Best Men’s Selvedge Jeans of 2020: Top Five Picks
Nothing says modern style quite like retro fashion. Selvedge denim is woven using old-fashion techniques for weaving denim, which was generally woven on looms. Selvedge jeans tend to have tighter and more dense weaves than non-selvedge jeans.
Retro seems to be coming back into style in full-force. This is quite refreshing, as the current fashion trends of today tend to be tiresome or boring. Selvedge jeans open up a whole new world of styling possibilities, which is why we’re going to review some of the best men's selvedge jeans out there. Let's take a look at some top options.
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Best Men’s Selvedge Jeans Reviews
Goodthreads Men's Slim-Fit Selvedge Jean
Since Goodthreads is an Amazon brand, they are not very well-known. But, that does not mean that they do not produce high-quality clothing. In fact, their garments are some of the best out there, including these selvedge jeans, so it’s a shame that more people don’t know about them.
Review
The standard slim-fit selvedge jeans from Goodthreads are made from 98% cotton and 2% elastane, making them both comfortable and slightly stretchy, to allow for a little leniency with sizing. While you may read '98% cotton' and immediately think, ‘oh no! I’m going to develop a rash!’, think again.
It is extremely rare for the occurrence of an immediate skin reaction when donning certain textiles, and while cotton clothing may sometimes cause itchy skin or erythema, it’s more due to skin irritation than anything else.
What’s more, the cotton of these jeans is not only comfortable but can be washed in a regular washing machine as well, saving you time and hassle.
These jeans are slim-fitting, so they have a tapered leg with a 14” opening at the ends. This means that they are tighter around the thighs and get looser at the knees, until they are completely ‘loose’ at the ankles, making them much more comfortable than regular skinny jeans.
The 2% stretch elastane adds to this comfort even more, as they stretch and break in the more you wear them. Goodthreads’ selvedge jeans feature the classic five pockets that can be found on pretty much all jeans these days, allowing you to store all your essentials like keys and wallets.
Of course, these couldn’t be called selvedge jeans without being made using selvedge techniques. They were made on traditional looms, which are able to give the jeans a denser, tighter weave that breaks in over time, lasts, and looks great as well.
One of the most appealing features of these jeans is that they do not have any external branding on them. Many jeans nowadays embroider brand or company logos on the sides or back pockets, which only ends up making them look cheap and tacky.
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Unbranded Men's Ub222 Tapered Selvedge Jeans
Another less popular brand, the Unbranded Brand, produces high-quality selvedge jeans that fit a wide variety of body types and sizes. If you aren’t a huge fan of the skinny jeans that seem to have dominated the market from out of nowhere, then these may be the perfect jeans for you.
Review
Made from 99% cotton, these are some of the most comfortable jeans out there. And, as we mentioned with the previous pair, it is extremely unlikely that you’ll experience any sort of rash or allergic reaction. Though, if you have sensitive skin, or are just ticklish, these jeans may make you feel a little bit itchy.
The other 1% of material that makes up this pair of jeans is spandex, which gives them a nice stretch around the waist. This makes them perfect for folks who like to wear their jeans right around their waist, or for people who prefer to wear them slightly higher or slightly lower than their actual waistline.
The fabric is completely safe for washing in your washing machine, so you won’t need to worry about hand washing these jeans every time it is laundry day. You might want to choose a setting on your washer that isn’t too harsh, or you could risk fraying the fabric and damaging the seams.
Unlike the previous pair, these selvedge jeans from The Unbranded Brand are completely straight-fitting, rather than being skinny or slim-fitting. This gives them a much more lightweight feeling when worn, and makes them much more comfortable when sitting down, as they don’t cling to your skin.
Not only is the straight fit comfortable, but it’s a nice break, in terms of fashion, from the extremely popular skinny jeans. You don’t often see someone walking around in a pair of straight-fitting jeans, so they can be quite eye-catching when worn well and paired with the right outfit and accessories.
These jeans feature the classic five-pocket styling to allow you to carry all of your essentials, and the fly closes with both a button and a zipper for added security.
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RVCA Men Weekend Raw Selvedge Jeans
RCVA is a brand that believes in creating clothing that is both fashionable with the current style trends, while also being timeless. They view life in the big picture and aim to inspire generations to push the boundaries of fashion and create their own unique styles. These philosophies are ever-present in their raw selvedge jeans.
