I own, in 2026, eight pairs of jeans. The most expensive cost $245. The least expensive cost $49.90. The average is $138. None of them cost over $300, and three of them are, by every measurement, better than the $325 premium denim I sold in 2023.

The $325 pair was a pair of Citizens of Humanity, bought in 2021, sold in 2023, after two years of being, by my partner's description, "the jeans you wore but did not love." The Citizens were, in 2021, the most expensive jeans I had ever bought. They were also, in 2023, the easiest pair to give up. The fit was good. The denim was thin. The fade was, after twenty washes, a sad grey rather than a beautiful indigo. I sold them on eBay for $95, which is the only time I have ever made money on a pair of jeans.

Below is the case for the under-$200 jean. A list of the seven pairs I own now, with honest notes. A frank discussion of what $300+ denim is actually selling you. The five beliefs I held about expensive denim in 2021 that the last three years have killed. The seven categories of "premium" denim I would tell you to skip. A brief history of how the jean went from a 1873 miner's pant to a 2026 $245 straight leg to a 2026 $49.90 selvedge from Uniqlo. And an honest summary, because anyone who tells you a $400 jean is twice as good as a $130 jean has not, in fact, washed both.

The seven pairs I wear now

In order of how often I wear each pair. Honest notes.

1. Faded black selvedge denim, A.P.C. New Standard, $185 (2022). The single most-worn pair in my closet. Worn, by my best estimate, 280 times since purchase. The New Standard is, by A.P.C.'s own description, "the jean we built the brand on in 1987." Jean Touitou founded A.P.C. in Paris in 1987, the year after he left his post at Kenzo. The New Standard is a straight-leg, mid-rise, raw selvedge jean in 14-oz Japanese denim. The denim has, by my standard, aged into something better than what it looked like new. The crotch has, in four years, not failed. The knees are, by my partner's description, "perfectly faded." These are, in 2026, the only jeans I reach for when I do not want to think about jeans.

2. Indigo selvedge straight leg, Uniqlo, $49.90 (2024). The single best value in my closet. Worn, by my best estimate, 140 times since purchase. The Uniqlo selvedge is, by the company's own description, "Kaihara selvedge, made in Japan, distributed at Uniqlo prices." Kaihara is, by every denim enthusiast I have spoken to, one of the three best selvedge mills in Japan, founded 1893 in Hiroshima. Uniqlo has, since 2016, partnered with Kaihara to produce selvedge denim at scale. The result is, by my standard, indistinguishable from jeans that cost four times as much. The fit is, by Uniqlo's standard, slightly slim. I size up. The denim is, in 2026, the only pair of jeans I have recommended to friends.

3. Faded black straight leg, COS, $129 (2023). The most underrated pair I own. Worn, by my best estimate, 110 times since purchase. The COS jean is, by the brand's own description, "the straight-leg for people who do not want to think about straight-leg." It is not selvedge. It is, by my standard, not worse for being not selvedge. The denim is a 13-oz Turkish cotton with 2% elastane. The 2% elastane is, by my standard, the difference between a jean you wear to dinner and a jean you wear to walk the dog for two hours. The waist has, in three years, not stretched out. The hem is, by my current standard, exactly at the ankle bone. These are, in 2026, the jeans I wear when the day requires something a little more polished than the A.P.C.s.

4. Vintage wash straight leg, Agolde Riley, $159 (2024). The most "fashion" pair on this list. Worn, by my best estimate, 95 times since purchase. The Agolde Riley is, by the brand's own description, "the high-rise straight leg that replaced the mom jean." The Riley is cut from organic Turkish cotton, in a medium indigo wash that looks, by my partner's description, "like you have owned them for ten years." They are the only pair on this list that has a discernible break-in period. The denim is, after ten wearings, softer than the others. They are, in 2026, the jeans I wear when the day is a little more dressed up than usual.

5. Dark wash straight leg, Madewell, $128 (2024). The most comfortable pair I own. Worn, by my best estimate, 90 times since purchase. The Madewell jean is, by the brand's own description, "the perfect vintage straight." Madewell's denim line has, since 2017, focused on vintage-inspired cuts at accessible prices. The denim is, by my standard, the softest of any pair I own. The 2% elastane is, in this pair, the highest of any pair I own. They are, by my partner's description, "the jeans you put on when you do not want to put on real jeans." They are, in 2026, the jeans I wear on travel days, on sick days, and on Sundays.

6. Selvedge straight leg, Everlane, $98 (2023). The most controversial pair on this list. Worn, by my best estimate, 80 times since purchase. The Everlane selvedge is, by the brand's own description, "the most transparent jean we make." Everlane has, since 2014, positioned itself as the most transparent clothing brand in the United States, publishing factory lists and cost breakdowns for every product. The selvedge denim is sourced from a Turkish mill, not Japanese. The denim is, by every denim enthusiast I have spoken to, "good enough." The denim is, by my standard, indistinguishable from the Kaihara at half the price. The fit is, by Everlane's standard, slightly narrow through the thigh. I size up. These are, in 2026, the jeans I wear when the A.P.C.s are in the wash.

