Damn...quag is a huge twat. I'm not his biggest fan, but I agree with him a decent amount and he never seemed to be THAT bad. But watching him get worked up in this thread and reading the laptop thing made me realize he's one of the bigger douches on this site.

10/16/2012 8:09:21 AM

where have you been? quag has always been one of the biggest pieces of shit on this site, and always will be.

10/16/2012 8:14:20 AM

... and then he said, "I bought these at Walmart."

10/16/2012 8:14:26 AM

Quote :

"it's absolutely retarded to say that $30 jeans fit no one and never look good...if they were so awful, no one would buy them"

People buy plenty of things that are awful. How else do you explain Nickelback concerts selling out?

10/16/2012 8:16:39 AM

10/16/2012 8:19:04 AM

I pretty much only wear jeans outside of work or athletic activities year round. I am extremely picky about my jeans in general but ESPECIALLY about the fit. My wife even joked with a salesmen the last time I was buying a new pair of jeans that I'm much pickier about my jeans than she is.

That said I would still never pay $285 for a pair of jeans so I don't think the fact that some people are opposed to it is weird (although I'm not as militantly opposed to it as some people seem to be).

I'd personally rather have multiple pairs of jeans in different washes and different cuts that work just as well for me but only cost $75-100 each. As long as I'm not sacrificing anything on fit or comfort and they are going to hold up to me wearing them all the time I'm happy with them. If you're talking normal price (not sales prices) I notice a big difference in the $30 to the $75-$100 jeans, but I've never noticed any difference between $100 and $300 jeans.

I can appreciate the local, custom, and handmade aspects though (we went out of our way to get furniture in our living room that was all handmade and custom in North Carolina and Virginia last year) so I can totally see why someone would be drawn to that. However, in that case it made sense to us because I wasn't completely happy with the quality or style of anything else we looked at in the lower price tier.

In the case of the jeans, I just don't see the benefit personally to justify the 2.5-3X cost for jeans that I have never had a problem with anyway, even as picky as I am. However, I always welcome more handmade, artisan goods because there will be people who appreciate it. Also, certain people have things they just enjoy spending a little more money on even for very small differences so I can understand that too.

[Edited on October 16, 2012 at 9:04 AM. Reason : ]

10/16/2012 8:35:02 AM

This reminds me of a blog post comparing women's gap jeans to more expensive brands

http://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/2012/07/gap.html

10/16/2012 9:08:10 AM

I mean, I bought American Eagle jeans for years...and mostly sale rack at that. Mainly because I couldn't justify spending over $35 for a pair of jeans and I honestly thought they fit well, looked good, and were reasonably comfortable. I slowly moved up to sale rack/outlet store J. Crew and Banana Republic jeans and was surprised that they actually fit better and were more comfortable. Then I started dating my current fiance and I now wear expensive jeans (still try and get them on sale), because she bought me a pair and they were awesome.

I can't justify these Raleigh Denim jeans because of my budget...but if/when I start balling out, I'll try these fuckers on and maybe purchase a pair if I feel they are worth it. When they wear out, I'll ship quagmire a pair and see if he likes them.

10/16/2012 9:12:24 AM

^ haha I did the same. AE jeans on sale were a great value at their price point, even though I stopped buying their jeans several years ago when I graduated and could afford more. Now though, I'm happy with Banana Republic, Express, Buckle, and J. Crew for my jeans as long as I take my time picking them out since they all still have plenty of styles that I hate and jeans can be frustrating because there are so many details to nitpick over (look of the back pockets, size of the front pockets, thread color, wash, cut through the thigh, cut at the ankle, etc.). I own some Levi 510s for my skinnys though because I still haven't found anyone that does them better and they are dirt cheap.

[Edited on October 16, 2012 at 9:28 AM. Reason : ]

10/16/2012 9:26:19 AM

Metrosexuality (and obesity) is destroying the american man!

10/16/2012 9:28:01 AM

I was all for these guys and their success until I saw this picture.

