The Barter Project

I Bought Something Yesterday, and a Crappy Pants Rant.

An easy way to become a smarter consumer is to look at every purchase as an investment. By purchasing something, you are investing in a company and supporting their products, the way they operate their business, and their future. You’re also investing in your own life, and the affect the product you buy is going to have on it. 

Yesterday I made my first purchase of something besides food and business supplies in about a month. It was actually really strange, because I’ve been selling so much the past few weeks that spending money on something new felt weird. Even so, I bought a pair of pants. 

I bout a pair of Left Field Canvas Trousers. Left Field is a small, softly progressive Husband/Wife brand from NYC, and they manufacture everything in America, so I was happy to support them. The pants filled a large void in my wardrobe: pants! I saved one pair of beat up old Levis, but other than that I got rid of every pair I owned. Now I’ll probably get rid of the Levis too, they’re pretty dead. 

I do want to make maximum use of this post, so I’m going to give you one of the best ways to shop smart, support other people’s dreams of success, and really make yourself look good:

Stop buying crappy pants.

Overpriced pants are expensive pants. They are expensive because they’re not worth the price you pay for them in materials and design: you are paying more for the travel and distribution of the pants than the actual pants themselves. Because of this, they are not the best pants they could be, because corners have to be cut somewhere (yes, even on a $300 pair of True Religion jeans). Your pants will also have a larger carbon footprint if that matters to you (and it should!), because they’ve been shipped around the country before even making it to your local store. 

I’m challenging you to truly wear the pants of the person you want to be, and I’m going to help you get the most out of your $200-$300. First, you will not be buying expensive pants, you’ll be buying valuable pants, because they’ll be worth every penny of the price you pay in materials, construction, design, and quality.

Materials: In this price range, you’re looking for high quality, loomed denim. You’re looking for soft, heavy cotton duck, or thickly woven lightweight chino. Selvedge is a current trend, but selvedge is removed by some manufacturers, hiding an easy “quality identifier”. I don’t buy pants with zippers because they break before the pants are worn out, but really check zippers if your pants have them. Buttons can be sewn back on- so don’t worry about them. A loomed selvedge denim pant will stand out in a room, and become the center of your outfit. You’ll look dressed up by simply pairing it with a leather shoe and a solid top.  

Cut: Worry about the fit of the waist, and the rise of the pant. These are things that are not easily tailored. Legs can be altered fairly easily, so if you can’t get the perfect fit in the store, make sure you get a pair thats loose, rather than tight, so you can get things taken in to your specific fit. Don’t be afraid to get an expensive pair of pants (or any garment) altered! That being said, you will find that many high quality brands take a lot more care in cutting their patterns, and will offer specific cuts for desired looks.On a dress pant, look for draping, pleating if you want it, and length. I would suggest keeping to classic cuts, because they will stay fashionable and you’ll get way more value for your money, but that’s a personal thing. 

Construction: Do your reading. Some pants are period specific in that they use cotton thread, where as others use a stronger, longer lasting poly blend. Cotton thread is nice, but it breaks a lot faster, and is honestly a bit of an inconvenience if you only have one pair of pants because you’ll be repairing the stitching more often. However, look for single needle construction, chain stitching, and even, flat seams. Don’t be afraid to read into specific types of pants to know what to further be aware of. 

Shop Small: Just because a brand is small or new does not mean it’s low quality. Many brands make their highest quality garments when they are new, because they need to impress buyers and pick up distribution. They also offer their goods for a minimal price mark up, because they’re worried less about making money and more about exposure. Some small brands stay small for a reason, because they’d rather make a few quality things then mass produce low quality collections. Don’t write off brands you’ve just discovered!

While this may seem like a huge bother, I think it’s important. If it’s all new to you, then I hope it inspires you to research further, because you’re really not getting your moneys worth with a lot of “designer jeans”. A lot of people trying to live more simple and minimal lives find that only having one pair of pants is an easy change to make, and I agree. By knowing what to look for, you’ll be supporting smaller companies and really getting the best pair of jeans your money can buy.