The Best Skinny Jeans for Men
From Slim to Tight: Here's the Skinny on Skinny Jeans For Guys!
So you're thinking about skinny jeans? Oh, or your already into them but want tighter ones, or want to find and try out a new pair? Skinny jeans are a cool fad that has been around since the 50's. Tons of people have put these on, and you don't have to be a rockstar to wear them. There are very split opinions about skinny jeans on men, and be weary of this. To pull these off you're gonna have to have legs, some money to burn, and most of all confidence. If you don't have confidence in how you look in these things, you won't look good no matter what, and you'll be uncomfortable! It's important to be confident in your decision to wear skinny jeans. Simply because it'll look really good, so long as you pick the right fit and size.
(Image Source: Buzzle.com)
The Very Basics
Things You Should Know
I don't know what you want specifically, no one can answer that question except you, but here's some things that I think you should keep in mind:
-There are many types of legs, and skinny jeans. Some people can easily pull them off, some people have to put some work into it; but as long as you like how you look in these things, it shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks.
-Don't count out slim jeans, sometimes they can be the best fit!
-A lot of people get caught up in trying to find the tightest pants possible. Sometimes, this isn't always a good idea.
-Always wear a belt.
-Fits vary slightly by wash.
-If you want to make a fit slightly tighter, size down. Same for making them slightly looser.
Factors of Skinny Jeans
There are many things that affect the tightness of your pants. The cut, the material, the leg opening, the list goes on and on. Some things you should keep in mind about your pants to get a better idea of how tight pants are before you try them on are:
Leg Opening This determines the taper of the leg, and is also one of the easiest ways to tell. Usually anything from 14 inches and up is a pretty big leg opening (Dillon Skinny), but anything under 12 inches will probably be really tight (Levi's 510's).Material will have effect everything about the pants. 100% cotton tight pants will not be comfortable, I assure you. They will also stretch weirdly but stay tighter longer. Usually, depending on how tight you want your pants to be, get at least 1-2% spandex, or stretch. Most slim jeans have 1%, while tight pants can have anything from 2-3% (but watch out for ones that have no stretch). Girls pants have a lot more, they have some spandex, but are mostly Lycra (what your socks are made of), making them super tight, stretchy, and comfortable.Sizing will greatly affect the tightness. If you get slim jeans with a slightly smaller than normal waistline, they're going to be tighter than you'd expect. Same goes for larger waistlines. Read sizing charts and measure yourself, then gauge whether you want tighter or looser pants than described. Then order up or down depending on what you want. You typically wanna stay within one waist size of your normal size.Slim Jeans (Loose Taper)
For those of you just looking to get into skinny jeans, or just want something a bit slimmer than the baggy straight jeans that you've been wearing; you're not quite sold on skinny jeans yet.
Levi's 511 Skinny
The vast majority of the Levi's 511 "Skinny Jeans" aren't very skinny. In my experiences with these jeans, they give you a good amount of room, but are still taper enough in the leg to qualify for slim and skinny. Ultimately, they are a good model if you are just trying out skinny jeans for the first time or just want something a bit slimmer, depending on the wash of course. Try sizing down a bit if you want a tighter fit.
Typical Price Range: $40-$60
(Most) Bullhead Dillon Skinny Jeans
Pacsun
These pants are really great. For a long time I didn't like them, but Pacsun has recently begun making them in a slightly different fit. Some of these are rather baggy, but many are skinny. They're always on sale too.
(If you do buy these pants, and want a skinnier fit, go for the twill ones. They're a tad bit skinnier)
Typical Price Range: ~$50/ea, ~$70/two pairs
Levi's 513 Slim Jeans
These jeans are slightly tapered in the leg, giving the pants more definition and shape. They are looser than everything else on this page, but still defining enough to qualify for slim fitting.
Typical Price Range: $50-$60
Buy These Jeans
American Eagle Slim Jeans
These are very nice pants. They are extremely soft and comfortable, come in a range of washes, and look great. They have shape to them, but are not tight or defining in any way. Like straight pants with a bit of stretch and a bit more shape. Click Here to See the Website.
