The fall and demise of skinny jeans has, for many girls, been the catalyst for discovering the best wide-leg jeans on the market. Gone are the days of squeezing ourselves into the likes of Topshop Joni’s for a night out (though they’ll always have a place in our heart), as we’ve evolved into embracing a baggier, comfier and dare I say more flattering silhouette when styling denim.
When you hear wide-leg, you’d be forgiven for thinking they’ll swamp your figure. But on the contrary, I’ve found a wider-leg jean to be the most flattering cut, extenuating what wants to be shown off and skimming what I’d rather keep under wraps. A high waist cinches me in, a low waist elongates and skims the thighs, and all in all they’ve become my go-to choice when taking on the gruelling task of shopping for the best jeans for women. From the office to a dinner party, they always deliver a chic yet pared-back look for me.
Denim is certainly having its moment in the spotlight again, with the cowgirl-meets-coastal-girl trends seeing us embrace double denim moments a la 00’s Britney and Justin (but way cooler), and transcending into waistcoats, trenches and even heels on the high street. On the runway, bejewelled and embellished denim is taking centre stage, and the likes of Rihanna, Kaia Gerber and Hailey Bieber – three women whose wardrobes are yet to fail us – are often spotted in slouchy wide-leg jeans while off-duty.
Offering an elevated and cool look, the wide-leg jean offers slightly less smart than a pair of trousers and a slightly more dressy than a jean middle ground for the girls who want to squeeze as much as they can out of a capsule wardrobe. Paired with heels and a cute crop for nights out, with t-shirts tucked in and a blazer over top for the office, and taken into autumn winter as the perfect pairing for your fave chunky knit, there’s no occasion they don’t work for (although we don’t condone them at a wedding…)
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It’s important to note the difference between bootcut jeans, baggy jeans and wide-leg jeans. Though they come from the same family, they’re actually all quite different. Wide-leg jeans are sometimes referred to as ‘dad jeans’ (because they sort of look like you’ve borrowed them from your old man), and are – you guessed it – wide the whole way down. Bootcuts tend to only flare out at the ends, and baggy styles tend to sit low on the hips as though they’re a few sizes too big.
For more from freelancer Ria Wolstenholme, follow her on Instagram @riawolstenholme . For more from GLAMOUR UK’s Senior Commerce Writer Georgia Trodd, follow her on Instagram @georgiatrodd.
See below to shop our top picks of the best wide-leg jeans for 2024.
