Western Jeans in Dallas: Wrangler 13MWZ vs 936, Ariat M2 to M8, Sizes and Real Prices
A western jean is not a fashion jean with a different label. It is cut higher in the rise so it stays put in the saddle or on a ladder, it is cut straight or flared from the knee so it drops clean over a boot shaft, and it is sold an inch or two longer than you would wear a sneaker jean so it "stacks" on the boot instead of riding up. Get those three things right and the brand is a matter of taste. Get them wrong and the jean rides up on your boots the first time you sit down.
At Teres Western Wear we keep three brands of men's western jeans on the rack: Wrangler Cowboy Cut in a dozen washes from $39.99, Ariat in five fits from $64.95, and Rock & Roll Denim at $84.99 — plus Miss Me for women. This guide answers the questions we get most: 13MWZ or 936, will the rigid ones shrink, what do Ariat's M-numbers mean, and what size do I actually take.
Wrangler 13MWZ vs 936: the same jean, two fits
Both are Wrangler's Cowboy Cut: high rise, seven belt loops, watch pocket, and a straight leg cut to go over boots. The difference is the number.
- 13MWZ — Original Fit. The 1947 pattern, the official ProRodeo competition jean. Roomier through the seat and thigh; the straight leg is a little fuller. If you want the classic look, or you have a bigger thigh, this is it.
- 936 — Slim Fit. Same rise, same straight leg, but trimmer through the seat and thigh. It is what most customers under 45 pick today, and it is the one we stock deep: 12 washes on our rack right now, from rigid indigo to black chocolate, charcoal, bleach, antique wash and tan.
Neither one is a skinny jean; a 936 is "slim" only next to a 13MWZ. If you are between the two, try the 936 first — it is the same rise, so the only thing you are judging is the thigh. We keep the 13MWZ Original Fit in a handful of sizes and washes; call ahead if that is the one you want.
Wrangler also makes the Cowboy Cut in stretch (our 938 black and 937 dark stone) and the Silver Edition (10933, a dressier finish in dark denim and black). Same fit rules apply.
Rigid or prewashed — and the shrink question
The single most asked question about Wrangler: "Do the rigid ones shrink?" Yes. Wrangler's rigid (unwashed, 100% cotton) denim is stiff off the shelf and shrinks with the first washes, mostly in length and a little in the waist. The rigid 936DEN on our rack is the cheapest jean in the store at $39.99, and it will fit differently after wash three than it did in the fitting room.
How to buy it:
- Rigid: plan on losing roughly an inch of inseam and some waist. Many customers buy rigid one size up in the waist and one length longer, then let it shrink to fit. Wash it cold, inside out, and hang it — the dryer is where most of the shrink happens.
- Prewashed: the shrink has already been done at the factory. Buy your true size. All our other Wrangler washes (936PWD, ATW, KCL, WBK, CHG, GBH, TAN, the stretch 937/938 and the Silver Edition) are prewashed.
Rigid rewards patience: it molds to you and fades where you fade it. Prewashed is comfortable on day one. Neither is better; they are for different people.
Ariat's fits: what M2, M4, M5, M7 and M8 mean
Ariat labels its men's jeans by fit number. The number tells you how the jean sits and how it is cut through the leg; the name after it (Coltrane, Legacy, Hansen…) is the style, and the last word is the wash. From roomiest to slimmest, per Ariat's own fit guide:
| Fit | Seat & thigh | Leg | Who it is for | On our rack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M2 Relaxed | Relaxed | Boot cut | Bigger thighs, wide-shaft boots, the traditional look | Stirling Shasta, Adkins Summit, Marlon Ken — $89.95 ($94.95 in 42/44) |
| M4 Low Rise | Relaxed | Boot cut or straight | Same room as an M2 but sits lower on the hips; our best seller in boot cut | Boundary, Coltrane Durango, Crawford Silverton (boot cut), Landon Harlan (straight) — $89.95–$94.95 |
| M5 Slim Straight | Slim | Straight | Trimmer thigh, classic straight leg, still goes over a boot | Coltrane Nightingale — $89.95 |
| M7 Slim Straight | Slim | Straight, "stackable" | Low rise, slim, cut long to stack on the boot; the modern cowboy jean | Legacy ($64.95), Coltrane, Concord Dodge, Stirling Shasta, Dalton Tibbs, Trent Classic Rise — $64.95–$89.99 |
| M8 Modern Slim | Slim | Slim or tapered | The slimmest Ariat makes; wear it with a narrow-shaft or ankle boot | Sebastian Grafton, Carlington Hillcrest, Brock Langston, Crosby Zane, Hansen Kyle (taper) — $89.95 |
Two things to know about Ariat. First, nearly everything is stretch denim (Ariat calls its heavier stretch "Rocker" and "TekStretch"), so an Ariat in your size feels less tight than a rigid Wrangler in the same size. Second, the M7 Slim Legacy at $64.95 is Ariat's entry price and the pair we point first-timers to: it is the same cut as the $89.95 M7s in a simpler wash.
