The Best Jeans Under $100

Best Cheap Bootcut Jeans: Wrangler Cowboy Cut Original Fit Jeans

This is the jean of choice for cos-playing cowboys and real-ass ranch hands alike. Wrangler’s bootcut jeans have become legends of the range thanks to their hip-hugging top and flared hems, which pool over a pair of boots with handsome intention. The dense, 100-percent cotton denim comes in a few weights: the lightest is a standard 12 ounces, but most of the options sit at a beefier 14-15 ounces—a rarity for cheap jeans under $100, never mind under $50. If you want to go especially hard, serve them up like a young Harrison Ford: with a western belt, a plaid blazer, and a pair of movie star shades. Or remember that “bootcut” is just a suggestion, and lean into the Wranglers’ groovier side with a pair of canvas sneakers and a vintage tee.

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What to Look for in a Great Pair of Cheap Jeans

At sub-$100 prices, your two biggest concerns should be fit (based on your body and preferred style) and wash—you know, the color and fades applied by the brand. You’ll want the latter to be as simple as possible. That means no Jersey Shore-style bleach-heavy fades or intensely fake “whiskering” (the lighter lines across the thighs). The best cheap jeans should look like you broke them in yourself—or should be dark enough that you can break them in yourself.

What Are the Best Brands for Cheap Jeans?

When it comes to affordable denim, the big three brands to look into are Levi’s, Wrangler, and Lee. Otherwise, you’ll find quality affordable denim from mainstay brands like Dickies, Uniqlo, Abercrombie & Fitch, The Gap, and Carhartt.

What About Buying Vintage?

If you’ve got the will and know where to shop, buying vintage jeans is a fine option. While they won’t be as cheap as you might think—and there are a lot of variations and vagaries to navigate—a little hustle can turn up new-to-you gems.

If you have a preoccupation with the old but don’t have the time to rummage through your local thrift store, the first name in denim introduced its Levi’s Secondhand platform for buying used and vintage jeans. It’s a welcome nod of eco-awareness, particularly considering how much energy and water goes into making new denim. And on that immediate gratification tip, Levi’s Secondhand is also the easiest way to score sourced-and-stamped vintage when you don’t have the time or energy to trawl the local thrift shops. If you’ve got your own Levi’s gear that deserves a new home, you can trade it in for a gift card, too.

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Style is subjective, we know—that’s the fun of it. But we’re serious about helping our audience get dressed. Whether it’s the best white sneakers, the flyest affordable suits, or the need-to-know menswear drops of the week, GQ Recommends’ perspective is built on years of hands-on experience, an insider awareness of what’s in and what’s next, and a mission to find the best version of everything out there, at every price point.