10/16/2012 10:29:00 AM

Quote :

"quagmire02 has the perfect life. Great job, a dog that takes care of itself (and probably makes him breakfast in bed), he found the perfect pair of jeans that are as comfortable and look as good as a $200 pair of jeans, his wife lets him go out dressed like a hobo...all while driving a POS Saturn. We should all strive for this life."

i agree that i'm pretty darn happy with my life...i'm not a dumbshit dog owner, so of COURSE my dog is well-behaved (though i actually like making breakfast, so i'm usually the one to do it)...i find jeans that look good and are comfortable because i'm not some superficial cunt who derives self-worth from his clothes, and i have NEVER seen a hobo dressed as well as i am...which isn't to say i'm "dressed up", i've just never seen a hobo in $200 jeans

and i love my saturn...i wish it didn't burn a quart of oil every 2000 miles or so, but it gets me where i want to go at 35+ mpg on a regular basis...and it only cost me $4k 7 years ago

Quote :

"I forever associate quagmire with pulling some douchebaggery on some poor sap off craigslist to get a laptop for cheaper."

Quote :

"iirc he was looking to buy a brand new, unopened laptop, and he got the guy to open it, then refused to pay the fair asking price because it had been opened."

Quote :

"reading the laptop thing made me realize he's one of the bigger douches on this site"

lol, you kids are funny...as i described at the time, dude was selling a laptop "sealed" in a box...i told him i wanted to open the box (you know, to SEE the actual laptop instead of buying a box of bricks) and then i made him an offer on it...which was less than he was asking

he flipped out and claimed i was scamming him and now that the box was opened, he couldn't return it...it wasn't my INTENT to "scam" him, but i wasn't going to buy a laptop sight unseen and i certainly had no intention of paying retail from some dude on CL

if that makes me a douchebag, i'm 100% okay with that

Quote :

"where have you been? quag has always been one of the biggest pieces of shit on this site, and always will be."

oh, damn, and i here i was thinking we'd be new best friends...gosh, guys, however will i continue on in life not being liked by anonymous strangers on a college-centric message board? WHATEVER WILL I DO?

Quote :

"I'm a married middle aged dude... levis from target work great."

pretty sure that makes you a hobo and a slob, you don't love your wife, and you have no self-respect

go buy some $285 jeans STAT or you will be judged by condescending fashion snobs to be beneath them...AND THEY WON'T BE YOUR FRIEND

10/16/2012 10:30:30 AM

You should spend more time defending yourself in rambling incoherent posts. And use more smilies. You're definitely winning this.

10/16/2012 10:42:33 AM

yay, Ernie posted with his relevant and unique insight!

there is no "winning" a thread like this...people who want to buy expensive clothes to feel better about themselves and their appearances are going to do it, and people who put more stock in being comfortable without spending 3-4x as much are going to keep doing that

no one's opinion in this thread will be changed about anything

10/16/2012 10:44:47 AM

You forgot to end your post with *shrug*

10/16/2012 10:45:58 AM

*shrug*

10/16/2012 10:46:51 AM

Quote :

"go buy some $285 jeans STAT or you will be judged by condescending fashion snobs to be beneath them"

I'm pretty sure most of the condescension in this thread is coming from the folks who DON'T own expensive jeans.

10/16/2012 10:52:24 AM

Quote :

"I'm pretty sure most of the condescension in this thread is coming from the folks who DON'T own expensive jeans."

10/16/2012 10:55:04 AM

Quote :

"I'm pretty sure most of the condescension in this thread is coming from the folks who DON'T own expensive jeans."

i know you're not talking about me because i've noted several times that i don't judge people who buy expensive clothes...only when they think that others should (or, rather, that you can't possibly be comfortable or "look good" in anything BUT expensive clothes)

the actual purchasing/wearing of expensive clothes evokes no emotions in me whatsoever...if you've got the money and need that to feel good about yourself, go for it

i can afford expensive clothes, i'd just rather save that money for pretty much anything else because i don't need them to feel better about myself or my appearance

[Edited on October 16, 2012 at 10:58 AM. Reason : .]

10/16/2012 10:58:26 AM

you people only pay 300 bucks for jeans? bunch of damn Israelites in here.

10/16/2012 11:02:41 AM

Quote :

"i don't judge people who buy expensive clothes."

