who attended Marshall Field’s Glamorama last month, or Lee ($44 for a One True Fit Premium pair at leejeans.com).
Across the range of pricing, trendy looks are embellished/distressed. Others …
Straighter legs: The most fashion-forward brands are offering pencil-straight legs. It’s not a look that everyone can pull off, said Robert Verdi, host of E’s “Fashion Police.” So flares and bootlegs remain plentiful.
Higher waists: “We’ve been seeing low on the hips for so long,” Verdi adds. “Now we’re going back to a more natural waist.”
Tucked: Jeans are tucking inside knee-high boots for fall. To abet the trend, Thirteen Denim offers a pair with built-in socks ($230 at thirteendenim.com) to eliminate baggy and saggy knees.
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$100 OR LESS
BRAND
Candies
Antique wash /distressed jean
PRICE
$48 at Kohl’s stores.
DETAILS
Thread-bare expanse down length of both legs. Ultra-soft denim. No stretch.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
A bit too much distress for jeans tester Colleen Foster’s taste. Refreshing to try on a pair that isn’t terribly long.
OTHERS IN SAME PRICE RANGE
– Mavi, in the Anne low-rise style, with floral embroidery and distress along the bottom of leg. $98 at Nordstrom, 520 N. Michigan Ave., 312-464-1515.
– Indie, with distressed vintage butterfly stitching on back pockets. $99 at Kokopelli, 30 E. 1st St., Hinsdale, 630-325-1996.
$100 TO $200
BRAND
G-Star
Slim Vitamin Wash
PRICE
$130 at G-Star Raw Denim, 1525 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-342-2623.
DETAILS
The Vitamin Wash is fortified with vitamins and essential oils that seep into the skin, allegedly fighting cellulite. Skinny leg, cut long.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Denim feels a little scratchy to Foster. Onlookers applaud the European look (the brand is Dutch) and the sleek fit.
OTHERS IN SAME PRICE RANGE
– Meltin’ Pot, in Mesh style, with M’s stitched on back pockets. Comfy fabric and flattering fit tempt tester Colleen Foster to buy. $145 at Untitled, 2707 N. Clark St., 773-404-9225.
– Lacoste, with higher rise and looser fit than some jeans. Stitching of crocodile’s tail is on one pocket and head is on the other. $125 at Marshall Field’s, 111 N. State St., 312-781-1000.
$200 AND UP
BRAND
Seven for All Mankind
Great China Wall
PRICE
$395 at Neiman Marcus, 737 N. Michigan Ave., 312-642-5900.
DETAILS
One of the limited-edition “Great China Wall styles. Encrusted with red stones and studs across the top. Distressed by hand.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Foster is smitten with the rustic, restrained embellishment and the flattering fit from waist to toe. “You can tell the $240 difference [from Gap jeans].”
OTHERS IN SAME PRICE RANGE
– Paige Premium Denim, with appliques on knee and back pocket. $270 at Neiman Marcus. (Paige’s Laurel Canyon style was pro-claimed the most flattering fit in August In Style magazine.)
– Saddlelite Rosalind is selling like hotcakes at both Jake stores in Chicago. “It fits a wide array of body types,” Jake co-owner Lance Lawson says. $225 at Jake, 939 N. Rush St., 312-664-5553.
