Seeing as how I am in the same boat, needing new jeans and not wanting to pay the price for the ones I liked, and secondly, even they didn't fit that great. I have been biting the bullet and buying Silver jeans, but what drives me nuts is the way they slide down all the time. (crack!)
I have an athletic build, so I don't have a slender build. I was going to go look for levi's or Old Navy.
Good Luck...I hate buying jeans as much as a bathing suit!