By Dapperfied | June 23, 2016

Folks, today we are talking jeans – more specifically, cheap men’s jeans. Are cheap men’s jeans a good investment? Now we know jeans are usually great: they’re durable, easy to put on, and super-versatile. But, you’ve seen a great looking pair of jeans and look at the price – DIRT CHEAP. You’re instantly wary. The old saying – you get what you pay for – is running through your head and anything inexpensive can sometimes come with its own set of problems. So, at this point – you might still be wondering: is it really worth it to pick that pair up? You’re still not convinced.

In this article, we’ll have a look at the ins and outs of cheap men’s jeans—namely, whether getting a pair is the right choice for you, and, if you’ve decided that you will buy some, 6 pieces of advice to keep in mind. Ready? Let’s go.

Cheap men’s jeans: Are they worth it?

Whether or not cheap men’s jeans are worth it depends on what you plan on using them for. Of course, they’re always a great option for that time-honored tradition of painting your house. But if it’s painting jeans you need, you can just get them from a family member or a thrift store. You don’t need to get them via traditional clothes-purchasing routes.

They’re also a good idea if you need something to wear on your way to the gym; you can just stash them away in the changing room. Cheap jeans are also excellent choices if you want pants to lounge around the house in. If you keep them in good condition, you can also wear them when you’re out with your friends or significant others—to the theatre, to the mall, and so on.

Good quality, inexpensive jeans.

Beyond those uses, how much use you’ll get out of the jeans will depend on what the quality is like. “Cheap” doesn’t always mean “cheaply made”; it could just mean “inexpensive”—whether because those jeans are on sale, on clearance, or sold to you by a trusted friend. It could also be just a pair of jeans that’s been marked down so often you can buy it for a song. In these cases, cheap men’s jeans can definitely be worth it.

Now, let’s assume that the jeans are not only cheap in terms of price, but also in terms of quality and you are looking for a pair of jeans to dress up from time to time. In these cases, they may not be worth it for obvious reasons. There’s no point in buying something you won’t wear, no matter how low its price is. And even if you will wear them, their poor quality ensures that it’s still not worth it to buy them.

6 things to keep in mind if you have to purchase a pair of cheap men’s jeans.

1- Stake out the right shops and sales times.

Sales are always an awesome time to buy any kind of clothes: the prices are cheaper, sometimes significantly more so and sometimes, you might even be lucky enough to find clothes in your size. To find out when the sales in your local stores are, keep an idea for radio and print advertisements, as well as the flyers that appear in your mailbox. You’ll often hear adverts that say when sales are being held.

You can also try this spot out – they often have quality goods on sale with a fantastic review system to make sure you can read through previous buyers experience with the product you are considering. Be sure to go early, before everything is sold out.

Don’t be afraid of sample sales, either. These short-lived sales—which are held in temporary, pop-up venues—often feature extraordinary discounts that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Many sample sale retailers also have websites on which they detail their offerings, so be on the lookout for these as well.

2- Don’t be afraid of past season websites.

On these sites, you can find styles that are a year or two old, but their prices are killer. You might think that these styles are outdated, with trends that are out of style one season later, but that’s often not the case. In fact, these clothes are often just slightly old clothes that haven’t sold. They’re not restricted to any one style.

Furthermore, jeans styles in general tend not to be limited to any one style (with, perhaps, the exception of JNCO jeans and Apple Bottoms, also known as those pants from that one Flo Rida song: “Apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur…”….yes, you did actually read that…booyah! :)). As a result, most jeans you can find at stores will look fine, if they’re maintained properly.

3- But do be careful when buying jeans online.

Now we’re all about buying stuff online – it’s what this generation is all about. But that doesn’t mean you just buy without consideration. Don’t buy jeans if you can’t see exact measurements on the website. If you do end up doing this, then don’t be surprised if you receive jeans that are too big or—worse yet—too tight.

Be wary of super-cheap pants coming from retailers that don’t look legit – there are a ton of them out there. One look at their unprofessional sites should be ringing alarm bells your end. Only buy through reputable retailers. When shopping on eBay, Amazon or Etsy always look at the reviews before buying anything. Products that have a multitude of great reviews are generally quite safe bets. A good rule of thumb to always keep in mind when shopping online is that, if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

4- Know which sizes you are.

Jeans typically employ the 2 measurements associated with wearing pants: leg length and waist size. However, most men can fit into different sizes within these categories, depending on the season and any number of other factors. Be sure you know those sizes that fit you best, but be open to wearing sizes that are one up or one down. You never know what size your perfect jeans will be!

5- Find jeans that sit well on your legs and hips.

If you can, it is often a good idea to try pants on before you buy them. Check yourself out in the mirror from different angles, and take a friend with you so that you can get a second opinion (pro tip here!). Buying that perfect pair of jeans doesn’t just happen. It takes time and a considered buying approach.

Like with other items of clothing, getting the fit right is crucial with your jeans. Nail it and you’ll look spectacular every time you throw them on. Don’t, and you could either look like you’ve got sausage casings on your legs or you’ve decided to use wizard’s sleeves as pants – and neither look is particularly flattering.

6- Decide what kind of denim you want.

Finding the kind of denim that works for you is incredibly important, since different materials are suited to different activities. Denim is sold in both selvedge and raw forms. Raw denim refers to denim which has not been washed or treated during its production. In consequence, the fabric will retain its bright, vibrant blue colour. (Fun fact: jeans are traditionally blue because of the indigo plant they’re made with.)

Because raw denim hasn’t been dealt with, you need to break them in yourself. In raw denim, dye is not spread totally over the fabric and because of this, you need to wear the jeans for a bit, and move around in them, before the dye bleeds over properly – strengthening its shade of blue.

With this fabric, you can break in the jeans however you like; your style of wearing them and caring for them will affect how the pants look. Raw denim also tends to usually be made of 100% cotton.

Selvedge (or selvage) jeans are made out of denim that comes from the edge of the loom, which leaves a noticeable mark on the fabric. Selvedge jeans do not fray, curl, or unravel with time. Selvedge denim has traditionally been correlated with jeans of premium quality. They have been enjoying something of a comeback in recent years.

Jogg Jeans are jeans made with a combination of jersey (the kind you would use to make sweatpants) and regular denim. They are ideal for more casual activities that require more movement, such as sports and household tasks.

Also, pay attention to what type of jeans you’re buying. Skinny jeans aren’t good for sports or for walking long distances, and Jogg jeans are a bad choice for interviews and college classes. Knowing when to wear which jeans is as important as knowing which kind of denim to buy.

Wrapping up: Cheap men’s jeans – your choice.

At the end of the day, you can choose whether or not you’d like to acquire a pair of these denim pants; the choice is, naturally, completely up to you. But we’ll leave you with this – you shouldn’t be too quick to discount them simply because they’re made of less expensive materials. There’s a time and place for all types of jeans and different types of jeans will suit different situations. Give the idea of picking up a pair of inexpensive jeans some good hard thought to see if they have a place in your wardrobe.

So, should you buy a pair of cheap men’s jeans? The answer to that is a big maybe…:)