I thought I just got a bad pair last time I bought these but now I see what the problem was.  Also a bit of sticker shock at how much prices seem to have gone up in the last couple of years.  Last pair I bought was at a Sam's Club maybe 12-18 months ago for $27. Never minded paying a bit of a premium for Levi's in the past compared to other brands but even if they hadn't changed the cut, I'm not so sure  they'd be worth the $40-$50 prices I'm seeing now, especially if they're being made in some offshore sweatshop.  I never thought of these as designer jeans; I just liked the quality and fit.  Guess the company feels that it's not profitable enough to also cater to the adult market.  Good luck to them.  As for myself, I think I'll give Wrangler/Lee/Oshkosh another look.