Selvage denim by Twelve Bar, Uniqlo and Gap

In the last 6 months alone, I've worn three different pairs of selvage denim by three different brands. As a results I thought I'd give a bit of history behind each of those purchases and my take on the denim used and how they've worked out for me personally.

Twelve Bar

Possibly the best looking pair of denim I've ever owned. I'll never be one to spend hundreds of dollars (or pounds) on a pair of jeans, and the Newman Raw denim I bought from Twelve Bar weren't cheap, but these are worth what you pay. They are beautiful pair of denim!

The attention to detail is great and I couldn't ask for a better fitting pair of jeans. The only downside to Twelve Bar denim is the flimsy material used for the front pockets. I've had two pairs and they've lasted in both BUT they look and feel a bit weaker than I'd like.

Pros

• Great fit
• Button fly
• Finishing touches
  • Each button on the fly gets lighter as you down
  • Twelve Bar branded studs
  • Great finish on the selvage, not just your usual red and white finish
  • Big pockets with the Twelve Bar logo embroided

Cons

• Poor pocket material
• Price

The only reason I no longer have a pair of Twelve Bar denim is because mine were stolen from my washing line. Yes, that is correct, stolen! I had only recently had them repeaired after the inevitable crotch tear and they were looking great after 6 months of wear...

Uniqlo

Uniqlo. Where to start. I bought a pair of Uniqlo jeans that I used as a stop gap after my Twelve Bar jeans were stolen. They have stood me in good stead but having moved on, I've noticed a lot of negatives.

Measuring against my new Gap denim, which has a 34" inseam, the Uniqlo denim is supposed to be 32", but they’re closer to 30"! That explains why they never sat quite right on my waist or shoes. It's worth trying them on for a few minutes and taking in the fit. For anything under a 36" waist, you can usually buy different lengths, so you may find a more suitable fit.

Unusually for me, I went for black. Probably because I bought them just before the theft and thought a bit of variety would be a good idea!

After a while, the usual crotch tear appeared, but unlike other selvage denim, the hole widened far quicker. Really quick. Within two days it was a massive tear!

Once I noticed a severe lightning of the crotch area, I began my search for my next pair and instantly went into an Uniqlo store to buy a blue pair, but surprisingly, 36" waist straight denim is almost impossible to find.

At £29.99, Uniqlo's selvage denim is great value, but it’s not up to the same quality as other brands, but for just under £30, you can't really complain too much!

Pros

• Price
• Decent finish

Cons

• Not the best stitching
• Japanese sizing
• Lack of sizes
• Zip fly

Gap

I bought my first pair of Morrison denim from Gap 3 to 4 years ago, way back when the Be Unequaled forum was up and running. I even went to the extreme of sitting in a warm bath with them on to improve the initial fit and help the aging process. On reflection, this is probably an excessive measure to take BUT it certainly helped speed up the results by a month or two.

Fast forward to January 2011 and I now own my second pair. These fit great and are a lot longer than the 32" inseam I normally go for at 34". The denim feels a bit better than Uniqlo's offering but most importantly, the fit around the waist is much better. No longer will my builder's bum be on show when leaning forward - probably the biggest problem I had with my Uniqlo denim!

Another plus for Gap is the pocket depth. Only slightly more than Uniqlo and not as deep as Twelve Bar, but the extra depth makes it easier to get in and out of.

Pros

• Great fit
• Good finish
• Button fly

Cons

• Price (RRP)
• Hard to find

Conclusion

If you see Gap's selvage denim on sale, grab it and grab it quick! I paid £19.99 for my new Morrisons and I cannot believe how much I got them for. They usually retail for £65, so they really were a bargain. Had they had another pair in my size, I'd have bought those too!

Uniqlo are great for a budget pair of selvage denim. They may fit a Japanese frame better than they did mine, but with a choice of colours and fits, there should be something for a lot of people.

Twevle Bar are the luxary pair. An excellent fit. Big, deep, rear pockets and some great attention to detail. What more could you ask for?! At $150, they're not cheap, but if you have the money to spend, I'd recommend them.

If you're in the market for selvage denim, there are quite a few other brands that do them, but you often have to pay well above the $150 mark of Twelve Bars, something I could never do, but as the old Be Unequaled forum showed, some find it's the only way to get the results they want.