Made in the USA Jeans under $100: L.E.C. Slim and Straight
NOTE: The Code RMN40 (no pin) gets you 40% off one item + free shipping at $50 through today 9/25.
They did it. They actually did it. It’s been extremely difficult to find a pair of simple, dark wash, made in the USA jeans for a reasonable price. Until now. Listed at $98, these made in the USA of US grown cotton jeans from Lands’ End Canvas have already gone for as low as $58.80. That was during the most recent 40% off one item sale. That’s wildly inexpensive for a pair of USA made jeans.
The color is perfect. Deep, dark blue with no distressing or whiskering. There’s no across the back pockets stitching or exterior waist band branding. They did come packaged in an interesting way though, with the lower legs rolled up and stuffed inside the thighs. The result is they’re a wrinkled mess before you wash them (and thus, in the pics below), which is something you should do anyway in order to not transfer any dye.
Left: The 608 slim. Right: The 628 Straight fit. Both pairs tested are 32×32 in size.
Measurements taken across leg when lying flat. These are ballpark and might vary slightly.
Available in either a slim (608) or straight (628) fit, you can easily tell which is which when they’re lying flat side by side. Both pairs tested were 32x32s since 32x30s weren’t available. My legs are really more like a 30 – 31, but these didn’t overflow too badly at the ankle. I’d still have these taken up an inch to reduce the bunching/wrinkling, but I’d wash & dry them first to see if they’d shrink a bit.
.
Lands’ End Canvas 608 Slim Fit Made in the USA Jean – $58.50 w/ RMN40 ($98.00
)
The slim fits are most noticeably slim below the knee. Great if you’ve got skinny legs. Not so great if you’ve got some meat on your lower body. These are right up on my calves, with little room at the ankle. They’re pretty sock like from the knee down on my frame, and if they shrank any they’d be uncomfortable. They feel slimmer than a 514 from Levis.
.
Lands’ End Canvas 628 Straight Fit Made in the USA Jean – $58.50 w/ RMN40 ($98.00)
First thing I thought when pulling them on was how much they feel like 501s (except for the lack of a button fly of course). I wore a favorite pair of Levis 501s that day specifically for comparison’s sake, and after trying these on, I took measurements of my old washed and worn Levis. They measured almost exactly the same across the upper thigh, knee, and at the cuff. With maybe just a touch of shrinking in the wash, and some slight shortening of the legs by my tailor, these could be perfect for my clunky calves.
.
The Bottom Line:
Bravo L.E.C.. Denim afficianados won’t be thrilled since they’re not selvedge, and while the fabric feels good, it doesn’t feel like anything out of the ordinary. But catch a sale and they’ll run only a bit more than on-sale favorites like the 501. They’ll ship free as well, since there’s almost always a free shipping at $50 offer going on.
Dark wash, slim or straight fit jeans with no distressing and little to no branding should be a foundation of any guys wardrobe. Throw in the sale price potential and the fact that they’re made in the USA and you’ve got a rare combination that Lands’ End Canvas should be praised for producing.
Thanks to “guest” for providing the 40% off code RMN40 in the comments. Expires today, 9/25. No pin necessary.
This looks awesome. I’ve been stuck with 501s because of my weird legs, but this might give me another option. Do you already have a preference for these or the 501?
LEC is having a 30% off promo now but they still don’t have a 32/30 on their site for the straight fit jeans (or the slim for that matter) so it’s a no go for me. I don’t shop on LEC much but I’m assuming they do normally carry 32/30 sizes and are just out of stock?
Same here. But I might go ahead a snag a pair of 32/32 and visit my tailor. She loves me.
There a promo code or something for that? I can’t say I have seen that advertised.
w00t! I wonder how they compare to 514s, which are my go-to Levi’s
That’s what I was wondering too. So rather than just wonder, I ordered a pair!
More importantly, what shoes are you wearing in the pics? They look great.
Too bad they start at a 30 waist, I’m a 28-29.
Why do you care if it’s made in usa? Not raw denim, not selvedge, how is it different than their other denim?
Does anyone have the raw, shrink to fit 501s? Those are the same price as these. Are raw jeans that big of a deal? I have a pair of lands end pants, but not LEC. The quality and fit are better than any pair I ever had, so I may snag me a pair of these…
Ummm is this a serious question? It’s not made by small children at an overseas sweat shop….
They also don’t have any lengths over 32, so tall guys are out.
