Wrangler's $50 Jeans Are the Best in the Butt Business
Despite their name, Wrangler's Cowboy Cut Jeans (also known as 13MWZ) are not—and have never been—bootcut jeans.
'It's actually a straight leg that fits over a boot,' Vivian Rivetti, VP of Global Design for Wrangler & Lee told me in a video call. The cowboy cut is a high-rise, straight fit with an incredibly subtle taper, and it has a slightly pinched waist—more like a cousin of Levi's 501s than Kendrick's Celine flares. Wrangler's 13MWZ jeans come with a delightfully retro tag framing the back pocket patch. Alex Aciman/NYT Wirecutter
But unlike the Levi's 501 jeans, which periodically see redesigns and pattern changes, Wrangler's 13MWZ jeans have remained largely unchanged since their inception. (According to Rivetti, the last major change came in 1963, with the introduction of a new standard fabric for the line.)
Straight-fit jeans have been popular since the inception of jeans themselves, but over the past few years, the larger design trend has moved away from the skinny-fit jeans of the 2010s. Go to the men's jeans pages for almost any brand, from Madewell to H&M, and you will see straight and baggy cuts pinned to the very top of the page.
'To me, the reason for this is quite simple,' said menswear writer Derek Guy, who has written about style for The New York Times (he's also known as the Menswear Guy on X). 'It's like asking, 'Why did skinny jeans come into vogue?' It's because millennials didn't want to dress like their boomer parents, and now Gen Z doesn't want to look like their millennial co-workers or their Gen X parents.' Guy also said we're in 'a western wear moment,' which is creating renewed interest in heritage brands like Wrangler.
'On social media we're seeing a really calm but forceful rejection of fast fashion,' Michael Kristy, founder of The Iron Snail and the popular YouTube channel of the same name, told me over the phone. 'With everything loaded with spandex, you hit a point where nothing you're wearing feels authentic, it feels like a painted-on version of the original. … Jeans that are constructed to be tougher stick out immediately.'
Wrangler's jeans are, ultimately, still utilitarian. The 11⅛-inch high rise (skinny jeans might have a 9- or 9½-inch rise) and two additional belt loops in the back help a rider's shirt stay tucked in while they're sitting in a saddle, according to Wrangler. The thicker, flat-felled seam—usually on the inside of the pant leg—is instead placed on the outer part of the leg, since this is more comfortable for someone on horseback. Extra belt loops keep a belt in place, which in turn helps a shirt stay tucked in. Alex Aciman/NYT Wirecutter
The front pockets have a more-circular opening, so it's easy to reach in at any angle, and the jeans' higher rise makes it harder for things to slip out. Wrangler's jeans also have hard, smooth, copper-colored rivets on the back pockets, creating a more-durable fabric attachment. The sloped, larger, more-circular pockets of Wrangler's jeans (on the right). Alex Aciman/NYT Wirecutter
For its 13MWZ jeans, Wrangler uses a kind of fabric called 'broken twill.' Most jeans are made from a rightward-angled twill (this is why denim looks like a series of diagonal lines). Wrangler's broken twill fabric, however, changes direction, from right to left, every several stitches, giving it an almost chevron-like appearance. The result, Kristy explained to me, is a fabric that physically has more opportunities to fold over itself, making it feel a little less rigid. This allows Wrangler to use heavier, harder-wearing denim without sacrificing comfort. While I was wearing these jeans, they felt more drapey and softer than any other 14-ounce denim (like A.P.C.'s roughly 14½-ounce denim) would. The reverse side of Wrangler's broken twill (left) shown next to a standard righthand twill (right). Alex Aciman/NYT Wirecutter
All of these touches yield a garment that feels more thoughtfully designed and more rugged than the price tag suggests. Testers agreed that the jeans felt substantial, bordering on premium—one guessed these jeans had a retail price somewhere north of $150. Another said that they seem like 'they would last longer than my Levi's usually do.'
Compared with comparably priced jeans I've worn from Levi's and Uniqlo, the 13MWZ jeans are made from a heavier-weight denim that doesn't start to feel slouchy after a few wears. And the copper rivets and tight stitching make the jeans feel sturdier than these counterparts.
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