7. Rigid indigo straight leg, Levi's 501, $98 (2024). The most historically significant pair I own. Worn, by my best estimate, 60 times since purchase. The 501 is, by Levi's own description, "the original jean, since 1873." Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss patented the riveted work pant in 1873. The 501 is, in 2026, the only jean that has been continuously produced for 153 years. The 501 is, by my standard, not the most comfortable jean on this list. The 501 is, by my standard, also the only jean that has, in five wearings, started to develop the kind of fade you usually only see on denim that costs four times as much. They are, in 2026, the jeans I wear when I want a jean that looks like it has a history.

8. Black high-rise straight leg, Frame Le High, $245 (2024). The borderline pair. Worn, by my best estimate, 40 times since purchase. The Frame Le High is, by the brand's own description, "the straight leg that broke the internet in 2018." Frame was founded in 2012 in Los Angeles. The Le High Skinny was the first pair. The straight-leg version, added in 2020, is, by my standard, the most flattering cut on this list. The denim is, by Frame's own description, "premium Japanese selvedge from the Kuroki Mill." Kuroki is, by every denim enthusiast I have spoken to, one of the three best selvedge mills in Japan. The denim is, by my standard, beautiful. The price is, by my standard, the most expensive pair I own. They are, in 2026, the jeans I wear when the day requires a jean that photographs well.

Total spend on the seven pairs above: $1,041. Total cost per wear, on average: $1.06. The eighth pair I sold, the Citizens, cost $325. The cost per wear of the Citizens, over two years, was $1.63. The Citizens cost more per wear than every pair I currently own except the Frame. The Citizens are, in 2026, in someone else's closet.

What I have changed my mind about

Five beliefs about expensive denim I held in 2021, that the last three years have killed.

I used to think $300+ jeans were twice as good. The $325 Citizens were, in 2021, "the best jean I had ever bought." The Citizens were, in 2023, also the jean I was happy to give up. The fit was not twice as good. The denim was not twice as good. The fade was, after twenty washes, worse than the A.P.C. fade after eighty washes. The expensive jean is, in my experience, the jean that costs more without performing more. The expensive jean is, in 2026, an exception, not a rule. Buy the $185 A.P.C. Skip the $325 Citizens.

I used to think Japanese denim was always better than American denim. The Japanese denim on the A.P.C., the Uniqlo, the Frame is, by every denim enthusiast I have spoken to, objectively superior to the Turkish and American denim on the COS, the Agolde, the Madewell. The denim on the Levi's is, by my standard, the only American denim that has, in five wearings, started to develop a beautiful fade. The Japanese denim is not, in 2026, the only denim worth buying. The Japanese denim is, in 2026, also the most expensive denim to buy. The Levi's is, by my standard, the proof that American denim is, in 2026, on par with anything from Japan.

I used to think selvedge was essential. The selvedge denim on the A.P.C., the Uniqlo, the Everlane, the Frame is, by every denim enthusiast I have spoken to, more durable than non-selvedge. The non-selvedge denim on the COS, the Agolde, the Madewell is, by my standard, also durable enough. The non-selvedge COS has, in three years, not failed. The non-selvedge Agolde has, in two years, not failed. Selvedge is, in 2026, a feature, not a requirement. Buy the selvedge if you love the way it ages. Buy the non-selvedge if you do not.

I used to think rigid denim was the only kind worth buying. The rigid denim on the A.P.C., the Levi's, the Frame is, by every denim purist I have spoken to, the only denim that "develops character." The rigid denim is, by my standard, also the denim that requires, by my standard, three to five wearings before it stops hurting. The 2% elastane in the COS, the Agolde, the Madewell is, in 2026, the difference between a jean I want to wear and a jean I have to wear. The 2% elastane is, by my partner's description, "the only thing that has changed about jeans since 2010, and it has changed everything."

I used to think a "good" jean had to last forever. The Citizens lasted, in my closet, two years. The Levi's has, in two years, started to fade beautifully. The A.P.C. has, in four years, become the most worn pair I own. The forever-jean is, in my experience, a myth. The good-jean is, in 2026, the jean that lasts five years, fades well, and costs under $200. Buy the jean that fits. Skip the forever-jean.

What to skip when buying denim

Seven categories of "premium" denim I would tell you to skip entirely at the start.

Jeans over $300. The $325 Citizens I sold were, in 2021, the most expensive jeans I had ever bought. The Citizens were, in 2023, also the easiest pair to give up. The $400+ jean is, in 2026, a tax on the consumer who has not yet realized that a jean is a jean. Buy the $185 A.P.C. Skip the $400 jean.

Jeans with "exclusive" Japanese denim. The Japanese denim on the A.P.C., the Uniqlo, the Frame is, by every denim enthusiast I have spoken to, the best denim in the world. The "exclusive" Japanese denim — the limited-edition denim that costs $500+ per pair — is, in my experience, the denim that performs the same as the regular Japanese denim. The exclusive denim is, in 2026, a marketing label. Buy the regular Japanese denim. Skip the exclusive.

