I ride horses for a living and have worn 550's for several years. First of all there are 2 different kinds, 100% cotton with slight tapered leg and 98% cotton, 2% lycra with boot cut, they are both considered Relaxed Fit. I purchased my new 550's from Amazon and their not so great. The cut is not the normal 550, the boot cut is more flared and the longs are not as long. I looked to see where they were manufactured and it is Egypt. Levi, manufactures 550's several places, Egypt, Mexico and Brazil. I have found out over the years that the ones manufactured in Mexico have the better fabric that is heavier and what most of us have come to expect of Levis, so hence the cheaper price. Hope this helps the confusion. I'll wear these, but won't purchase 550's from Amazon again. It's not Amazon's fault, they are just trying to get them cheaper for the consumer,you get what you pay for.