I own about a dozen pairs of Levi's 565, and that's the fit I prefer for "going out." As many Levi's loyalists know, however, as of the last few years the Levi's brand has gone to hell and different pairs of the same size and model may fit a few different ways, depending on when and where you buy them. That said, I still prefer the leaner--while not tight--fit and look of the 565 and still wear these when I'm out on the town, wearing a collared shirt, wearing nicer but non-formal footwear (cowboy boots, slip on loafers, etc.). There is one place, however, where I do NOT want my jeans leaner and tighter and a little dressier, and that's AT WORK. I oversee management and maintenance operations for a commercial/residential real estate division, and that means I can dress somewhat casually (jeans, polo shirt, utility boots) and can also expect to get dirty on some days of the week. If I'm going to be in these all day long, I want something comfortable. I turned my nose at Wrangler for many years, but I realize the error of my ways now: these Wranglers are the most comfortable jeans I've ever worn. They're somewhat baggy--maybe in the ballpark of the Levi's 569--but the cut is very different. More space all around but they're also shaped in a way that allows more freedom of movement. I also wear a lot of tactical cargo pants at work, and these Wranglers are similar. Also, I don't know how they accomplish this on brand new jeans, but they come feeling like jeans I've been breaking in for years. Every guy has one or two pairs of jeans that he's had for longer than he can remember; the ones you wear on a lazy, hung-over Sunday afternoon; the ones you throw on when you're going out to nowhere special and the only thing you care about is being comfortable. These are those jeans. Again, these are not pretty jeans. I wouldn't wear them on a date on Friday night with a button-up shirt, ECCOs slip-on loafers and a nice watch. I certainly wouldn't wear them to a nicer restaurant. But with a black work polo shirt, utility steel-toe boots, Casio G-SHOCK and twelve hours of work ahead of me, there are few choices better than Wrangler.
