APC jeans are a French brand of denim that is rapidly becoming very popular in the United States and elsewhere. The company started out in the 80’s during a time of dreadful fashion trends. Poorly fitting garments, ugly colors and big hair was all the rage. So when APC came out with jeans that were tighter fitting, without any acid washing or distressing and made of stiff durable denim they were not an immediate success. However, as times began to change, people sought out the simple elegance of a pair of denim that did not scream out “I have no fashion sense.” APC was for the classy woman or the gentleman that wanted to go by slightly unnoticed, but very well put together.
Where to buy APC jeans
I have never see APC jeans in the mall. I have seen they have some retailers but only in major cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles or New York. If you are like me and do not live in a big city the only option is to order online. Some people are apprehensive about ordering jeans online, but there are online retailers that offer free shipping both ways so that if you do not get a size that fits you, you are able to return it for a different size. Another good option is to take measurements of the waist, thighs and knees of your current favorite pair of pants and compare it to the given measurements for APC jeans. Most online retailers will have a measurement guide that has true to size measurements.
Why buy APC Jeans?
The simple answer is because they are worth it. Yes they are nearly $200 bucks for 1 pair of pants, but they last about five times longer than any other pair of jeans. They look cool, and they fit awesome once you break them in a little bit. I have been wearing the same pair of pants for nearly two years. I estimate I’ve wore them more than 500 times. At 200 a pair that is about forty cents per wear! I have at least another 200 to 300 wears so they really have cost me almost nothing on a per wear basis. That is an excellent value to me. On the plus side I now have cool distressed jeans that I made all by myself that fit me perfectly. This is the most unique pair of jeans on the market.
Why are they so dark?
APC jeans are so dark because they are raw unwashed denim. What the heck does that mean you might ask? Traditionally denim is first dyed and then washed to make the color set and to soften up the fabric. And by traditionally I mean in more recent times – perhaps the last 30 years or so. Prior to that people purchased mostly raw denim that was tough, stiff and long lasting. So in a way raw denim of APC jeans is a throw back to a simpler way of life. You bought one pair of jeans and you broke them in till they were comfortable and they lasted a very long time. This is how life was before the invention of outsourced cheap labor and the throw away culture of modern times.
Tips and tricks
When you first get the pants they will be a bit tight and uncomfortable. Fear not!. They will stretch out quite a bit and become perfect. In fact if they are not uncomfortable I would suggest that you get a smaller size. They will most definitely stretch a good 1-2 inches in the waist.
Also with APC jeans, they are vanity sized. Vanity sizing means that the label is actually tagged so that a 34 on the label is actually more like a 36. So be sure to size down 1-2 sizes from your normal waist size. Why jeans companies do this – I have no idea.
Because of the raw unwashed denim, there could be some bleeding of the dye initially. Especially if it is hot out and you are sweating a little bit. For this reason be careful not to sit on very light colored furniture as it could stain. I have personally not had this problem, but I know some people who have.
So that wraps up my introduction to my favorite type of denim, APC Jeans. Keep an eye out for more content coming in the future.