I have worn boot cut jeans for most of my adult life, whether in fashion or not. Fortunately, they’ve tended to be, if not the cusp of cool, at least presentable. And I do even wear boots on occasion. But I’d realized they’d become a bit slouchy looking as I’ve been losing weight, especially in the thighs. Thus my search began.
H&M’s slim fit and straight leg jeans were all far too small for me. Because I’m tall but not skinny, I tend to need around a 36-inch waist with a 34-inch inseam. Most designers, especially in New York, presume that if you have a 36-inch waist you must just be fat. 36/30s are easy to come by, but even a 36/32 is a treat. Plus all the H&M jeans that fit in the calf were too tight in the thigh; I’ve still got a little meat up there. Which is to say: fat.
Old Navy, who makes horrible jeans in general, was right next door, so in I went. Their straight-leg jeans are actually cut with a giant thigh, slimming down to a tiny cuff. I didn’t even bother trying them on.
I decided to check out UNIQLO last night after we posted about their PANTONE cashmere sweaters. (Which are nice, but I wasn’t quite ready to pull the trigger.) The Japanese store had a lovely pair of straight-leg 36/34s that just fit; they actually had a “skinny fit” cut that would have been even tighter.
The point to this “I bought some jeans” post is this: I have joined the skinny jeans regime, the very same that I have called “hipster twats” in the recent past as they sidled past with hot girlfriends. And except for the way they highlight the muffin top fat that is smooshed out of the waistband under my t-shirt, I kind of like them! They make my sneakers look very cool.
I laughed at him a little, for what it’s worth. They do look alright though, goddamnit.
Are we talking skinny like tight all the way down to the ankle?
this post is pointless without a real pic of you sporting them!
Holy shit, how the hell did i stumble upon a gay ass website?
i, too, have had much difficulty finding jeans that fit well. both before and after losing my weight. it was as you described: if you have a 36″ waist, you must likewise have a giant, dumpy ass also, right?
i have naturally freakish proportions – 6 feet tall with a 29″ inseam. i’ve found that buying low-rise jeans but wearing them near my normal waist works out well. i typically have to buy the low-rises in a size smaller than my normal waist size dictates (as they are marked to match your normal waist, even though they sit below it, where you are larger around). so i currently wear 34’s but buy low-rise 32’s and wear them normally.
this trick might work for you, i dunno. it depends if you’re stricken with giant-torsoism like i am.
Pics or it didn’t happen.
But honestly, you’ve actually got the same measurements as me, interestingly enough, so pics of how a man of our stature looks in this style would be good. Most of the guys I see in skinnies are just that. Skinny, and frequently really short. I think I’ll stick with bootcuts, myself, but as my sneaker regime expands to ever more flamboyant ranks I do miss out on showing them off properly. Although, I find that this problem resolves itself when I sit down and my cuffs naturally rise. It’s like a saucy little peep-show for my rad footgear, so I can go without constantly showing them. Plus, I even have some shoes now with points of interest on their soles. THEIR SOLES.
Oh geez, not another skinny jean’d hipster twat. We need a pic!
Joking aside, maybe your female readers can settle this one: Do you prefer guys in v. tight jeans? I’ve always wondered if it was the same as me preferring women in tight shirts, but even then too tight looks wrong.
I have a 34 waist and 34 or 36 inseam (6′ 1″), depending on the brand. Even Levis don’t always fit the same.
Funny you mentioned H&M – the only one I found that carries jeans in my size was in Germany. Unfortunately I had to buy two separate set/styles because they only fit seasonally. I got the flair bottom ones and the regular Divided straight cut. They are so tight in my thighs in the winter months when I start packing in food and hitting the squats more, and the flared ones fit my legs well, but are crazy loose in the waist year round.
There is no happy medium for tall, in-shape guys. 36-40 waist with a 30-32 inseam seem to be common. WTF???
I know a totally hetero dude who went shopping alone one day to try on big-girl jeans, and they fit perfectly. Couldn’t even tell. During a similar rant last year he told me his dirty secret, but I could never bring myself to do it.
Whatever you do, STAY AWAY from the don’t-call-me-gay-I’m-metrosexual low-rise male jeans. No excuse for ever sporting those. You didn’t mention low-rise, but you did say muffin top. If they don’t look good without a t-shirt, they don’t look good. Period. Run, jump rope, drag a tire, or lift until they fit properly.
@JB – the chicas I’ve heard from hate it, regardless of how in-shape a guy is.
Why does it seem that you are plugging Uniqlo just a bit too hard? I think I know. I was just doing a blast for them ;) Looks like they are planning a take over. are they?
Yes, two posts about Uniqlo! The conspiracy is revealed! I mean, fuck, if they want to advertise that would be awesome, but what you’re seeing now is simply my discovery of a new store.
Pics may be forthcoming. The last time I put up pics of myself took a healthy bit of ego wrangling on my part, so let me see if I can muster the gumption.
Welcome to Scandinavia, two years ago. I had a hard time adjusting to the skinny fit and have settled for straight leg, not too skinny. Still waiting for the boot cut come back though.
btw skinny jeans should be high-rise, not low.
Frode, you want boot cut, wear boot cut. They are in style in the U.S. now. Welcome to this year!
I dunno. Seems to me that only a Certain Kind Of Men can wear skinny jeans, and if you’re not wearing a scarf right this very instant, you’re probably not that CKOM.
And even if you are that CKOM, you probably shouldn’t wear them. Sure, we can more easily see your flashy sneakers, but they’ll suddenly look really big and kind of stupid. Inseam length is also suddenly really, really important, as if it’s not perfect, you’ll either show a lot of ankle or have a weird bunching-up atop your shoes. Non-skinny cuts are much more forgiving length-wise.
Even the vast, vast, vast majority (vast!) of women shouldn’t wear them, even if they’re going for a “casual/glamourous European fashion” look, which leads to tights/high heels/socks combinations, which looks really, really awful and stupid.
In conclusion, skinny jeans = danger. Danger!
FWIW, i’m not a fan of skinny jeans, on males or females. I think they look silly/trashy. But, you kids do whatever you want, it doesn’t effect me. Not anymore.
As a female fan of this site (reminds me of Details back in the day before something went horribly wrong), I have to say “it depends.” My supposedly-straight hair stylist wears skinny jeans you’d swear were painted on. Bad idea. But I also don’t like to see baggy jeans that give you no idea what’s doin’. I like a boot-cut or straight-leg style on the fellas.
So, in short, make ‘em fitted enough so I can see what your butt looks like, but not so tight that I can actually make out your balls.
FWIW, there is *nothing* that looks better on a guy than a pair of levis 501s. Period.
i havent found a pair of jeans that fit well for at least six or seven years. i gave up. i just stick to nice dress pants and matching collared shirts when i go out to bars. and then cargo pants/beat up khakis when i just go outside for stuff. and sweatpants for indoors. jeans really suck lately.
34-32 and 6′4″
What kind of shirts do you where with skinnies and the similar slim fit (Levi)/regular fit (Lee)?
Great tip about the inseam length.