Why I Recommend AG/Adriano Goldschmied Jeans

[antipattern]

I know there are several threads about AG jeans, but they are at least a couple of years old so I'd rather not bump them. That said, I'd like to contribute my recommendation for the Matchbox, especially for people with larger legs who struggle with finding slim-straight jeans that fit both their waists and thighs, and still taper to a good fit in the calves and leg openings.

First off, my dimensions: I wear size 32 waist, 34 inseam (probably literally 33 but I like the extra inch). My thighs are 23 inches in diameter, and my calves are 13 inches.

I have struggled with finding slim-straight jeans that fit my waist and thighs. I've tried APC New Standards, Naked and Famous, and several other brands recommended on these forums. Some might fit my waist and thighs, but the leg opening is too wide and floppy. One good brand I found was Nudie Slim Jims, which are great, high quality jeans, but until just recently, after 8 months of wear, the thigh and calf fits seemed a bit disproportionate to each other. The thighs fit fine but the leg openings were slightly too wide. Now they fit great, but that is due to some slight thigh stretching that makes them fit a bit closer to straight cut. It makes it difficult living in Boise, Idaho, as we have very few stores that sell good denim, and most of them sell the typical "expensive" jeans like 7 For All Mankind (by the way, I bought a pair of these because they fit well, and although the denim was significantly heavier than AG Jeans, the riveted corners of the back pockets begin to separate from the jeans after a matter of hours, and I had to have a tailor reinforce them), Citizens of Humanity, etc., so I have to order online.

I tried the Matchboxes in a faded blue (maybe 3 year? I can't remember the exact model) in my size, and immediately upon putting them on I was in love. Out of the box, they fit my waist and thighs fine, and the calf fit was also good. After a couple of days of wear, the thighs stretched out a tad bit, and now they fit just like I was looking for. They also make my butt (which isn't flat, mind you) look good. The denim is amazingly soft both inside and out, and I find myself rubbing my hands on the jeans just because it feels so nice.

The only downside is the fade. I really do want undistressed or raw jeans if possible, but like I said, I have to take what I can get. It's grown on me. It might not look good with "classic" outfits, but there is definitely a use for some pre-distressed jeans in my wardrobe.

Since then, I've purchased their Matchbox jeans in Beechwood (undistressed tan/khaki), Super Black (undistressed black), Jack (undistressed indigo), and 7 Years Grey (distressed grey). The Beechwoods needed a couple of days of wearing high to stretch them out. The Super Blacks needed about half a day of the same. The Jacks fit a bit odd, but I have no doubt they will stretch to a desirable fit. The 7 Years Greys were almost perfect out of the box.

I think the reason these jeans work for me and my slightly chunky thighs is the 98% cotton/2% polyurethane blend, as well as the weight of the denim. It allows for a very comfortable fit, and once they stretch, they fit great.

I have no hesitancies regarding quality. Although I don't wear these for work, the workmanship seems very good, and despite the lightweight denim, they seem like they will hold up for a long time. The weight makes them great for spring/summer/autumn jeans, although I've worn them in winter and don't feel cold.

I'm posting this in hopes that searchers, lurkers, and members will be able to find good information on these jeans. It's difficult to get good reviews that detail the fits, especially for people like me who carry their weight on the lower half of their bodies.

Let me know if you have any questions. Hopefully I was of help.

 

[Gauss17]

I like and wear AG jeans, although I admit I wish they were a touch bigger in the thigh area. The one thing I did notice is that comparing the protege fit (straight, 98% cotton/2% elastane or w/e) to the hero (relaxed fit, 100% cotton) was that the protege actually seemed to fit better to due to the stretch, even though the hero cut was technically bigger.

 

[umirin]

G's are my favorite jeans for the same reasons you stated. I have a 32" waist and 22.5" and thighs, and finding a pair of denim that fit right was an ordeal to say the least. I tried on about 15 different styles from JCrew, Naked and Famous, Wings and Horns, to 7's and everything in between. The Matchbox fit is definitely my go to style. I may buy another pair for the fall.

