I've worn 'normal' jeans for most of my 40 years with Wranglers being my favorite. So I'm not a designer guy. I've owned one other designer jean that I got to review and did no like them. This pair of jeans I was much happier with, mainly because they look like well worn blue jeans. They are made out of mostly denim with what I assume is lycra or something similar as well since they stretch. They aren't 'skinny jeans' but they had an odd fit for me. The waist size is wrong, the 34s were big and required a belt, so they were closer to 36 waists. And while the legs weren't tapered, and I don't have He-Man quads, they were tight in the quad area for me. So I suggest you order a size down, since they are generously sized in the waist. They look great but they are dress jeans, and made of a light weight denim. So they are going to take a beating like work pants will. That said I'm not sure how many people will spend $200 on pants and then work in them, but it is something to keep in mind. They don't feel cheap at all, the stitching is clean but they are light weight and you can feel that in the construction. But when it comes to fancy jeans this shows me that they can be done right and even to my more traditional tastes.