Citizens of Humanity introduced their men's line late last winter, providing a high-class brand of quality-stitched and fashionably designed jeans appropriate for anyone willing to sign away a couple hundred dollars for a pair, or at least dig through the sale rack at high-end department stores and pray for good luck. Many people know that the same designers who created Seven for all Mankind jeans in 2000-Jerome Dahan and Michael Glasser-make Citizens, as well. Many people wonder: Is this truly an upgrade? The prices look eerily similar.The "Seven" fit is popular and easy to spot from far away, but that doesn't mean it's the best. Citizens take that already popular, slimming look and sit lower on the waist, hiding butts even more. They also are roomier all around, so a perfect fit in the waist doesn't have to translate into skin-tight around the thighs. And in my experience, Citizens fare much better in the washing machine.

Citizens are simply classier, dressier jeans. They don't have frayed pockets (a fashionable yet highly informal decoration), and are often darker. Their belt loops are thicker and longer than other jeans', and sewed with different colors at the top and bottom.

Citizens jeans are made of 2 percent stretchy material and 98 percent cotton, the perfect blend to ensure durability and flexibility. Because they are looser all around, it's rare that they will have to stretch but are prepared, nevertheless, for all situations.

Their best feature is their availability. You can find Citizens of Humanity's jeans at almost any discount retailer. While these jeans are only sold at the best of the best-Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, bop, exulury.com and detour, just to name a few-it doesn't mean you have to pay full price. An item at a high-end retailer on sale or clearance is always better than one at full price at a discounter like TJ Maxx or Filene's Basement. Not only have the discount-store items traveled more, they also have been marked as items acceptable for sale at those prices. Chanel never sells anything to discount stores because it costs enough to fabricate the goods that the sale price is the only price that justifies the manufacturer's cost. It also helps with snob appeal and exclusivity.

Remember that Citizens of Humanity aren't the only good designer jeans on the market: Frankie B's, True Religions, Rock and Republic, Armani Jeans and other brands also win points for style and quality. But Citizens are in-style right now, and though that may change by the time this column hits newsstands, at least we'll stand witness to one of the greatest jeans of all time.