To answer the question of “What’s so special about Howies jeans? “
1) They fit me comfortably – this is something not a lot of jeans manage
2) for a while they were doing them wide and short as standard, just the way I need them, I don’t have very long legs so 6 inches of turn-ups just doesn’t work before someone says just roll them up, so not having to have the adjusted is great.
3) they aren’t pre-faded and treated with loads of $hitty checmicals so they are soft from day 1, I have a pair of cheaper stop gap jeans I bought from next recently and they are like jeans mixed with wood, solid, they could stand up on their own. I also hate – pre-faded and pre-creased jeans I’m more than capable if aging jeans myself
4) howies jeans last me pretty well – most don’t last more than 3 months – howies will go up to a year.
5) the indigo is really rich and they fade really nicely.
If you find other jeans that work for you then great, go for it – I like howies jeans, I just wish they would go back to stocking the size they need, but despite emailing to ask for it they just can’t seem to be arsed these days – shame as I’m sure you can see, I really like their jeans.