I think that may be an exaggeration. Not all clothing made in the developing world is necessarily done so with unethical labor. The garment industry is important to a lot of small economies. There are many reasons to buy American (support struggling economy, more sustainable because there is no overseas shipping etc..) but I don’t think that avoiding overseas labor is automatically the most compelling.
You know what I’ve always wondered…nobody has caught on to the $58 price tag for basic Levi 501’s from Sid Mashburn’s site? With a tapered leg with tailoring for around $25 and regular shipping you’ll be out of pocket about the same price as you would paying for these full price but that is a good find within L.E.C. though.
I’d like to know this as well.
I bought a pair of those 501s via Gilt early this year without seeing that they were shrink to fit so I bought my usual size… the measurements are exact, and they offer no give. They will take a lot of time to break in, so make sure you size up even if you’re not planning on washing them. Sounds like these LEC come without that discomfort and required effort.
Grey suedes via Jackthreads. Sold out.
The slims “feel slimmer than a 514 from Levis”
ta da. Nicely done guest. Updated above. Many thanks!
I prefer button fly myself. But with the 40% off deal, it’s hard to beat these for sure. I like them quite a bit. Haven’t washed and worn them yet. Color is perfect.
Hold up. With dyed denim I should wash before wearing? My wife is pissed that my dyed jeans smear blue all over our Volvo. Any where I sit, there it is… pieces of me. Do you have a post on how to manage this?
Joe, could you say a few words about the rise? I’m pretty sure the slims won’t fit me, but I’m interested in the straights. I’m 6′ and wear 36 x 32 in Levi’s, the 501 is about the lowest rise I am comfortable wearing. Thanks.
I think a wash with a capful of white vinegar is supposed to lock in the dye.
I’m curious — given those measurements, where do you usually buy denim and trousers?
Jeans : Gap/Old Navy, American Eagle.
Trousers :
Gap/Old Navy, Dockers, J.Crew, LEC (they have some 29×30).
I’ve purchased LEC denim in the past, and they are really great jeans at a fantastic price point. No complaints about them at all. Sadly, it appears as though I won’t be able to add another pair (which I actually need) due to the limited sizing. Very disappointed that I will miss out on these because my legs are too long.
Awesome! Thanks for the help. Do I just toss the vinegar on top of the load? Or in the bleach compartment?
I usually wear a size 33. I bought a size up and planning on tailoring them. Should I wash them first? I wasnt planning on washing them and wearing them for a month or so would it still shrink after that period of time?
Also are you doing anything to the jeans so the denim doesn’t rub off on the suede? Sorry for noob questions. I’m neck deep in redoing my whole wardrobe.
Dear Lands End:
Why do you hate tall people ?
Thanks
Giantandre
Have you ever work 513s? They’re slimmer than 514s but not skinny like 511s. Would you compare the LEC slims to those or would you say they’re closer to 511s?
Sizes sure are not abundant, they must be selling well. I still think that when Bonobos launched their denim line in late 2011, their jeans were the best bang for the luck at $125 for being cone denim and made in the USA. Back then, coupon codes were regular and you could get them for $100.
I think it is interesting comparing these jeans with another “hidden” pair of jeans like Eddie Bauers selvedge cone-denim, which are now on clearance for $70. Those jeans are made in Mexico but are perhaps a better quality denim. So, it is interesting to compare the fit and made in USA tag of LEC versus the selvedge/cone denim of EB, since they are so close in price. Mine are actually coming today and the fit is what I am most looking forward to.
The EB jeans can be found here by the way. http://www.eddiebauer.com/catalog/product.jsp?ensembleId=43375&&categoryId=21195&categoryName=PANTS–JEANS&pCategoryId=27480&pCategoryName=MENS-CLEARANCE-OVERSTOCK-OUTLET&gpCategoryId=22854&gpCategoryName=CLEARANCE&ggpCategoryId=1&ggpCategoryName=EB&catPath=~~categoryId=21195~~categoryName=PANTS–JEANS~~pCategoryId=27480~~pCategoryName=MENS-CLEARANCE-OVERSTOCK-OUTLET~~gpCategoryId=22854~~gpCategoryName=CLEARANCE~~ggpCategoryId=1~~ggpCategoryName=EB&viewAll=n&pg=1
Are these jeans available in stores or online-only?
I got these in white (or sailcloth technically) and the legs on the slim are verrrrry narrow as said on here. I usually wear 514s and other low rises so maybe this is normal, but the waist seems to be very difficult to keep up without a belt.
No kidding, what awful sizing.
514s are reallly slim on me. So I’ve never gone any slimmer. And 511s, yeah, I think I tried to get in those once but it quickly became dangerous.