Review
It’s likely that many of us are familiar with RVCA and the high-fashion, high-quality garments that they produce. Their raw selvedge jeans are no exception and are a unique take on the traditional method and technique that is used to create selvedge jeans.
They are made from 98% cotton, which is common for most denim jeans nowadays. And, like most other denim jeans, they won’t give you a rash or cause any allergy-like irritations. However, they may make your legs a little bit itchy if you have sensitive skin or a lot of leg hair.
They can also be washed in the washing machine, but again, you should try to use a more delicate setting when washing them, or you might damage the seams and cause them to come apart. Unlike the previous two pairs that we reviewed, these jeans are meant to be worn in the mid-rise section on your waist.
Many people are quite opposed to this, but the mid-rise style is actually extremely comfortable, and takes a lot of strain away from your waist, especially when sitting down. It’s also quite fashionable and looks much classier than having your jeans sag on or below your waistline.
RVCA’s selvedge jeans are straight-fitting, making them super comfortable to wear both when you’re walking and sitting. The legs of these jeans are also slightly longer than regular pairs, so you may want to cuff them at the bottom, which is actually quite trendy these days.
They feature the classic five-pocket system, made in the coin pocket style. The fly closes with a zipper and a button, and the front coin pocket features the RVCA solo label, with A and V embroideries at the back patch pockets.
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Victorious Men's Straight Fit Selvedge Jeans
If comfort is what you value most in a pair of jeans, then these may just be the perfect pair for you. These selvedge jeans from Victorious feature a number of components that could easily make them the most comfortable pair of selvedge jeans on the market, all at an affordable price.
Review
These jeans are made entirely from cotton, which, as we’ve mentioned throughout this review, is an extremely comfortable material that is very unlikely to give you any problems or irritation. Keep in mind that these jeans are made in the USA, and are thus made using American sizing standards.
This means that you may want to size up or down relative to your size, depending on where you’re from. These jeans sit just below your waist, which adds even more comfort, especially when sitting or squatting on your haunches.
They are slim through the thigh and taper towards the end of the leg, opening up right at the ankle or your foot depending on whether you choose to cuff them or not. This allows for a greater range of movement as opposed to if you were wearing skinny jeans.
They feature the classic five-pocket styling that can be found on pretty much all denim jeans these days, so you’ll be able to carry all of your essentials with you, like your car keys and wallet. The fly closes with three buttons, as well as a zipper, so there’s no chance of these jeans accidentally opening up.
If you’re a fan of variety, then Victorious has you covered. These selvedge jeans are available in a wide range of colors and styles, including Indigo/Timber, Destroyed, Medium Stone Wash, Dark Stone, and more.
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Naked & Famous Denim Men's Weird Guy Selvedge Jeans
While we would have loved to include these jeans on this list for their name alone, that would defeat the purpose of this review entirely, and would also do an injustice to these high-quality jeans. The Weird Guy selvedge jean style is Naked & Famous’ standard tapered fit and is one of their most comfortable pairs of jeans out there.
Review
Another pair of jeans that are made from 100% cotton, these Weird Guy selvedge jeans will keep you feeling comfortable and fashionable. They are totally straight fitting, and, depending on your size and musculature, do not cling to any parts of your legs, not even your thighs.
While some may see this as overly baggy and tacky, when worn right and styled with just the right outfits, these jeans can be some of the most attractive and eye-catching jeans out there. They can be washed in the washing machine, but as we’ve said before, you’ll want to use a delicate setting, or you might fray the seams and ruin the jeans overall.
Naked & Famous also recommends giving these jeans a cold wash, as warm washes can often be damaging to selvedge jeans since they are so tightly woven. You should also hang-dry them, to avoid the seams coming undone while your dryer is spinning at who knows how many rotations per minute.
The front of these jeans closes with both a zipper and a button, for added security and to prevent them from accidentally opening while you walk or when you stand up or sit down. The buttons and seams on these jeans are a gold-bronze color, which contrasts nicely with the dark wash color of the fabric.
They also feature the classic five-pocket system, which lets you carry your valuables and essentials around with you. The two back pockets are actually quite a bit larger than those found on many other jeans, which lets you carry much more with you.
The stretchy waist allows for some leniency when sizing these pants, and are great for folks who tend to have problems finding a pair of jeans that fit around their waist and legs properly.
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FINAL VERDICT
Selvedge jeans offer a refreshing break from the jeans of today, and can often be styled to look more fashionable than current style trends. With so many pairs to choose from, finding the right one for you can seem impossible. We hope to have made this task a little easier!
