The Dead Giveaway of Cheap Skinny Jeans

The subject of whether or not skinny jeans are "in" or "out" has been rehashed on repeat in recent years. Since the consensus on that subject has generally been that they're a classic with a place in every woman's closet, we can move on to discussing the more relevant subject of what qualities make skinnies look cheap and, on the flip side, what makes them look expensive.

We reached out to celebrity-favorite denim brand AG to get an expert's take on the subject, as its skinny jeans are top-notch. The brand's VP of global communications, Johnathan Crocker, revealed that inauthenticity is the number one giveaway of cheap skinny jeans: "The quality of distressing ultimately comes down to authenticity. Every detail needs to look like it was naturally developed over time—whether that's the whiskering details on the front pockets or behind the knees, or the precise placements of rips/repairs, to the overall wash and coloring/fading of the denim, it has to look real. We fully embrace this as a brand, and as a result, no surprise our AG-ed denim is second to none."

Alternatively, when it comes to the type of skinny jeans that look the most expensive, Crocker named a high-waisted fit and a dark wash as the no-fail characteristics to shop for: "It's hard to say what type of skinny jeans look the most expensive, but I believe it starts with the right fit for your body. With that, I think a high-waisted skinny is probably the most democratic of skinny jeans—it seems to be flattering on all body types. After that, add a high-quality Japanese denim and dark rinse, and no one will mistake you for wearing cheap skinnies."

Since now you know what to look for in a pair of skinny jeans, shop our expensive-looking edit of skinny jeans below (at a variety of price points).