Nudie Jeans Review + Fit Comparison (Read This Before Buying)

In this hands-on Nudie Jeans review, I’ll share my thoughts about this premium denim brand and compare their most popular styles.

Nudie Jeans is often touted as one of the best “entry level” premium denim options for men.

I put entry level in quotes because Nudie isn’t cheap, especially if you’re used to $50 jeans from American Eagle.

But for high quality denim, including many raw and selvedge options, Nudie’s prices are totally reasonable.

Quick Take

If you want to dip your toes in the world of premium quality jeans, you should give Nudie a try, especially if you’re interested in raw denim.

I’d recommend starting with the Lean Dean fit, which is slim and tapered and will look good on almost anyone.

Click here to check out Nudie Jeans, or read on for my full review.

About Nudie Jeans

Before we get into the fit check and review, here’s a brief overview of the Nudie Jeans brand.

Nudie Jeans is was started in Sweden back in 2001, fueled by the love of raw denim and the desire to create an all-organic denim brand (a radical idea 20 years ago).

Nudie achieved this goal 11 years after they launched. Since 2012, all of their denim is made from 100% organic cotton.

Of course, the raw materials are only part of the equation. With sustainability in mind, Nudie designs jeans that are meant to last a long time.

For this reason, much of their denim requires some breaking in, but you can wear it for years, and it should only get better.

Nudie also has a “Free Repairs Forever” policy that lets you patch up your worn out jeans, free of charge, at one of their retail partner shop or mobile repair stations.

You can learn more about Nudie Jeans on their surprisingly transparent About page.

Of course, none of this matters if the jeans don’t look good and don’t offer enough value for your money, so let’s move on with the review!

My Build

To give you an idea of how Nudie Jeans will fit on you, here are my stats:

I’m 5’6″ with shoes one and about 120 lbs after dinner. I usually wear 28×28 pants (actual waist is about 29″).

My chest is about 34″ around, and I usually wear XS tops. If there’s a “short” option available (e.g., 34S), I take it.

What I Tried On

Just like Levi’s, Nudie offers a wide variety of fits, from ultra skinny to loose, and everything in between.

I tend to prefer skinny, slim and tapered pants, so here’s what I tried, in order from tight to loose:

• Skinny Lin – Dry Deep Orange – 28×28
• Tight Terry – Rinse Twill – 28×28
• Lean Dean – Dry 16 Dips – 28×28
• Thin Finn – Indigo Dreams – 27×30
• Grim Tim – Indigo Feeling – 27×28
• Slim Adam – Bunker, 28×30

I tried a variety of fabrics, including lighter weight stretch denim and raw selvedge denim.

Let’s look at each pair in more detail…

Nudie Skinny Lin

These are legit skinny jeans. They’re tight on me, and I have slim legs, even for a 5’6″ guy.

They’re tight around the hips and thighs, and all the way down to the leg opening.

They’re a bit too skinny for my taste these days, but if I were to buy them again, I’d size up to a 29 waist.

That said, I do appreciate the fact that they’re not super low rise (which is the case with most skinny jeans).

Nudie Tight Terry

Just like Skinny Lin, Tight Terry is a truly skinny silhouette.

In fact, it’s very similar to Skinny Lin. I’m not sure that there’s much of a difference in the actual slimness through the leg.

Compared to Skinny Lin, Tight Terry has a more tilted waist that’s slightly higher in the back.

I find this to be comfortable, although I prefer the back pocket placement on Skinny Lin.

Nudie Lean Dean

In terms of fit, my favorite was Lean Dean, one of Nudie’s best-selling fits.

I think it’s the perfect fitted-but-not-tight (or slim tapered) silhouette.

Lean Dean is Nudie’s best-selling fit, and I can see why. This cut will be flattering on most body types.

This particular pari did seem slightly long for a 28″ inseam. The dry denim will likely shrink up a bit when washed/dried.

Nudie Thin Finn

Thin Finn is one of Nudie’s original fits, and possibly better than Lean Dean for anyone who likes slim/tapered silhouettes.

I used Nudie’s size finder and sizes down to 27 for the Thin Finn style, but I think 28 would be better (27 is really tight in the waist).

That said, I love the cut of these jeans. The shape of the leg is perfect.

My only gripe is the low slung back pockets. I’d prefer a more traditional placement

Nudie Grim Tim

Grim Tim is a straight leg jean with a slightly slim leg opening (i.e., it has a subtle taper below the knee).

This is probably the best fit for athletic builds, as it has a bit more room in the thighs and calves than Thin Finn or any of the slim/skinny cuts.

I also like the traditional back pocket position of Grim Tim (better than Thin Finn, in my opinion).

Just like with Thin Finn, I sized down to 27, resulting in a tight fit around the waist.

This could be okay with some break in, but 28 would be more comfy out of the box.

Nudie Slim Adam

I wanted to try something other than jeans, so I ordered a pair of Slim Adam chinos in the Bunker colorway (which I love, by the way).

Nudie’s size tool suggested that I go with a 27 waist, which seemed way too small.

I asked a customer service rep how these compare to the Lean Dean fit, and they sort of suggested that they weren’t as slim.

After trying them on, I can say that Slim Adam is a skinny fit chino, not a slim or slim-straight fit. It’s somewhere in between Tight Terry and Lean Dean.

They’re a bit too right on me, which is too bad because I love the color, rise and fabric.

I’m going to try the Easy Alvin chinos soon. Of course, I’ll update this review when that happens!

Overall Recommendation

I think Nudie is one of the best entry-level premium denim brands for anyone who wants to upgrade from Levi’s but isn’t ready to drop $300 on jeans.

They carry a wide variety of fits, sizes and washes, including raw and washed denim.

If you’re trying Nudie for the first time, I recommend Lean Dean for a slim-but-not-skinny silhouette.

Nudie does not have sales very often, so I don’t recommend waiting around for discounted prices.

Questions About Nudie Jeans

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Nudie Jeans:

Are Nudie Jeans worth it?

Nudie Jeans offer good value for the price. Are they worth it for you? Depends on your budget and what kind of jeans you want. In my opinion, these jeans are priced fairly (not overpriced).

Do Nudie jeans shrink?

It depends on the type of denim the jeans are made from (dry vs. pre-washed). Nudie jeans made from dry denim will shrink by about 3%, according to Nudie’s Help Center.

Of course, this varies depending on how you wash them, and how tight or loose they are on your body. You can also stretch your jeans while they dry to recover the original size.

Are all Nudie jeans raw denim?

No. Nudie sells both dry (raw) and pre-washed jeans.

Nudie Jeans vs. Levi’s

Nudie and Levi’s are similar in that both brands offer a wide variety of fits, sizes and washes.

The big difference is the price range. Levi’s is pretty affordable, as most of their jeans cost about $60.

On the other hand, Nudie Jeans is a premium denim brand whose jeans start at $185.

Both brands offer a lot of value at their respective price points, so go with whatever makes sense for your budget.