Mission Ridge Denim Jeans (Dollar General)

Conventional wisdom says that it’s probably a bad idea to buy clothes from a dollar store. You know there’s a high chance they’re cheaply made and possibly even poorly fitted. Yet people do buy clothes from dollar stores, not only because they’re convenient, but because the clothes themselves are nearly always cheaper than what you can get in many other places. And you never know: just maybe you might find a hidden gem.

I’ve seen jeans at Dollar General for a long time, and I’ve always wondered if they were any good. So I decided to find out.

Mission Ridge Denim Jeans are a Dollar General exclusive, distributed by Old East Main Co., a DG company. At the time of this post, the jeans cost $12.50. They come in a variety of sizes and a few shades of blue. According to the tags, these are made in China.

The tags also boast that these have “heavy duty reinforced pockets,” “tough and durable sewn on seam belt loops,” and “extra strong triple stitch back yoke seam.” These are marketed as workwear pants, for the laborers and skilled tradesmen who need jeans for physical work.

I had to nose around, but I eventually found the ones in my size, which I’ve worn across many brands for years now. I tried them on, and …

… they were tight around the waist. Really tight. Now, again, I’ve worn the same size pants in multiple brands for years, so I know the range of difference I might get. These are easily the tightest pants I’ve ever purchased in my size, and it’s the first time I can recall where the waist was too tight for the pants to be wearable.

The rest of the fit is what it is. The front fit feels off, while the legs are decent enough and the length is acceptable. The fabric is comfortable — no issues there — and if it weren’t for the tight waist I might be okay wearing them.

I’d love to be able to test these for durability, but since they’re unwearable for me in this size, I won’t find out unless I exchange them for something bigger.

The Verdict:

Mission Ridge Denim Jeans certainly are cheap. But I found the waistline to be tighter than advertised, to the point where I can’t wear them. I might end up with better luck with a size up, but for now, these are going back to the store.