How much is too much to spend on jeans?

Editor’s Note: What’s Too Much? offers a guide to making informed shopping decisions across a range of categories including fashion, beauty, and luxury.

CNN
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When actress Blake Lively wore a pair of $19,000 designer jeans to a screening of her latest film, “It Ends with Us,” earlier this summer, the look—which was covered by several media outlets—got a lot of attention. And the price tag didn’t go unnoticed. Sure, there were horrified comments on social media, which is to be expected, but the moment also inspired a reasonable question: How much is too much to spend on jeans?

Featuring thigh-to-heel slits and hibiscus flower embroidery, these jeans from Italian fashion house Valentino are styled with a simple white shirt, Christian Louboutin heels, hoop earrings and Lively’s long, tousled hair. These jeans are something of an anomaly, designed—no doubt—with celebrities and the 1% in mind. They’re a conversation starter; they’re about fantasy, not about kids dropping their kids off at school.

On fashion retail sites, including Net-a-Porter and Ssense, the most expensive jeans aren’t even close to their real prices, with the highest prices typically ranging from $2,500 to $3,500 for brands like Jean Paul Gaultier, Dolce & Gabbana, and Ralph Lauren. On Valentino’s own site at the time, the second-most expensive pair of jeans was $2,700 (down from $4,500). Still, that was a lot of money for most people.

Cheaper options are available all over the market—from classic Levi’s at $100 to newer jeans brands, like MUD Jeans or ELV Denim, that emphasize their sustainable or circular credentials (jeans in this category tend to be priced around $200 to $500).

So, perhaps the real question is: With such a range of prices, and so many options, how should you decide which jeans are right for you? And what are you really getting for your money?

Shopping for a new pair of jeans can be a daunting process—from the cut style to the washing of the jeans—there are many considerations beyond price.

For fashion designer Becky Malinski, it’s important to know what you’re using your jeans for: “Is it for work, is it for spending time with your kids, is it for going out to dinner,” she said in a phone interview.

A simple Google search will yield a myriad of brands and styles to choose from. Malinsky, who also writes the popular book “5 Things You Should Buy,” NewsletterShe looks to a few “premium” brands in the denim world to see what they do with shape, shade and color. From there, she says, “think about where your body type fits within some of these trends.”

“I always look to brands like Citizens of Humanity — I think they do a really good job with fashion and fit. I wear classic Levi’s and recommend them to clients all the time. I think the price point is right. I also follow what designers are doing… The Row is so prolific in denim right now,” she said.

When shopping, don’t just try on jeans—stand, walk, and sit in them. Comfort is essential if you plan to wear your new purchases often.

Malinski also stressed the importance of understanding how to balance style and comfort. Flexibility usually equates to greater comfort, but too much flexibility can negatively impact your appearance.

“For anyone who still wants a little stretch in their jeans, I always recommend looking for straight leg jeans or something a little looser. So you can get the comfort factor in your waist… but it won’t stretch out like skinny jeans.”

You may also want to consider choosing the right size and having your jeans altered to fit your body shape. Whether you’re tall and skinny or short and curvy, finding a good tailor can be a game-changer when it comes to ensuring that any piece of clothing fits you perfectly.

If you’re wondering how to judge the quality of a piece of denim, Malinsky says that “hand feel” is very important. “Anything that’s too soft, like you’re touching a shirt, won’t hold up. You want something that has a little bit of resistance to your hand.”

If you’re shopping for men’s jeans, Malinsky advises against “worn-out” jeans, suggesting instead a classic, smart cut in a darker color. She points to Syd Marshalls as a great option in the menswear category.

In general, if you’re looking for pants that will stand the test of time (as we all should if we’re going to be more thoughtful and sustainable consumers), avoid over-the-top designs like too-tight or too-loose pants, ripped cuts, and embellishments. Straight or slightly tapered jeans, mid- to high-rise waists, in a medium or slightly darker color, will never go out of style.

While there’s no suggestion that you should give up your first apartment’s down payment to buy a pair of jeans, there is an argument for spending more money.

“It takes a lot of resources and a lot of hands to produce a pair of jeans,” said Sandra Capone, co-founder of sustainable fashion site Good on You. “So if we’re buying jeans at ridiculously cheap prices, that means someone or something is paying the price.”

“And when you consider the cost per wear, spending money up front on high-quality items that you will wear over and over again is often the best choice for your wallet and the planet,” she added.

Good on You includes: guide Of brands, ranked by price and ethical credibility. The site currently features 21 “great” jeans brands (top ranked, ranging from “great” to “avoid”).

“It’s unbelievable, the denim range,” Annie Wells, a spokeswoman for the Transformers Foundation, a denim industry watchdog, said via Zoom. “You can find a pair for $20 and you can find a pair for $20,000. Obviously, if you’re looking at a $20 pair of jeans, you can imagine that the work behind it probably wasn’t up to the standards that we like to hold ourselves to if you think about the hundreds of hands that touched that pair of jeans; you can imagine that people aren’t getting paid fairly at the other end. You can also imagine that the materials are much cheaper … to get that price.”

Wells believes that $100 to $400 jeans are “the sweet spot.” “I personally feel like there are a lot of sustainable brands that make really good jeans for $150 to $200. But once you go over $400… I think you’re really paying for the brand.”

Malinsky generally agreed with this assessment, while repeating warnings about how cheap jeans usually are.

Should consumers pay extra for their favorite brands? Sure. If money is no object, or you’re feeling rich, buy a pair of designer jeans or even a pair of Valentino pumps from Lively (but be quick, as these are already sold out in various sizes online).

“For some people, (the price of designer jeans) is worth it if you’re going to wear those jeans a lot and that’s the foundation of your outfit,” Malinsky said.

Ultimately, you can’t put a price on the perfect pair of jeans that you wear multiple times a week and always feel great in. So shop carefully, ask for prices under $100, try everything on, and don’t worry about what other people are spending.

However, if you’re still shaking your head in amazement at the sight of a $19,000 pair of jeans, remember: Last year, someone bought a pair of worn-out Kurt Cobain jeans for more than $400,000.