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Abercrombie isn’t the only brand hawking superlative sub-$100 denim. Here’s every other pair worth your dollars right now.
Fit is tricky. People come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and the proportions that inform their personal style are highly subjective—and susceptible to dramatic shifts in preference. Most people can imagine what a “soft brushed cotton” feels like, but fit is a moving target; it defies easy categorization. So it’s all the more impressive when a brand absolutely nails it, which is exactly what Abercrombie just did in what might be the hardest category to do it in: jeans.
More specifically, well-priced, well-made jeans—an assortment that now includes two standby silhouettes you’ve probably heard us plug before, along with a brand-spanking-new riff that looks like the most designer-adjacent of the bunch.
Sure, Abercrombie’s Baggy jean—and its brolic cousin, the Ultra Baggy jean—have gotten quite a bit of love on GQ.com, but it’s not our fault that they fit so well and keep restocking in a gang of killer washes. We’re pleased to report that they both remain gloriously full through the hem (as its name implies, the Ultra is a bit fuller) and sync up extremely nicely with basically any shirt, tee, or sweater we’ve tried them with.
But we’re also pleased to report that the brand’s newest entry in the Big Denim arena, the Ultra Baggy Barrel jean, is just as good as its predecessors—and maybe even more versatile. The main differentiator is a subtle taper near the ankle and a slight bowing at the knee, a distinct flourish vaguely reminiscent of vintage Levi’s Silver Tabs, a few of the more utilitarian Lemaire silhouettes, or, for the real heads, the perennially sold-out OrSlow 101s (which I happen to wear on the daily). That telltale taper makes them just a bit more amenable to loafers and derbies, which means they’re a lot easier to dress up when occasion demands it.
If those sound like insignificant differentiators, well, we’d humbly suggest you revisit some of our coverage on the perils and pleasures of finding the perfect pair of pants—and then hightail it to Abercrombie’s site faster than you can say “mea culpa”. If designer-grade jeans that don’t break the bank are supposed to be hard to come by, nobody told The Moose.
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