They didn’t seem like they were low rise on me.
I apologize if you’ve already answered this, but could you possibly compare 514s to the LEC straight fit pair? (Said different, could you please compare 514s to 501s?)
EDIT: Can you also mention what size you wear in the 514s?
Which did you order, the slim or the straight?
What do you typically wear? (Please say 514s) I’d love to read any comparisons you write up in regard to the EBs you mentioned.
Joe, did you ever get around to do an in person with that LEC Rugby?
Yes it was a quick and flippant reply on my part. The unethical practices of the clothing industry abroad are well documented and impossible to deny. However important to smaller economies. Also the craftsmanship and supporting US jobs are a big draw.
I wear a 33X30 in Bonobos denim and a 32 in pretty much everything else (chinos, cords, etc) so I ordered a 32X32 in the EB jeans. I’ll report back later today about fit. I know the website said to size down one (so a 30X32) but I wasn’t too confident that they would fit well, even after break-in. I don’t know…but EB has a pretty good return policy so I’ll wear them around house first and see for myself.
Not yet. Got it. Got a medium. Guess I need a small. It runs pretty big. I like it, but I don’t love it like I thought I was gonna love it. More to come next week…
501s are a straight fit that’s sorta the Golidlocks “not too trim not too big” of jeans (on most frames.) 514s are the Levi’s slim straight. So, slimmer than a 501. A 514 is going to feel noticeably slimmer than the straight fits from LEC, but in my opinion, not as tight as the 608 slim from LEC. My 514s don’t constrict my ankles like the 608s do.
Is it just me or have the 514’s gotten larger in the last year or two. I have 4 pairs and the last two were cut considerably larger than the original two pairs were. I understand that denim shrinks overtime, but even brand new the new pairs were much different, almost a boot cut. WTF?
That’s weird because I have very big legs and I feel like I’m swimming when I wear 514s.
In case anyone cared, I took some pictures (in bad lighting with a crappy phone) of some Eddie Bauer selvedge cone denim I got in today. All in all, they look very promising. Excellent stitching all-around, great dark color (no whiskers, distressing). I don’t know the weight, but compared to my bononos 13.5oz denim, they feel just a tad lighter, so maybe like 11.5-12oz – not scientific at all as you can guys can tell. The fit is certainly straight, not not as slim as LEC’s straight (more so in the leg opening). The leg opening for instance is a generous 17 inches round.
This pants fit like Bonobos straight fit to me. I got my normal 32 and they are of course a little tight and I am glad I did not size down to 30. There’s no way that would have worked. I have no problem keeping these at the ridiculous price of $70 (that were shipped free with EB’s coupon right now). Are they better than LEC’s denim? I have no idea. These will take time to break in but they are off to a good start. I’ve linked some photos for people curious about what they look like.
http://imageshack.us/a/img9/8346/wp000105s.jpghttp://imageshack.us/a/img10/7128/wp000106h.jpghttp://imageshack.us/a/img59/2552/wp000107b.jpghttp://imageshack.us/a/img687/3014/wp000108b.jpghttp://imageshack.us/a/img832/1637/wp000109f.jpg
Not just you. I don’t see how 514’s can be called “slim.”
If you want to truely dye-lock something, you should actually soak it in a 50-50 white vinegar-water solution for seceral hours or overnight. Then, wash as normal.
I own and love these, which are almost the same: http://www.jcrew.com/mens_category/shoes/oxfords/PRDOVR~64609/64609.jsp
How come they dont make odd sizes?!?! I’m very picky about how my jeans fit and I bought both a 30 and a 32 but a size 31 wouldve been perfect! I returned both.
Bummer LE is not offering more sizes, I normally wear a 32×36 or 33×36 so I am out of luck….just wondering “why” a clothing manufacture does not offer denim unhemmed…..
@Joe Thanks for the info Joe. I think I may need to take a pass on these for the time being as the 514s are the perfect fit on me :/ Maybe the 501s and 628s will be more my speed once I get a gym routine going.
Do you know a tailor?
With that 40% deal that was going on in recent weeks (maybe still is) these would have been one hell of a steal. Price just went up 20 dollars on them to $118 instead of their previous listing of $98. I regret not getting them now and being too hesitant… back to the drawing board (or dressing room?)
Ah, the life of a 31×36. Not a chance in the world.
LEC also has another wash which looks cool. A bit distressed but really natural looking. Cost a bit more but could be great.
Granted I went from a 32×32 to a 33×32 in the 514, but the cut in the lower leg of the 514 is now ridiculous. Practically a boot cut as you said.