I've owned 4 pairs of AG jeans for men and 1 pair of AG 5-pocket cotton pants for 2 years. Here's my detailed review of how they've fared, how they fit, the style and more.
2 years ago I upgraded my pants and jeans wardrobe buying 5 pairs of AG pants which included 3 pairs of blue jeans, 1 pair of black jeans and 1 pair of blue cotton pants.
All pants were the AG modern slim cut.
Since then I lost 20 pounds which prompted me to buy another batch of jeans in late 2018 (this time from Banana Republic).
AG jeans are the most expensive jeans I’ve ever bought. I wanted to see how going higher end would work out in the long run. Overall, I was very happy with the pants, except when I lost 20 pounds, even though the jeans are still in great shape, they didn’t fit all that well anymore.
Yes, I’m hanging on to my AG pants because I just may pack on the 20 pounds again.
Now to the issue-at-hand.
Contents
Related: The top-rated jeans for men
2 different types
Jeans
5-pocket cotton pants
Are AG jeans worth the cost?
Assuming you don’t lose or gain a pile of weight, I’d say mostly yes they’re worth the money.
I have a lean, athletic build with large upper legs. This sometimes makes it hard to find slim fit pants that fit well (usually too tight in the leg). The AG modern slim cut fit me really well along my entire leg and waist. The length is good too.
The bigger reason they’re worth the money is the name brand. Frankly, I really can’t say my AG jeans are better than my new Banana Republic jeans. Both brands will last a long time (more durable than my ability to sustain a stable body weight). What I can say is that the AG brand has a lot more cache than BR. BR is no slouch in the brand department, but it sure isn’t AG.
So, if you like sporting high-end brand apparel, AG jeans are a great fit and worth the money.
Jean materials
I bought both jeans and a 5-pocket cotton pant which is cut like jeans but isn’t. Here’s the material breakdown for both:
Jeans
- 98% cotton
- 2% elastane (gives it a bit of stretch which I really appreciate).
5-pocket cotton pants
- 97% cotton
- 3% elastane
Fit
When I fit jeans, I consider the waist, length, butt and upper leg. Given today’s fashion is the slim fit (skinny jeans are way too tight for me), I like my jeans to be nicely form-fitting all the way to the bottom, but no too tight, especially in the waist or upper leg.
When I bought my AG jeans, even though I was heavier, they fit me really well. The waist and upper leg was comfortable but offered a decent slim fit profile. In fact, at the time, they were the best-fitting jeans I ever owned.
I particularly liked the fact that they were sufficiently long. As a taller person (6ft 3in) I’m paranoid about my pants being too short. I prefer them a tad long and rolling them up once or twice for an exposed cuff. In fact, that’s exactly how I wore all my AG jeans.
Texture
AG denim is awesome. It’s very smooth and the denim is thin with a slight stretch in the material for a more comfortable fit. You can definitely tell the difference in quality when you run AG jeans through your fingers compared to lower-end brands such as Banana Republic and other brands.
Simple design
I’m not a flashy guy. I like the simple style and design, which makes AG a great option for me. Their logo is very nondescript. The jeans are not flashy. They’re straight jeans made from superior materials that happen to fit me well.
Overall
Overall, I like AG jeans and while I justified the price once upon a time, this recent batch of jeans purchase I opted to spend less per pair at Banana Republic.
Do AG jeans shrink in the wash?
Mine didn’t. However, I wash them in cold water and hang dry them. Perhaps given my weight loss I should wash them in hot water and put them in the dryer. That just might make them fit half-decently (not likely though).
AG vs. Banana Republic Jeans
Without a doubt, AG jeans are a bit higher quality texture-wise than Banana Republic jeans. AG jeans have a smooth-feeling denim that gives them an edge. However, for me the question was whether it was worth spending two times more for jeans to get slightly smoother jeans with a higher-end brand name?
2 years ago, I went high end (and never regretted it).
6 weeks ago, I opted to save a few bucks and bought all Banana Republic jeans (which I love). The denim is not as smooth and it’s a bit thicker, but they fit and look really well.
At the end of the day, it comes down to your jean preference and budget. Of course, fit is important too. I’d opt for a lesser brand if they fit better. I’m all about brand names, but not at the cost of fit. Read my full Banana Republic jeans review here.
Learn more about AG jeans here.
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