Quote :

"i'm not bragging so much as judging those who spend $285 on fucking JEANS"

fucking rich.

kids....

10/16/2012 11:03:37 AM

Quote :

"only when they think that others should (or, rather, that you can't possibly be comfortable or "look good" in anything BUT expensive clothes)"

I don't think anyone in here insisted everyone purchase expensive jeans, or that $300 jeans should be the ONLY option.

I was simply defending a product, the value of quality craftsmanship, and a locally owned business ran by NC State grads.

It was turned into a pissing contest by those of you who don't understand/agree with the value of (or market for) a great pair of jeans.

10/16/2012 11:10:41 AM

*shrug*

10/16/2012 11:10:47 AM

I got that Japanese denim

Money stuffed in em

10/16/2012 11:11:17 AM

I like that PizzaBoy posted pictures of Versus Jeans, which are two name changes and five years removed from today's Raleigh designs.

10/16/2012 11:16:56 AM

I'd like to try a pair of these on.

10/16/2012 11:57:08 AM

They are even selling their denim at Saks Fifth Avenue in Raleigh which is pretty awesome if you know anything about retail buying.

Also another random fact....Their pattern maker was one of the original pattern makers for Levis. She's a really cool lady and also makes really cool outerwear for dogs lol

[Edited on October 16, 2012 at 12:11 PM. Reason : e]

10/16/2012 12:10:21 PM

oh, so she was making patterns in 1853 when Levi Strauss first started? or in 1873 when they first started making riveted denim work pants (jeans as we call them)?

10/16/2012 12:15:04 PM

Yup...that's what makes these jeans so unique.

10/16/2012 12:16:16 PM

^4 you should go to their shop and try a pair. They're seriously awesome.

10/16/2012 12:44:25 PM

Tell them to open up a shop down here in Charleston. I'd rock some Raleigh jeans in Chucktown.

10/16/2012 12:47:09 PM

Sorry not original SMATH

she worked for them during WWII though

10/16/2012 1:01:18 PM

From reading this thread I have deduced that either...
...the boutique jean companies have developed a magic shape that fits better than anything produced by a major company, regardless of the wearer's shape/size.
or
...people who wear expensive jeans generally fit a certain shape/size that the boutique companies cater to.
or
...people wearing expensive jeans convince themselves that they fit better regardless of whether they truly do.

I suspect it's mostly a combination of the latter two options.

No offense to the folks who like nice jeans. If that's what you're into then so be it. I, too, enjoy nice things. I just don't buy the "fit" argument as an absolute unless you're getting them custom tailored.

I have Eddie Bauer jeans for day-to-day use and CK/Lucky for when I want something that looks a little nicer. My jeans get used and abused. If I'm dressed casually enough to wear jeans I'm simply not going to put on something that requires great care and I'm definitely not worrying about how many times my jeans have been through the washer.

Kudos to the folks who started this company though. I want to say they were included in the "American Design" issue of Fast Company earlier this year. They found a market that they were passionate about and have found a way to earn a living by catering to it. Good for them.

10/16/2012 2:11:51 PM

I thought this girl's blog post was a good way to see how better jeans can make a difference.
http://www.graspingforobjectivity.com/2012/07/gap.html

It convinced me to look into buying a more expensive pair than I normally would (still shopping). I would never pay more than $150 for jeans though. Maybe not even more than $100.

10/16/2012 2:19:42 PM

Quote :

"I just don't buy the "fit" argument as an absolute unless you're getting them custom tailored. "

As a tall, skinny person, I will say that until the last few years, it was nearly impossible to find pants and t-shirts that fit me unless it was from some higher end company.

Big box brand jeans were always 32x34 when I needed a 30x34 or 31x34 until American Eagle finally started carrying my size.

T-shirts almost NEVER fit me right (if they were long enough, they were too wide/billowy) until I discovered woot shirts (they use American Apparel Ts). Even then, I run into the same problem, just not as extreme.

10/16/2012 3:22:26 PM

I posted that same blog NCSUHippie lol

10/16/2012 4:05:13 PM

I went the Chip & Pepper route for a while, only to find out that I actually really like 514 Levis, but I also don't begrudge people spending their money how they want.

