<p>I buy tons of stuff from Goodwill. Today I’m wearing Lucky Brand Jeans and a pink Lacoste merino wool hoody sweater both from GW. Also bought two pairs of Old Navy men’s “slim” jeans that fit me better than many women’s jeans. The thought of spending over $200 on a pair of jeans makes me dizzy!</p>
<p>@momofthreeboys: “when jeans first started appearing in my early high school years my mother would not let me wear them…and all there was to buy was “boy’s jeans””…</p>
<p>er, I hesitate to ask… but when was that? I remember buying girl’s jeans in the mid-60’s – I remember I would get Wranglers or Lee’s. I actually started buying boy’s jeans (Levi’s) for myself in college – early 70’s – that’s because I was so skinny back then I had no hips, and the junior cut would be hanging around my rump; plus I discovered that the boys jeans were cheaper. </p>
<p>Then again, I grew up on Texas. It’s hard for me to envision a world without jeans and cowboy boots. ;)</p>
<p>I never wore jeans to school as a kid because I am old enough that the schools had dress codes and girls were always required to wear dresses or skirts to school… the dress code at my high school actually was changed to allow girls to wear pants the year after I graduated. But I don’t think I took anything but jeans with me when I went off to college. </p>
<p>OK, here’s some research.</p>
<p>“Lady Levi’s” introduced 1934: “The first jeans for women, Lady Levi’s® are made of pre-shrunk denim and constructed with many of the same features of the men’s 501® jeans. They owe their feminine allure to a fashionably high, nipped in waist.”</p>
<p>Link: <a href=“http://us.levi.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=18816896”>http://us.levi.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=18816896</a></p>
<p>Since those of us over 50 were wearing these jeans in our teens, I sort of think we own the style. They aren’t too young for us. imho. Vince mason jeans are made in USA (I believe) so naturally they will be more expensive. I am willing to buy much less and buy made in USA. (Of course, my kids are done with college) I am not sure the denim is USA produced.</p>
<p><a href=“Meet Your Maker: Cone Mills Of Greensboro, North Carolina”>http://www.rawrdenim.com/2013/03/meet-your-maker-cone-mills-of-greensboro-north-carolina/</a></p>
<p>This site gives some makers who do use USA produced denim. It definitely isn’t budget shopping.</p>
<p>I have worn the Vince jeans now twice. They are the most comfortable jeans I have ever owned. I wish they were not distressed since that limits where I can wear them. My H has not commented on the holes which leads me to believe they aren’t too bad. I probably wouldn’t buy them for $200 but I would pay over $100.
The boyfriend fits nothing like a boot cut. Boot cut looks terrible on me. They make me look bottom heavy which I am not. I have no hips or butt. Definitely no curves. My go to jeans in my teens and 20’s were men’s Levi 501 shrink to fit. My legs are fairly long for my height.
In college I took a textile class and it changed how I look at fabric. I am very particular about good feeling cotton and natural materials. I hate polyester.
Our goodwill and thrift shops charge extra for designer and premium denim. A pair of premium denim goes for around $30 at Goodwill. Crossroads has plenty of premium brands for $20and a lot of the time they are stamped 1/2 off. But they are all hit or miss.</p>
<p>I have never heard of Vince jeans - where are they often available for purchase??</p>
<p>Polyester isn’t just uncomfortable. It’s not really biodegradable.</p>
<p>In another thread recently, BunsenBurner referenced this book:
<a href=“‘Overdressed,’ by Elizabeth L. Cline - The New York Times”>‘Overdressed,’ by Elizabeth L. Cline - The New York Times;
<p>In the book Cline discusses USA denim and what happens to synthetic fabrics in landfills. It’s kind of depressing.</p>
<p>( I remember shrink to fits in HS!) </p>
<p>“I have never heard of Vince jeans - where are they often available for purchase??”</p>
<p>At a Vince store. <a href=“https://www.vince.com/”>https://www.vince.com/</a></p>
<p>I think also at Nordstrom, Saks, etc.</p>
<p>Marshall’s and TJ Maxx also sometimes have Vince. This is the first pair of pants I have had from them. I have had several tops. </p>
<p>I’m sure they’re fine, but they look no different from my Old Navy jeans, or D’s from, well, anywhere. They’ve have to put themselves on and fly me to Cancun for the full price of a pair. And nothing would ever possess me to spend $185 on a tank top. Not even if I had Oprah’s income.</p>
<p>Sseamom…comment of the day, right there!^^^^^</p>
<p>There is one thing I have never been and never will be and that is shaped like that! LOL. Even when I was all of 115 lbs I couldn’t wear boy jeans.</p>
<p>The tank tops from Vince are only $48. I have several and they last forever. I’ve found that cheaper tanks and tee’s don’t stay soft or keep their shape. </p>
<p>Vince stuff is well made (well, most of it). I’d rather buy one quality item than go through several that turn into rags after a couple of wears. Still, I would not pay full price for most stuff. ;)</p>
<p>The Vince website had a silk tank top for $185. But what clothes fall to pieces after being worn a few times? I’ve never had that happen-not even with stuff from Walmart. I’m pretty certain I couldn’t wear out 10 pair of $20 jeans faster than a single $200 pair would last.</p>
<p>No, they wouldn’t wear out but they might not look great, either. I think it depends on whether jeans are weekend wear or fashion. I wear jeans nearly always. And, while I don’t care for Vince I do like quality. Old Navy seems to stretch out quickly. LEVI’s are always pretty good. Some people drool over 500-dollar shoes. Others just cannot tell the difference.</p>
<p>I wear men’s jeans, 29-32. They are $10 at Walmart. Seriously. Everything looks great on me. All my relatives, friends and neighbors are jealous.</p>
<p>Sseamom, my baby kiddo wore a pair of leather (!) shoes from a discount store to <em>holes</em> in one day - and all she was doing was playing on the daycare’s playground. The next pair came from Nordstrom, survived a summer of rough play, and was passed down twice. Yeah… stuff can fall apart after a couple of washes, like my unfortunate Macy’s purchases (that was the time when Macy went totally south) did. That said, there is crap sold by the fancy stores - as they say, not all that glitters is gold. 
I would not pay $200 for a pair of jeans nor would I pay $185 for a tank top, but I would gladly buy the former on sale, if… - if it fits me and I need a pair of jeans.</p>
<p>I dislike buying jeans, quality control seems often poor, whether it is an expensive pair of jeans from Anthroplogie or a slightly less expensive pair from Fred Meyer.
Even Levi 501s vary the material depending on whether they were made in Mexico or Egypt.
H has been wearing the same size for as long as Ive known him (38 years), but some require a belt.</p>
<p>I like 501’s also, although Levi has a couple different cuts that look more fashionable- except I can never remember which ones when I am out shopping.</p>
<p>I have some madein USA GAP jeans which still look good years later & some expensive jeans which are new but I can already tell they arent going to last.
I hate the current philosophy of buying the jeans so tight you can barely get them on, under the assumption that the material will stretch. I want to see how something will fit when I buy it.
I also think chemical washes are bad because it breaks down the fibers and shortens the life of the garment, not to mention when they add holes, it is unlikely to be anywhere you would actually see a hole from frequent wear.
But I love jeans even though they are not very practical at times. When I was in jr high, jeans/ pants werent allowed, but in high school anything goes. Swabby jeans( theoretically Navy surplus) were very popular, but they all had to be taken in because I had no hips. I was the precursor to the thug life jeans popular in the suburbs.
Take a step, hitch up your pants, take another step, hitch up your pants.
Repeat. </p>