How to Get the Vintage Denim Look Without Vintage Jeans

By Andrea Cheng
Updated Jan 16, 2017 @ 5:00 pm
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Unearthing that perfect pair of vintage jeans is the sartorial equivalent of a pot of gold. It's rigid in material, it sits high on the waist, its wash is neither too dark nor too light, and it boasts a silhouette that's straight, with a slim fit. Oh, and it makes your butt look really, really good. But when you don't have the time or the patience to sift through stacks of denim in search for this elusive unicorn of a pair, then it all seems like a lost cause. Factor in confusing vintage sizing and the sheer volume of stuff in thrift stores, and it's enough to weaken anyone's resolve.

Luckily, denim brands know this. They see the demand, they understand how frustrating the process can be, and they've blessed us with a solution: non-vintage vintage jeans. Even Re/Done, the label famous for deconstructing and reconstructing vintage Levi's, has launched its modern take on vintage denim. And Levi's, the maker of the Holy Grail of vintage denim, continues to roll out classic 501s and 505s, but rendered in modern-day sizing and fits (the most recent? a skinny version of the 501s).

Scroll through to shop your dream vintage jeans—without having to step foot in a vintage store.

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FRAME

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$295
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frame-store.com

Frame brought back 11 classics from its archives all reconstructed in a new, specially developed denim for its vintage-inspired Rigid Re-Release Collection.

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Rebecca Taylor

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$195
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rebeccataylor.com

High-waist with a straight leg, this one looks like a vintage style, but with a touch of modern-day stretch for comfort.

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LEVI'S

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$98
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levi.com

The Holy Grail of vintage denim? Levi's 501s and 505s, of course. And the brand is taking advantage of that with the roll-out of modern version of the classics, like the 501 skinny (shown here), or the 505C.

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4 of 7

re/done originals

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$287
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matchesfashion.com

Inspired by vintage styles, Re/Done has launched an Originals line that features one-percent stretch and in-demand washes. 

5 of 7

GRLFRND

$228
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revolve.com

GRLFRND draws from '90s supermodels (Cindy and Naomi, especially) and their fashion essentials, including their go-to fitted jeans. The result: High-waist, vintage-y pairs that are really well done.

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Topshop

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$70
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topshop.com

The old-school mom jeans that all of today's street style stars would wear. 

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PAIGE

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$229
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paige.com

Slightly slouchy, with the teensiest bit of stretch, this faded high-waist style is a part of the Paige's recently launched Vintage collection.

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By Andrea Cheng