Rock & Roll Denim and Miss Me
Rock & Roll Denim is the fashion side of the men's rack: the Revolver (slim fit, straight leg) and the Double Barrel (relaxed fit, straight leg), stretch denim with embroidered or pleather back pockets, in black, dark, medium and light vintage washes. Every pair is $84.99. If you want the jean people notice at the baile, start here.
Miss Me is our women's denim: embellished bootcut jeans with the embroidered and rhinestone pockets the brand is known for. The selection is small and moves fast — call for sizes.
Why western jeans run long (and why that is right)
A jean worn over a boot has to cover the boot shaft when you sit, ride or climb, so it is cut longer than you would wear with sneakers. Standing, the extra length gathers in folds over the boot — the "stack." That is not a hemming mistake; it is the point. Ariat even names some of its M7s "Stackable." The rule of thumb: the hem should touch the floor at the heel when you are standing barefoot, and clear it when you have your boots on.
This is also why Wrangler sells Cowboy Cut in odd lengths — our 936 comes in 29, 30, 32, 34 and some 36 — and why we ask you to bring the boots you will actually wear. A jean sized on a sneaker will be an inch short on a boot.
How to size a western jean
- The waist number is a starting point, not your waist. A rigid Wrangler 34 and a stretch Ariat 34 do not feel the same. Start from your usual size and expect to move one either way.
- Try it sitting down. The high rise is there so nothing pulls when you sit; if the waistband digs in seated, go up one.
- Check the thigh, not just the waist. If the waist fits but the thigh is tight, you are in the wrong fit, not the wrong size: move from a 936 to a 13MWZ, or from an Ariat M7 to an M4.
- Check the leg over the boot. A straight leg should slide over the shaft without bunching at the calf; if it catches, you need a boot cut (Ariat M2/M4) or a fuller straight (13MWZ).
- Length with boots on. Hem should clear the floor with boots on and stack slightly. Wrangler odd lengths and Ariat's 30/32/34 (36 in some styles) give you the room to get it right.
- Rigid: size for after the wash. See above.
Our sizes on the rack: Wrangler waists 28 to 42 including 29, 31, 33 and 35; Ariat waists 28 to 40, with 42 and 44 in the M2 and M4 boot cuts.
What western jeans cost in Dallas (our rack, right now)
| Price | What you get |
|---|---|
| $39.99 | Wrangler 936 Cowboy Cut rigid indigo — 100% cotton, shrinks to fit, the cheapest jean in the store |
| $49.99–$59.99 | Wrangler 936 Cowboy Cut prewashed in 11 washes, the 937/938 stretch and the Silver Edition |
| $64.95 | Ariat M7 Slim Legacy — Ariat's entry price |
| $84.99 | Rock & Roll Denim, every style |
| $89.95–$94.95 | Ariat M2, M4, M5, M7 and M8 stretch denim; $94.95 is the 42 and 44 waists |
Texas sales tax (8.25% in Dallas) is added at the register. Exchanges within 30 days with the receipt, unworn and unwashed — one more reason to size rigid denim carefully before you leave. For boots to go under them, see how much cowboy boots cost in Dallas.
Quick answers
What is the difference between Wrangler 13MWZ and 936?
Same Cowboy Cut rise and straight leg; the 13MWZ Original Fit is roomier through the seat and thigh, the 936 Slim Fit is trimmer. Neither is skinny.
Do Wrangler rigid jeans shrink?
Yes — the rigid 100% cotton denim shrinks in the first washes, mostly in length. Buy rigid with that in mind; prewashed washes are true to size.
What does Ariat M7 mean?
Ariat's slim, low-rise, straight-leg fit, cut long to stack on a boot. M2 and M4 are roomier and boot cut; M5 is slim straight at a regular rise; M8 is the slimmest.
Which jeans fit over cowboy boots?
Any straight or boot cut leg does: Wrangler Cowboy Cut, Ariat M2 through M7, Rock & Roll Revolver and Double Barrel. The Ariat M8 and skinny fits work with narrow-shaft or ankle boots.
Should western jeans be longer?
Yes, by an inch or two, so they cover the boot shaft when you sit and stack when you stand. Size the length with your boots on.
Where can I try western jeans in Dallas?
At Teres Western Wear, 8033 Lake June Rd, Dallas, TX 75217. In-store purchase only, bilingual staff, and we will fit them over your boots.
Bring your boots
Every pair above is on the rack at Teres Western Wear. Browse Wrangler jeans, Ariat jeans, Rock & Roll Denim, Miss Me or all western jeans, then come in with the boots you wear — that is the only way to get the length right.
Teres Western Wear — rated 4.9 stars on Google by 300+ customers
📍 8033 Lake June Road, Dallas, TX 75217
📞 (214) 391-0508
Hours
Monday – Tuesday: 10 AM – 7 PM
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 10 AM – 7 PM
Friday – Saturday: 10 AM – 8 PM
Sunday: 10 AM – 7 PM
Fit descriptions are drawn from Wrangler's and Ariat's published fit guides; shrink behavior is general guidance for rigid cotton denim and varies with how you wash. Styles, washes, sizes and prices are from the Teres Western Wear rack in Dallas at the time of publication (September 2026) and change as inventory moves; the tag in the store is the price.