 

[nepats81]

I have worn primarily Spurr jeans for the last couple of years. I've gotten back into playing basketball regularly and working out over the last couple months and my thighs and ass are more muscluar. Can't fit into the Spurrs anymore, so I went to Barneys and tried - Nudies, APC, Acne jeans. Couldnt get any of the brands above, but tried AG jeans on and they were perfect. Still slim but more room in the thighs. They seem really good quality too...

 

[NorthernLight]

It can be hard to find good jeans these days. I have a fairly large torso and muscular thighs and calves. I find regular straight jeans to be boring in the loose fits that are the norm at all price points. (However, there are many straight jeans that don't look boring and ordinary--I find that subtle distress can save straight jeans from looking boring.) I much prefer slim fits in all my clothing.

I bought a pair of cheaper slim straight jeans that look great but proved uncomfortable to walk in because they're tight in the crotch area. No matter what brand I tried after buying my first pair of slim straight jeans (walking around in the store this time to check for walking comfort), I couldn't find a pair that didn't feel tight in the crotch. So I gave up on slim straight. I believe AG didn't come in any style I liked the last time I was at a store that carried them, so I can't comment on them.

I tried 7FAM's "the Straight" in grey with no distress besides a very subtle wash, and I'm a huge fan. These jeans are straight through the waist and thighs, but then have a subtle taper that gives them a better shape than the chunky boring look of a lot of regular straight fits. They're probably the most comfortable and highest quality jeans I've ever owned, and I get lots of looks on the street when I wear them. The Straight was a good innovation for 7FAM in term of fit--they look better than regular straight and are vastly more comfortable than any slim jean I've tried. At the end of the day, you have to be comfortable in any situation to look your best. For a lot of guys, especially those who do a lot of cycling, there's no comfort to walking in slim jeans because of our larger muscular thighs.

 

[antipattern]

OP here. The other day, I remembered starting this thread. I've put these jeans to long-term use, so now have an opinion that takes their performance and reliability into consideration. I'm in the market for jeans, and Adriano Goldscmied is an option on the table. I figured I'd check in and see what happened with the thread, and share my thoughts on these jeans after having worn them for a while.

I wore a pair of Matchboxes in Jack (dark, unwashed indigo) for about 10-12 months as my primary pair, changed up with another pair of Matchboxes in 3 Years (slight fade) every now and then, maybe 10% of the time. I washed them two or three times total. They worked great. The natural fade from use ended up looking awesome. The wallet fade got pretty bad, but I only switched my wallet pocket near the end when a hole in the back-right pocket began to form. Finally, the crotch started to wear and a hole formed, turning into a thigh- and other-part- exposing rip. Between the comfort, style, natural fading, whiskering, and creasing in the style of raw denim, the stylish look they offered me, the soft fabric, and the 2% polyurethane blend that allows for stretch for my larger thighs and butt as well as a whole lot of comfort, I would highly recommend the Matchboxes in Jack.

The 3 Years were also very good. The thighs were a bit looser on them than the the Jacks, offering a slightly less tailored look. Once the Jacks blew out, I wore the 3 Years for several more months as my sole pair of jeans before they ended up doing the same thing.

I purchased a pair of the Graduate in Jack (dark, unwashed indigo) about 6 months ago. The Graduates have a tailored leg. The thighs seem a bit looser, and the ankles seem just slightly looser compared to the Matchboxes. I wore them as my only pair of jeans, and never washed them. Great fades formed, but so did the crotch hole.

Really, I am the one to blame here. These holes formed very gradually. There was no excuse for me to not take them to a tailor or prevent the hole from growing in some other way. I bought an emergency pair of Levi 514s while I try to mend the Adriano Goldschmieds, and I'm missing my favored jeans.

I always put a lot of stress on the crotch of jeans. Most jeans are very restrictive in the crotch for me. The stretch blend in the fabric of the Adriano Goldschmieds allows the jeans to fit better. I want to find another brand that fits well. I want variety. I just can't find many alternatives.