I've Never Spent More Than $100 on Jeans—These Are My Favorite Styles

By
last updated
in Buying Guides

A woman wearing cheap high waisted jeans with a green top and tan leather trench.

(Image credit: @indyabrown)

Here's a secret: I don't like spending a lot of money on jeans. It's true that my entire denim collection includes the usual suspects, such as Mother, Agolde, and Hudson, but since I'm a fashion editor, the reality is that a majority of my pricier pairs are gifted. It's one of the advantages of the job, but despite the privilege of trying on some truly amazing jeans, it hasn't done much to change my penchant for cheap pairs.

I still maintain that a $200 pair of jeans can absolutely be worth the money in the right circumstances, but little comes close to the allure of saving a few bucks. After analyzing the styles and pairs that I reach for the most, I found that the bulk of them are what I'd call moderately affordable—typically under $100 on retail and, on a good day (aka a sale), under $60. Each pair is as trendy, high-quality, and comfortable as those double the price. Ahead, I'm outlining all of my favorite jeans that fall into this category of cheap and amazing. Just a warning: I'm a curvy girl who loves a crop top, so they're all high-waisted pairs. Keep scrolling to check out my top recs.

This post was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

Indya Brown
Fashion Market Editor

Indya Brown is a fashion editor, stylist, and writer living in Los Angeles. After graduating in 2016, she joined The Cut as a fashion assistant, eventually working her way up to fashion editor. While New York has been her home for over 10 years, she moved to Los Angeles in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 for a new chapter where she started working at Who What Wear, focusing on emerging designers, rising trends on and off the internet, interior design, and BIPOC creatives and brands. Aside from her work at Who What Wear, Brown is also a freelance stylist and writer, working on national print and video commercial campaigns for Sephora, The Independent, and Cadillac. Her bylines also include Harper's Bazaar, Vox, and The New York Times.

Latest
  • Alexa Chung and Tom Sturridge in Venice, Italy
    Hold the Sandals—This Is the Shoe Trend to Wear With Dresses in September

    As seen on Alexa Chung.

  • Bloomingdale's Denim
    You'll Spot These Denim Trends on Every It Girl This Fall

    No notes—just really good jeans.

You might also like
View More ▸