Madewell vs. American Eagle Jeans: Which brand should you buy?

Madewell is known for its premium, timeless denim with a focus on high-quality materials and sustainable construction, often priced over $100 per pair. In contrast, American Eagle offers trendy, comfortable, and highly affordable jeans aimed at a younger demographic, with prices typically ranging from $40 to $70.

Let's look at the key differences in quality, fit, style, and value to help you decide which brand is a better fit for you.

Madewell: The Home of Timeless, Premium Denim

Madewell has become a go-to for women aged 25-40 who are looking for investment-worthy denim that combines classic style with modern comfort. The brand focuses on effortless, vintage-inspired designs and high-quality craftsmanship, positioning itself as a reliable source for wardrobe essentials that will last for years.

• Product mix: Primarily known for their extensive collection of jeans, they also offer a full range of casual apparel including sweaters, blouses, dresses, and accessories.
• Price point: Jeans typically cost between $98 and $128, positioning them in the premium-casual market.
• Quality: Madewell uses high-quality denim with a focus on durability, reinforced stitching, and premium hardware. They often incorporate sustainable and recycled fibers.
• Fit & Sizing: Generally true to size, with options for petite, tall, and plus sizes. Their fits are often described as consistent, prioritizing classic high-rise and straight-leg silhouettes.
• Style: The aesthetic is minimalist, modern, and vintage-inspired. Washes are often classic and versatile, designed to be dressed up or down with ease.
• Sustainability: Madewell emphasizes eco-friendly materials, water-saving production techniques, and supply chain transparency. Many of their jeans are made in Fair Trade Certified™ factories.

Madewell is the right choice for someone wanting to invest in high-quality, durable jeans with a classic aesthetic that will remain stylish season after season.

Shop Madewell: madewell.com

American Eagle: The Go-To for Trendy, Affordable Jeans

American Eagle is an iconic American retailer that caters to teens and young adults with on-trend, comfortable, and budget-friendly apparel. Their denim is a major draw, offering an enormous variety of fits, washes, and styles that are perfect for everyday wear and constantly updated to reflect the latest fashion movements.

• Product mix: An extensive selection of men's and women's denim sits alongside casual wear like t-shirts, hoodies, shorts, and swimwear under the AE and Aerie brands.
• Price point: Jeans are very accessible, generally priced between $40 to $70, with frequent sales and promotions offering even lower prices.
• Quality: Focused on comfort and affordability, AE uses a variety of stretch denim fabrics. While durable for regular use, they may not offer the same long-term longevity as more premium brands.
• Fit & Sizing: Known for inclusive sizing, AE offers one of the best size ranges including short, regular, long, x-long lengths, and sizes from 00 to 24. Their jeans often run true to size or slightly generous.
• Style: The look is youthful, relaxed, and always on-trend. They offer everything from classic bootcut to baggy '90s fits, with a wide variety of washes and distressing levels.
• Sustainability: AE has made significant sustainability commitments, including using more eco-friendly materials, reducing water usage, and ensuring ethical manufacturing practices.

American Eagle is ideal for shoppers looking for fashionable, comfortable denim at a hard-to-beat price, with a fantastic range of sizes and styles.

Shop American Eagle: ae.com

Madewell vs. American Eagle Comparison

Price & Value

The biggest difference between Madewell and American Eagle is the price. A pair of Madewell jeans will cost you between $98 and $128, reflecting its status as a premium brand. The value here comes from the quality of the materials and construction, which means the jeans are meant to last for years, potentially lowering the cost-per-wear over time.

American Eagle is a clear winner on affordability. With jeans priced between $40 and $70, they're accessible to almost everyone, especially younger shoppers on a budget. They also run frequent sales, often bringing prices down to under $40. For the price, AE jeans offer great value for everyday, trendy wear.

Quality & Materials

Madewell's reputation is built on quality. They use premium denim blends, often with components like TENCEL™ Modal fibers for softness or ISKO™ fabrics for stretch and shape retention. The stitching, zippers, and buttons feel substantial, contributing to their durability. This is the pair of jeans you keep for five years.

American Eagle focuses more on softness and stretch for immediate comfort. They use more conventional cotton/elastane blends that feel great from the first wear. While they hold up well to regular washing and wear, they aren't constructed with the same level of long-term durability as Madewell and may show signs of wear, like thinning or losing shape, more quickly.

