Jeans and I have always had a… complicated relationship. Thanks to my 6’4″ stature—coming in, generally, at a 34-inch inseam—I’m typically limited in terms of styles that are available to me. Tack on my 33-inch waist, and you have the exact recipe for why I hate jeans shopping. It’s kinda a weird size.

Funny enough, this is a review of Lucky Brand Jeans—a brand that I have a surprising amount of pleasant history with. I LOVED Lucky Brand in college. I wore the couple of pairs I had into the ground. When it came time to buy new jeans, I was, unfortunately, a victim to my aforementioned sizing requirements. I couldn’t find any Luckys that fit me at that time. I spent the next decade with Levi’s. None of which was worth writing home about.

Now Lucky Brand Jeans is back and betting big on pop star collaborations to help revive the brand’s early aughts cachet. Their latest ambassador is pop star Charlie Puth. Based on the vibes of his latest release, “Whatever’s Clever!,” I expected the look and feel of the jeans to largely resemble the clothes that I used to wear in the 90’s for a JCPenney photoshoot (because that style has come back in recent years—Charlie joining in that trend).

That’s not a bad thing. I just haven’t been fast to adopt it myself. But in the name of progress, I tried out some Charlie Puth-approved Lucky Brand Jeans.

After all, I had to know: could Lucky Brand Jeans win me back after all these years?

What You Need to Know About the Lucky Brand x Charlie Puth Collab

Lucky Brand named Charlie Puth its newest brand ambassador in August, and if the three pairs I tested are any indication, the fit and style for all of the pairs holds up. The partnership leans into Lucky’s three-decade-plus relationship with music, and the campaign puts Puth in the brand’s Relaxed and Baggy fits, part of a broader push into roomier, less try-hard silhouettes. (I do admit to perhaps trying too hard with my skinnier jeans.)

For a 6’4″ guy who wrote off Lucky Brand a decade ago over sizing options, testing three of the brand’s straight-leg fits—the 363 Vintage Straight, 181 Relaxed Straight, and 410 Athletic Straight—felt like the right way to find out if that reputation still holds.

Things to Consider

• Sizing ran better than expected for long legs. Both 32″ and 34″ inseams fit true to their listed length—no “32 actually fits like a 30” surprises.
• Stretch is real, not marketing speak. All three fits move with you without feeling like they’ll blow out at the seams.
• The hand-feel is softer than classic rigid denim, without tipping into a “these aren’t real jeans” debate.
• Fly detailing runs a little generous up front, which is really only mentioned here because it’s worth knowing before you buy. It’s definitely not a dealbreaker.
• Fits vary meaningfully by style (vintage straight vs. relaxed vs. athletic), so don’t assume your size in one translates directly to another.

How I Tested the Lucky Brand x Charlie Puth Jeans

I tested three pairs across two sizes: one pair in 33×34, and two pairs in 33×32. Upon receiving my package, I 100% expected the 32″ inseam pairs to run way too short on me. As a 6’4″ guy, a 32″ length is almost always a letdown. 

Instead, to my absolute and utter surprise, both 32″ pairs wore as long as I’d expect a 34″ to, and the 34″ pair didn’t feel meaningfully longer than the 32s. I’ve never experienced that of a 32” in my life.

I wore each pair through a couple full days, sitting at a desk, walking around… basically the normal tests for whether a jean actually moves with you or you have to adapt to it.

I especially paid attention to how the stretch held up, how the denim felt against my skin over hours of wear, and if the fit differences between the three cuts (vintage straight, relaxed, and athletic) actually felt distinct on the same body. All three pairs were also from the men’s collection.

What It’s Actually Like to Wear the Lucky Brand x Charlie Puth Jeans

So, how did everything hold up? Pretty darn well.

363 Vintage Straight

This is the one that I think most resembles “a normal pair of jeans.” It’s mid-rise, straight through the leg, with just enough stretch that sitting down all day doesn’t turn into a fight with the waistband. It’s my go-to, and the pair I’d grab without thinking.

181 Relaxed Straight

The room through the thigh is the story with this style. It’s built for an athletic build without ever feeling baggy in a way that reads sloppy. It is the baggiest one that I tested, though, and took a lot more getting used to as a previously-mentioned “try-hard” for skinnier jeans. This is also the fit Puth himself wears in the campaign, and it’s easy to see why since it splits the difference between “relaxed” and “still put together.”

410 Athletic Straight

The most tailored-feeling of the three, and Lucky’s current bestseller in this cut. It’s snugger through the thigh than the other two, which (combined with the stretch) means it’s also where I noticed Lucky’s long-running reputation for generous front-panel room the most (a callback, I’d guess, to the “Lucky You” script stitched inside the fly). Not a con exactly, just a “know before you buy.”

Across all three, the stretch is the major headline. A 33″ waist has usually meant choosing between jeans that are too stiff to move in or too loose to stay up, and these balance both without feeling like they’ll stretch out or lose their shape within a month of wear. The denim itself is also softer than what I remember from Lucky in college. It’s worn-in right out of the box, but it still feels weighted enough to be jeans. And it still has the texture that makes a jean feel like a jean, versus those soft pants pretending to be “rugged.” Can’t say I’m a fan of those. If I want to wear soft, non-jean pants… I’ll throw on my sweatpants.

Alternatives to the Lucky Brand x Charlie Puth Collaboration

If you can’t tell by now, I’m actually a big fan of the Charlie Puth-approved Lucky Brand Jeans. But if you try them out and wind up not digging them, here are a few potential alternatives:

• Levi’s Relaxed Fit Jeans — Levi’s have been my default for the better part of a decade, and are a fine enough, widely available option. What Lucky’s style does better, though, is its stretch-to-structure ratio feels more dialed in for all-day wear.
• Old Navy Stretchy Jeans for Men — I haven’t tried Old Navy’s jeans since high school (and we won’t get into how long ago that was). But the keywords of “Stretchy Jeans” makes it a worthwhile option to at least check into. 

The Stuff You’re Probably Wondering

Are the Lucky Jeans that Charlie Puth Wears True to Size?

Based on testing, yes… with the caveat that “true to size” varies by cut. The 363 and 181 both ran as expected across both inseams I tried. If you’re between sizes, sizing up in the 410 Athletic Straight might be worth considering given its slightly snugger thigh.

Where Can I Buy the Lucky Brand x Charlie Puth Jeans?

The full Men’s Collection of jeans (including the ones Charlie himself wears) is available now at luckybrand.com and in Lucky Brand retail stores, with both men’s and women’s fits available.

Final Verdict

If you’ve written off Lucky Brand over sizing, like I had, or if you’ve never considered giving them a try, these jeans are still worth checking out… especially if you’re tall, athletic, or both. 

The 181 Relaxed Straight is the one I’d probably point most people toward first, given it’s the fit Puth himself wears in the campaign. The 363 is the safer, more classic pick if you just want a reliable everyday jean. The 410 is for people who want more shape through the leg and don’t mind a snugger fit up front. None of these are for someone chasing a skinny or super-slim silhouette. That’s not what this style is built for.

So, yeah. I’ll be making “changes (changes) in [my] life, oh.” All of which has to do with what I’m putting in my closet and on the lower half of my body.

Lucky me!

VICE received samples for this article from Lucky Brand.