Typical Price Range: ~$30-$40
Skinny (Defining)
Much more prevalent taper; these pants will have a noticeably tighter leg.
(Some) Levi's 511 Jeans
Like I said, if you size properly, there are a few 511 models that can be rather skinny. One of which is the Black Stretch Model, which has a good taper, and will be noticebly tighter than the slim jeans listed above.
Typical Price Range: $40-$60
Bullhead Dillon Skinny Jeans
Pacsun
These pants are rather skinny, especially the twill versions that they sell. Depending on the wash, they vary from looser to slightly restricting. Be careful not to run them through the dryer, or they will be very tight for a day or two!
Typical Price Range: ~$50
(Some) Bullhead Drake's Skinniest Jeans
Pacsun
These pants are similar in fit to Bullhead's original skinny fit, but are much tighter in the calf and are slightly restricting. They don't make very many washes of this fit, but they do slightly vary fitting by wash.
Typical Price Range: $40-$50
Lip Service Men's Stretch Jeans
Just a word of caution: these jeans are pretty tight, especially when sized right. They're definitely a gateway to super skinny, if not already super skinny. But they're a great pair of pants, no doubt about that. Definitely a keeper for those planning on going a step further into super skinny jeans.
Typical Price Range: $45-$50
Levi's 510 Rigid Stretch Jeans
Also Called Dark Blue
These pants are a definite gateway into super skinny. They start out very tight, and you will feel it, but they loosen up after a few hours into more comfortable pants. After that they are definitely very skinny, but not so skinny that you will feel the pants moving all the time.
Typical Price Range: $48
Buy These Jeans
Super Skinny (Tight)
These pants are extremely tight, and you have to know what you're getting into before you buy them. I would recommend going to a store and trying them on first so you know whether you want to size up or not.
Levi's 510 Super Skinny Jeans
These pants are very nice, so long as you know what to expect. They are comfortable, but don't have as much stretch as some other pants do. A lot of people size up for this reason, because they can be itchy if you don't. They have an extremely tapered leg, and are very defining of your legs. They completely hug your legs. Overall recommended if you want tight jeans.
Typical Price Range: $45-$60
Bullhead Drake's Skinniest Jeans
Pacsun
Not super tight, but some washes are worthy of being called super skinny. They have a pretty good amount of stretch and are decently soft. They are tight in the thighs, but loosen up a bit as they get to the ankle and lower calf.
Typical Price Range: $50
RUDE Skinny
Hot Topic
Hot Topic sells a lot of really tight pants for guys. Luckily, they are very stretchy and comfortable, and are pretty much girls' jeans, but made for guys. A lot of people complain about the quality of these pants, but I have never had a problem.
Typical Price Range: $35-$40
RUDE Super Skinny
Hot Topic
These pants are extremely tight. I mean like straight up girls pants. The fits range from tight to second skin. Definitely try on beforehand, as you don't want to get them and find out that you can't get them on.
Typical Price Range: $35-$40
Lip Service Men's Junkie Stretch Jeans
You can pretty much only find these online, but they are extremely tight, and well made. Like higher quality RUDE pants.
Typical Price Range: ~$45
Super Tight and Girls' Jeans (Painted On)
For men who want to go past the point of tight, and into second skin. By this point, you probably don't want the pants to bunch up at your ankles. Test some sizes. And keep in mind that girls' jeans can ummm... Put the squeeze on you... So be careful.
Lip Service Men's Stretch Jeans
Online
Like I said before, ridiculously skinny.
Typical Price Range: ~$45
Dogpile Stretch Jeans
You can really only get these online, but these are pretty much girls' pants. They have no bag on them anywhere.
Typical Price Range: $50
Girls' Jeans
I personally have not tried girls jeans, but I know a few people who have and said this: they're gonna be super hard to put on, there won't be any ballroom, they're super tight, you're gonna have to sag and convert your size BUT they will maintain their shape, stay tighter longer, and they're (usually) cheaper.
Good Places to buy them: Pacsun and Zumiez
Typical Price Range: VARIES
(To get women's pants size, subtract 21 inches from your waist size and keep inseam measurements)