Next time I'm home I'd at least like to try on a pair...

[Edited on October 16, 2012 at 4:16 PM. Reason : .]

10/16/2012 4:14:08 PM

so is anyone a proponent of this place that isn't close personal friends with the people running it?

like, just a regular customer?

10/16/2012 4:21:45 PM

I'm neither a customer nor a personal friend of them.

10/16/2012 4:47:07 PM

ITT we're all shadow agents of the Raleigh Denim puppet master.

10/16/2012 4:53:58 PM

clothing styles change to rapidly for me to justify spending texa$ on jeans. i'm in the mode now of disposable clothing. i buy items knowing that i may keep them 6 months to a year then it gets trashed.

10/16/2012 4:56:01 PM

I'm not opposed to the idea of these jeans, or ridiculously priced luxury goods in general. But that's what they are, ridiculously priced.

I'd have to make damn near seven figures to even consider buying $300 jeans.

10/16/2012 4:58:36 PM

Really? It would take a million dollars for you to consider it?

10/16/2012 5:02:19 PM

^^^ I think jean styles for men change fairly slowly or at least not that drastically in the short term. I own lots of pairs of jeans and of the ones I still wear, they range from 1 to 7 years old and I don't feel any of them are more or less in style. I also don't just wear one style of jeans though (they are all "fitted" but some are more fitted or cut differently than others)

10/16/2012 5:06:56 PM

Quote :

"How is it "stupid" if he's making a comfortable living off of it? Definition of "hating" right here."

I had no idea that owner was a state grad. I wasn't referring to the owner, as I explicitly said, "The owners of the company aren't stupid, just their demographics." It should be clear that I was referring to State grads who choose to buy $285 jeans. I don't know how you could be a lawyer with reading comprehension that bad.

Quote :

"really hope that the people bitching about the price of Raleigh Denim jeans all own cars that are ridiculously cheap/not durable"

So you're saying that $30 jeans aren't durable because they're cheaper than Raleigh Denim.

I guess if I spend over 6 figures on a car, you can flame me for being a retarded spendthrift all you want. But even if I'm buying a BMW, for the most part I'm not spending 10x more than what I paid for my current car. Plus, I can actually measure how much better a BMW would be than a Ford Fusion (HP, torque, handling, acceleration, top speed, ect) even though it may be in the same class...

10/16/2012 5:43:55 PM

i went to try on some raleigh denim at saks and found that they fit me terribly

one size i couldn't get on past my thighs, the next size up was so loose in the waist that they looked like some shit from double dare where i was supposed to be catching thrown pies in them

i want to support a local business and would have paid the $300 if they looked great on me, but they looked and felt horrible. i got the feeling that they are designed for folks with stick legs. oh well.

10/16/2012 7:02:16 PM

Wrangler has a factory in Greensboro I think, but I believe they only sell jeans in the European market, weirdly enough.

Uh, yeah, $285 or whatever you folks are arguing about is a pretty stupid price to pay for jeans around here. In Manhattan, sure.

^I thought the point of these were that they're supposed to be tailor-fit.

[Edited on October 16, 2012 at 7:18 PM. Reason : k]

10/16/2012 7:17:12 PM

I've often wondered why they're not cheaper sold direct. Barneys charges $285 for them, so why doesn't RD sell out of their store on Martin St. for $200? I appreciate handmade products and the time/skill that goes in to them, especially when the craftsmen are American, but can't a dude get a hometown discount at the same margin you make on jeans shipped to NY?

^ How could they be tailor-fit when they're sold at retail stores?

[Edited on October 16, 2012 at 7:36 PM. Reason : 3]

10/16/2012 7:20:37 PM

$285 is way too much, in my opinion, for a pair of jeans.

That said, I've paid $100 for a pair once, and my upper limit is probably around $150. I'd say they would have to be the most comfortable jeans I've ever worn, but I'm a guy, so I tend to eye and buy instead of trying things on.

10/16/2012 7:21:32 PM

They sell Raleigh Denim in Austin

10/16/2012 7:21:38 PM