Oh my, don't even get me started on the shortage of low rise styles. I'm so short-waisted that last week I tried on a pair of jeans that could also have served as a bra, if you know what I'm saying!

I also put in a vote for Levis - mine are pretty stiff, but they are dark wash. Perhaps the lighter wash is not the same. I'm actually going jean shopping today so I'll let you know if I find anything!

Hope I'm nor repeating information. You're right, it IS a challenge. And I did get excited upon noting my husband's jeans (before I threw them into the laundry this morning, hah) being 100% cotton....before reading that the men's jeans won't work for you

Anyway two more possibilities?

http://store.diesel.com/us/reg.....564pc.html

http://www.denimexpress.com/wr.....s-123.html (bootcut, though)

And just one example of Uniqlo:

http://www.uniqlo.com/us/store.....956-08-035

I thought Uniqlo might work since they are a Japanese company, so possibly make more slim and "boyish-sized" men's jeans?

Good luck!

Thanks for the thoughts, ladies! I'll keep you posted.

It's AMAZING that I have no trouble finding jeans for my clients because most want high rises, soft denim and stretch. That's precisely what is available so I'm SO pleased for them! (Hence my question about whether these jeans are selling well at retail). Gone are the days when we had fit challenges. I'm swimming against the tide wanting a different type of jean - low rise, hard, non-stretch and roomy.

It's going to be a fun hunt! Now that I've had my rant I'm going to enjoy the process

Hah, I had gone many years without wearing jeans (hard to believe, I know, but that was at my highest weight). So recently when I got back to shopping for them, I picked up a pair from Goodwill and was so excited to find out later that I must have LUCKED OUT. This particular pair of jeans had a nice little unexpected bit of stretch in them. Yay for me. I had no idea, LOL.

It's funny that you mentioned your nine year old jeans Angie...last weekend I was watching a DVD of a tv show filmed in 2003/ 2004...and one of the women characters was wearing this great pair of jeans. I noticed it looked like they were 7's or maybe AG, but of real denim fabric, no stretch, and only just very slightly bootcut....low rise, and not skin tight any where, yet totally figure flattering!

Perhaps with the advent of skinny skinny, the denim has out of necessity gotten thinner and stretchier? We might not have been able to sit down :). I've noticed even Acne seems slimmer cut and thinner fabric.

I also really have not liked this trend in denim. That's why in desperation I ended up going to the raw, stiff as cardboard in the beginning, APC's. I know it's not what you are looking for, Angie, I also think the rise is just a tad higher than you want, more like 9 than 7...and good luck with your search...but in case any one else is interested, just wanted to add my support. It's a labor of love, but it's been worth it for me.

After I had mine for about four months, I found others in the same boat: http://grayzine.no/deadfleuret.....m-journal/ . The silhouette is a bit masculine for some, but not for my (I guess) tomboy, or perhaps just simple style. Here's a couple of pics of my first pair ( I have two now) in the thread about heavy sweaters: http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ers/page/2

JUDY!! The jeans that you are wearing in the photos a year ago are just what I want with a lower rise. Which brand are they?

Angie, mine are the APC (unisex) petit standard. http://totokaelo.com/store/pro.....nim/indigo

I think what you want is perhaps the "hipster" version...I know, terrible name...here on the APC site of all their unwashed denim: http://www.apc.fr/wwuk/denim-td400.html and here are the hipster http://www.apc.fr/wwuk/women/j.....56400.html which says they are bascially a low rise version of the petit standard. I hadn't even remembered they did these low rise ones until you asked! These might be just the thing.

They do stretch. And then shrink back if you wash them. I have two pair, the first I washed after six months, no dryer of course. But the color changes significantly and they shrink all over a bit. In a way, they fit better. But I missed the raw color and feel so I got another pair which I have never washed. I got 26's....I'm a 26 in acne, a 25 in 7's.

Their quality control seems great, the two pair were exactly the same size. So now I have one that looks a tiny bit faded and soft and tighter...and one that is more raw and polished and a bit looser.

Let me know if you need more pics or measurements, too. I also wonder if Jill at Totokaelo would order in some of the low rise hipster style if you asked her? But of course, don't know how long that might take.

p.s. writing this has made me curious about the low rise version. I might have to try those next!

I found another forum's thread where people were ranting about same, and someone mentionned Lucky brand as still having real denim, Lucky are my idea of premium
I have noticed that jeans now often contain polyester?!?!? But I do like the feel of the soft denim in some ways and it works for me in skinnies I guess. I do see how Judy's jeans have way nicer texture to them. I had some wide leg, 70s-ish jeans last spring that were thicker, I'm going to check the fabric content out of curiousity. But they were a Canadian low-end brand (Reitmans) and actually, I got them all on sale because it seems nobody else wanted them (tons of pairs in all the stores). I think they flatter me better in the hip/thigh because they are thick and skim over my bumpy bits rather than hugging them.

Angie, you might prefer Italian jeans like D Squared or R 13.

I will also say my 3 True Religion boyfriend jeans are 100% cotton and have that solid feel. They do have distressing. Probably more than you want. And of course they have the pockets that are so prominent and not in style right now, but I love these jeans for the fabric, workmanship and artful distressing.

I love that these 100% cotton jeans do not stretch out and then slide down the way almost all of my skinny and boot cut jeans with stretch in them do. They stay on my hips.

ETA: http://www.revolveclothing.com.....31&c=

Ha, I was meaning to go back to this thread and suggest APC since they are known for their raw denim. I feel so validated

I LOVE those APC jeans. I am unsure what size to order. They don't give actual body measurements.

Yes, yes, yes !

I'm pulling my hair out to find decent long, low-rise, slim-leg, *thick denim* jeans to replace the ones that are falling apart. I have some very stretchy skinnies, but they are not something to build your wardrobe on, as they only work with my longest sweaters.

And all of them have only 2% spandex, so I don't know how come they are so stretchy.

I usually have good luck with Zara pants, but this year I've stopped looking at them altogether. They're weirdly cut, and all casual ones are sorry too thin, too tight, too short excuses for pants.

I wonder whether the growing price of cotton can explain this trend of short pants and thin denim.

YES!! I am soooo 100% on board with your rant Angie. This is part of why I had been wanting to move over to Team Trouser, because all of the denim is so flimsy and stretchy and I just want some structured, sturdy, denim! The few pairs that I have that are substantial were inexpensive (had to take 'em where I could find 'em!), so I've babied them heavily and they've lasted longer than they should... but will need replacing very soon. I do not relish that thought I wish you luck in your search!!

Regarding the fabric, I noticed this about 18 months ago when I had to start replacing my wardrobe. I found that jeans fabric were very lightweight ( I wrote about it here ). I bought replicas of jeans that I loved in the past, but a larger, and found that the denim was incredibly lighter. This was a problem for me in the NE because I always counted on my jeans to provide a little warmth in the late Fall and early Winter.....