Blake Lively recently wore a $19,000 pair. How much is too much to spend on jeans?
Blake Lively pictured in a $19,000 pair of Valentino jeans. Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images
Editor’s Note: ‘How Much is too Much?’ offers a guide to making informed shopping decisions across a range of categories including fashion, beauty and luxury.CNN —
When actor Blake Lively wore a pair of $19,000 designer jeans to a screening of her latest movie, “It Ends with Us,” earlier this summer, the look — covered by several media outlets — attracted plenty of attention. And the price did not go unnoticed. Of course, there were the aghast social media comments, those are to be expected, but the moment also inspired a reasonable question: How much is too much to spend on jeans?
Featuring thigh-to-heel cut-outs and hibiscus-shaped embroidery, the denim pants by Italian fashion house Valentino, were styled with a simple white tank, Christian Louboutin heels, hoop earrings and Lively’s signature long tousled hair. These jeans are something of an outlier, having been designed — undoubtedly — with celebrities and the 1% in mind. They are a conversation starter; they are about fantasy, they are not for the school drop-off.
On fashion retail websites including Net-a-Porter and Ssense, the most expensive jeans listed are nowhere near as pricey, with top figures mostly in the $2,500 to $3,500 range for brands like Jean Paul Gaultier, Dolce & Gabbana and Ralph Lauren. On Valentino’s own site at the time, the next most expensive pair was priced at $2,700 (reduced from $4,500). Still, granted, a lot of money for most people.
Cheaper options are plentiful across the market — from classic $100 Levi’s to newer denim brands, such as MUD Jeans or ELV Denim, emphasizing their sustainable or circular credentials (jeans in this category tend to be priced around $200 to $500.)
So, perhaps the real question is: With such a range in prices, and so many options, how should you decide which jeans are right for you? And what are you really getting for your money?
A brief buyer’s guide
New York-based stylist and newsletter author Becky Malinsky wearing Auralee jeans. Courtesy Becky Malinsky
Shopping for a new pair of jeans can be an overwhelming process and — from the style of cut to the wash of the denim — there are many considerations beyond price.
For stylist Becky Malinsky, it’s important to know what you are using your jeans for: “are they for work, or for hanging out with your kids, or are they for going out to dinner,” she said during a phone interview.
A simple Google search generates an overwhelming number of brands and styles to choose from. Malinsky, who also writes the popular “5 Things You Should Buy” newsletter, looks to a few “standout” denim brands to see what they are doing with shape, silhouette and color. From there, “think about where your body type fits within some of these trends,” she said.
“I always look to brands like Citizens of Humanity — I think they do a really good job of fashion and fit. I’m a classic Levi’s wearer and I recommend it to clients all the time. I think the price is right. I also look at what the designers are doing…The Row is really prolific in denim now,” she said.
When shopping, don’t just try the jeans on — stand, walk and sit in them. Comfort is essential if you plan to wear your new purchase in heavy rotation.