Fit & Sizing

American Eagle excels in inclusive sizing. Their size range is one of the most comprehensive on the market, offering sizes 00-24 along with multiple length options - x-short, short, regular, long, and x-long. Their "Curvy" fit is also extremely popular, designed with more room through the hip and thigh. Sizing is generally consistent and forgiving due to the high stretch content in most styles.

Madewell also offers a good size range, including petite, tall, and plus sizing, but its options aren't as exhaustive as AE's. Their fits are more structured and often feature higher-rise, vintage-inspired cuts. Many shoppers find their jeans run true to size, but some of the more rigid, 100% cotton styles might require you to size up for comfort.

Style & Aesthetic

Choosing between these two brands often comes down to personal style. Madewell's aesthetic is clean, timeless, and effortlessly chic. Think classic straight-leg cuts, perfect-fitting skinny jeans, and subtle vintage washes. Their styles are designed to be versatile wardrobe pillars that don't bow to fleeting trends.

In contrast, American Eagle's style is all about what's current. They are quick to release on-trend cuts like low-rise, baggy, and flare jeans. Their wash and distressing options are vast, appealing to a younger customer who wants to experiment with their look without a big financial commitment.

Sustainability

Both brands have made public commitments to improving their environmental impact. Madewell often highlights its use of organic cotton, recycled fibers, and Fair Trade Certified™ factories in its marketing. They have clear, established programs designed to reduce their carbon footprint and promote ethical manufacturing.

American Eagle's "Real Good" collection signifies items made with sustainable materials and manufactured in ways that save water. They are transparent about their goals and progress in areas like water reduction and using sustainably sourced cotton across their entire line.

Which One Should You Choose?

Both brands offer excellent jeans, but they serve very different shoppers and priorities.

Choose Madewell if:

• You view jeans as a long-term wardrobe investment and are willing to pay more for quality.
• Your personal style leans classic, minimalist, and timeless over trendy.
• You prioritize premium materials and durable construction that will last for years.
• You want versatile, vintage-inspired cuts that can easily be dressed up.

Choose American Eagle if:

• You are shopping on a budget and love a good sale.
• You want comfortable, stretchy jeans for casual, everyday wear.
• You enjoy keeping up with the latest denim trends and refreshing your wardrobe often.
• Finding an inclusive size range with multiple length and curvy options is important to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Madewell jeans worth an over $100 price tag?

For those who prioritize longevity, high-quality materials, and classic styling, Madewell jeans are often considered a worthwhile investment. The durable construction means they can be worn for many years, which can justify the initial higher cost.

Is American Eagle or Madewell better for curvy figures?

American Eagle is generally more popular for curvy figures due to its widely praised "Curvy" fit, extensive stretch options, and inclusive size range. While Madewell also offers curvy fits, AE's variety and focus on stretch often provide a more comfortable and accommodating fit for more body types.

How do the sizes compare? Do they run true to size?

American Eagle jeans are often described as running true to size or slightly generous, especially in styles with a lot of stretch. Madewell jeans are also generally true to size, but their more rigid, 100% cotton styles may feel tighter, and some shoppers prefer to size up in those specific pairs.

Which brand's jeans are more comfortable?

This depends on your definition of comfort. American Eagle is often seen as more comfortable for everyday lounging and wear due to the softer hand-feel and higher stretch content. Madewell jeans prioritize structure and shape retention but also offer many comfortable stretch-denim options.

How often does each brand have sales?

American Eagle is known for having frequent sales and promotions throughout the year, making it easy to purchase jeans at a significant discount. Madewell has sales less frequently, typically around major holidays and at the end of seasons.

What are the return policies like?

Both brands have straightforward return policies. Madewell accepts unwashed, unworn items with a receipt within 30 days. American Eagle typically offers a more flexible window and also accepts returns on unworn merchandise, with or without a receipt for store credit.

Which brand is older?

American Eagle was founded in 1977. Madewell has a more complex history, it was originally founded as a workwear brand in 1937 but was effectively defunct before being completely reinvented and relaunched by J.Crew in 2006.

Which brand has more styles to choose from?

American Eagle offers a wider variety of styles, fits, washes, and levels of distressing at any given time, as their model is based on keeping up with fast-moving trends. Madewell focuses on a more curated collection of perfecting timeless cuts.