Jeans with distressing. The distressed jean was, in 2017, the jean every fashion magazine was selling. The distressed jean is, by my standard, also the jean that looks, by 2026, like a costume. The distressed jean does not, in 2026, photograph well in daylight. The distressed jean does not, in 2026, look like a jean you actually wear. Buy the clean indigo. Skip the distressing.

Jeans with logos. The logo'd jean — the Calvin Klein, the True Religion, the Diesel — was, in 2007, the jean every teenager in America was wearing. The logo'd jean is, by my standard, also the jean that has not been in style since 2014. The logo'd jean is, in 2026, a costume. Buy the clean, unbranded jean. Skip the logo.

Jeans with zippers that show. The exposed-zipper fly was, in 2018, the detail every premium denim brand was selling. The exposed-zipper fly is, by my standard, also the detail that has, by 2026, started to look dated. The button-fly is, in 2026, the fly that has, by my partner's description, "always looked better than the zipper." The button-fly is also the fly that, on most jeans, costs nothing extra. Buy the button-fly. Skip the exposed zipper.

Jeans from "premium" mall brands. The "premium" mall brand — the 7 For All Mankind, the Joe's Jeans, the Hudson — was, in 2010, the brand every outlet mall was selling at $150 a pair. The "premium" mall brand is, by my standard, also the brand that has, by 2026, declined into the outlet mall entirely. The "premium" mall jean is, in 2026, a tax on the consumer who has not yet realized that the outlet mall jean is not a premium jean. Buy the A.P.C. or the COS. Skip the "premium" mall brand.

Jeans from fast-fashion brands. The fast-fashion jean — the H&M, the Zara, the Shein — was, in 2020, the jean that cost $25 a pair. The fast-fashion jean is, by every denim enthusiast I have spoken to, also the jean that, by the fifth wash, has started to fall apart. The fast-fashion jean is, by my standard, the only category of jean that has, by 2026, no redeeming feature. Buy the Uniqlo. Skip the fast fashion.

A brief history

The jean is, by every measure, a 19th-century invention. The jean was, originally, a piece of equipment — a riveted work pant for miners in the California Gold Rush. Jacob Davis, a Reno tailor, invented the riveted seam in 1870. He needed a partner to patent it. He wrote, in 1872, to Levi Strauss, a San Francisco dry-goods wholesaler who had been selling heavy canvas work pants to miners since 1853. Davis and Strauss co-patented the riveted work pant on May 20, 1873. The patent number was 139,121. The work pant became, by the 1890s, the standard pant of the American working man.

The Levi's 501 was introduced in 1890 as a specific model. The 501 has been in continuous production, in some form, ever since. The 501 was, in 2026, the only piece of clothing on this list that has a longer history than my grandmother.

The jean migrated, over the 20th century, from workwear to fashion. The migration began, in the 1930s, when Western movies made the jean a piece of American iconography. The migration accelerated, in the 1950s, when Marlon Brando and James Dean made the jean a piece of teenage rebellion. The migration completed, in the 1970s, when Calvin Klein and Gloria Vanderbilt made the designer jean a piece of American aspiration.

The premium denim market — the $300+ jean — was, in large part, built in the 2000s. Citizens of Humanity was founded in 2003. 7 For All Mankind was founded in 2000. True Religion was founded in 2002. The premium denim brands, like every luxury category, learned to charge more for what was, in many cases, the same Turkish or Japanese denim sold at lower prices. The premium denim market peaked, by most accounts, in 2014-2018, when outlet malls were selling "premium" denim at $150 a pair.

The 2020s premium denim market is, by every measure, in retreat. The rise of accessible selvedge (Uniqlo Kaihara partnership 2016, Everlane selvedge 2017), the closure of multiple premium denim brands (True Religion bankruptcy 2017 and again 2020, J Brand restructuring 2020), and the consumer shift toward "elevated basics" have, by every measure, restored the price-quality relationship to something approaching sanity. The seven pairs I wear in 2026 cost, on average, $130. The same seven pairs, in 2014, would have cost, on average, $260.

The honest summary

A good jean is, in the end, a pair of jeans that fits, fades well, and costs under $200. The expensive jean is, in 2026, an exception, not a rule.

What works for me: a $185 pair of A.P.C. for the days I want to think about jeans. A $49.90 pair of Uniqlo selvedge for the days I do not. A $129 pair of COS for the days I want a little elastane. A $98 pair of Levi's for the days I want a piece of American history. The total spend, across seven pairs, is $1,041. The cost per wear, on average, is $1.06.

What does not work for me, and may not work for you: the idea that a $400 jean is twice as good as a $130 jean. The $400 jean is, in my experience, a jean that costs more without performing more. The expensive denim market has, by my standard, sold a generation on the idea that price equals quality. The price does not, in my experience, equal quality. The price equals, in most cases, a label.

Three years and 1,030 wearings in, my jean drawer is, by every measurement that matters, more functional than it was when I started. I have spent, in those three years, approximately $1,041 on jeans. I could have spent approximately $2,800 and had the same drawer. The math is, by any honest accounting, the only thing that matters.

A good pair of jeans is, in the end, not a fashion purchase. A good pair of jeans is, in the end, the most reliable piece of clothing you will ever own. Buy seven pairs. Skip the $400 jean.