If you could only two pairs of jeans....

[DEPHT]

I'm just starting to get into the denim craze and I think i'm ready to buy my first two pairs. I've tried cheaper dry denim (H&M sliq) but the quality is pretty shitty and the fades I got were pretty bad .

I'm going to japan soon and I was wondering what two pairs to buy. I still want to start off slow (ie: I don't want to drop money for like, 5 pairs) so I need some recommendations.

I've searched (lurked) the forums for a long time and I got some good basic knowledge, but some more specific advice would help.

I'm liking the Eternal 811 a lot. I don't like slim jeans (I look horrible is slim/skinny jeans) so I'm looking for more of a relaxed/straight leg fit.

Any suggestions? Keep in mind that I won't drop more than 200 on a pair so 45 rpm is out. I was also thinking a pair of evisu no. 1 or 2? Don't know the prices.

Thanks

[BTT]

Just start off with some cheaper. Just a starting off denim, maybe APCs or somethiing of sorts.

[airfrogusmc]

my 1886 lvc and my 1920s 201s 555 lvc

[Corbin Law]

if you are serious about it

and are going to japan

you might as well skip over the apc age

and jump into real denim

for a relaxed fit i would reccomend

samurai, SD, Warehouse, Denime brands like taht

[DEPHT]

I was thinking about that, but i'm going to be in japan. It just seemed like a waste to go there and not pick up any nice stuff. I think most stuff there is like 150-200 USD anyway, and since APC's are like, 130 USD, I thought I'd just bite the bullet and start with japanese.

[goldengloves]

Skull 5507.

PBJ 005. (these are slim, but you can always size up...)

[airfrogusmc]

Depth get a pair of raw 1955 LVCs from Cultizm. Not real trim but not to baggy either.

[watchman]

eternals are pretty slim man, if you want a loose affordable cut you should go for the cane 47 or 55, or you could get some japanese LVC. SDA, and the other prominent japanese repros are of course a good choice as well.

[tweeds]

evisu no 1 and 2 would break your 200 barrier, i think...

i'm surprised no one's mentioned sugar cane, since they do pretty economical jeans with great quality. their 1947 501 repro (SC41947) used to be pretty big on superfuture. plus their cuts are pretty regular, and even leaning on the baggy side.

samurai leans towards the slimmer side i think, but no harm looking. studio d'artisan would certainly fit your bill, but i think they're both more pricey than sugar cane.

stop by one of the big denim stores all over japan and you'll be able to try on a huge range of jeans (with brands probably no one even mentions around here) in different cuts and prices.

edit: whoops - what watchman said. forgot to refresh before replying...

[Panda-san]

If he's personally going to Japan, he could also pick up Oni blue or reds from Hinoya for about $180.

[airfrogusmc]

evisu no 1 and 2 would break your 200 barrier, i think...

i'm surprised no one's mentioned sugar cane, since they do pretty economical jeans with great quality. their 1947 501 repro (SC41947) used to be pretty big on superfuture. plus their cuts are pretty regular, and even leaning on the baggy side.

samurai leans towards the slimmer side i think, but no harm looking. studio d'artisan would certainly fit your bill, but i think they're both more pricey than sugar cane.

stop by one of the big denim stores all over japan and you'll be able to try on a huge range of jeans (with brands probably no one even mentions around here) in different cuts and prices.

edit: whoops - what watchman said. forgot to refresh before replying...

T.I.P. I would go SC47 over LVC 47 but the 55 LVC this year are surprising. They're not as full as say the 33s but not as trim as the 47s way more in line with originals from the period.

[SENDkylHISPASSWORD]

Even with all the Japanese denim avaliable to me, I still only wear APC New Standards. Aside from that Dior, but you said not slim.

[nairb49]

Go to BIG and ask them to bring you a pair of 501 repros.

That should start you off with about a hundred choices, then just narrow it down via price etc.

[PG2G]

Evisu No. 2 start at 21,000 yen, so around $180. That'd be a nice starter jean if you don't mind the gulls, and if you do mind them you can buy them without at some of their stores in Japan (the Harajuku one, for instance).

Oni or Burgus may be a good choice. I dunno, you're going to be in Japan Its the perfect time to just go around and find something you like, maybe you'll suprise us and get something we don't know about

[chipopo]

Eternal 811 are pretty slim but you can size up (Bears carry sizes up to 40).

My favourites are the ones I have: Sugarcane 47 and PBJ xx-003. The first are very cheat and widely available in Tokya. The PBJ are not so widely available but they're really nice: Straight-leg, rough denim and very very well made. They're also not very expensive (Around 18,000 Yen).

Chipopo

P.S. I also have the LVC 47s and if you don't insist on starting out with japanese brands they're definately the ones to start with. I really love them and will get a pair of LVC 55s in the future.

[Chicken]

two pairs i can confidently recommend to beginners, especially the ones who don't want to break the bank:

1) sugarcane 47 or 45 (levi's repro or lee's repro, whichever cut you prefer) ¥13,440

2) omnigod 50-280 ¥16,590

they are all awesome quality underpriced jeans, and at that price you'd actually have some money left over for a third pair (or whatever else you might be interested in). personally, i think it's a great idea to start with two of these pairs and in about 6 months or a year, you'd have a much better idea of where you want to go from there.

the omnigod 50-280 is their standard cut, zimbabwe cotton jeans. but if you'd like looser or slimmer cuts, they've got them too at even lesser prices. (i have the 50-052, their slimmest cut.)

[john11f]

I was thinking about that, but i'm going to be in japan. It just seemed like a waste to go there and not pick up any nice stuff. I think most stuff there is like 150-200 USD anyway, and since APC's are like, 130 USD, I thought I'd just bite the bullet and start with japanese.

i bought my 45rpm sorahiko in their ginza store for $210

[cheapmuthafukr]

id reccomend a pair of the sugarcane 45 or 47, and a pair of ande whalls. one is your standard high quality japanese repro, and the other a high quality modern jean. both will run about 150$, and the ande whalls supports THE FUCKING DENIM MAN ON SF

[mizanation]

my suggestion would be to have a loose idea of what kind of jean you want to get. then, go to ueno and take a day or two just to look at what's available.

there's a LOT more out there than what's discussed on this forum. you might find something that you like that's never been mentioned on here before.

[Tarmac]

For some reason after trying on Iron Hearts, they became the ultimate jean for me. Maybe the heavyweight denim wouldnt be first choice if I lived in a hotter climate, but for where I live now I cant think of any other jean I would like to have.