Style Guide: How to find your perfect jeans
Shopping for the perfect jeans? It can be a bit of a minefield. Perhaps you want to break out of your skinnies and try wide-legs or maybe you're looking to experiment with the boyfriend jean? Check out our guide to finding the dream denims just for you.
WIDE-LEGGED JEANS & FLARES
It takes a little bit of brave to swap your skinnies or straight-legs for wide-legged jeans but the leap reaps dividends. Flares and wide legs can be such a flattering cut. Of course there are flares and then there are flare flares. Go super-wide if you want to make a statement and go for a proper bell-bottom shape.
Good for: Wide-legs and flares work well for pear shapes and hourglass as well as adding volume to more sporty body shapes. Petites will need to check out their inseam measurement (the distance from the base of the zipper or crotch to the jeans ankle hem). If the jeans are tooooooo long you'll be drowned in denim.
Wear with: Flares do run long so make sure to opt for an inseam that works for your leg length. Once happy with that you can choose footwear and heel height accordingly. We love wide-legged jeans with our Tim & Simonsen wedges - so 1970s! As for your top half - play with proportion. Choose a billowing peasant top to embrace that nostalgia for the 1970's or go neat and fitted to showcase your waist. We love a tailored white shirt tucked in to a high-waisted flare - check out our White Shirt Edit to find your perfect white shirt.
BOOT-LEGGED JEANS
Welcome back to the late 1990s and early noughties. The boot-legged jean is back and fashion icon Kate Moss heralded its return during Spring/Summer 22's London Fashion Week at Richard Quinn's show. Similar to wide-legged jeans and flares, but slightly more subtle, it looks great with a heel.
Good for: Hourglass and pears can rejoice in the return of the bootcut but really it is a great style for all.
Wear with: A most wearable cut so anything goes although we love them with a band T-shirt and sharp blazer like this Part Two Naga Blazer, £199.95.
DL1961 Bridget Hail Jeans, £179
SKINNY JEANS
DL1961 Farrow Rogers Jeans, £189
These jeans do what they say on the tin. They hug your legs and are slimmest at your ankle compared to all other silhouettes. Thanks to stretch denim, every woman needs a pair of skinnies in their closet.
Good for: All body types can wear a skinny jean. Yes, that is all body types. But only if you feel confident in them. It actually all comes down to choosing the right wash. Pear and hourglass shapes look best in dark wash skinny jeans, while apple and athletic shapes can go for lighter washes.
Wear with: Skinny jeans are the perfect partner to loose, oversized tops. This is good news for this season's billowing peasant tops and blouses which are so on trend right now. Just like this Ba&sh Jay Blouse, £220. So whether you've got curves, are pretty straight up and down or downright petite, you can play with the volume on your top half to create balance. However, if you're a lover of fitted tops those work with skinnies too. You’ll create a lovely streamlined silhouette by opting for sleek over skinny.
STRAIGHT-LEGGED JEANS
Straight-legged jeans are the more laid-back, less body -conscious cousin of the skinny jean. If you’re not totally down with skin-tight jeans, try a straight jean instead.
Good for: So straight legs are the safe bet because they work for all body shapes from hourglass and apple to athletic shapes. Everyone can rock a straight leg.
Wear with: We can't ever lose our love for a classic straight jean worn with a sweet pair of ballet pumps (another look Kate Moss ran with in her noughties heyday but was inspired by Audrey Hepburn). Try it with a tailored shirt like this Part Two Seersucker Shirt, £79.95, and Yaya Coatigan, £139.95. Or maybe you like a more casual look? An easy T-shirt and strappy flat sandals should see you through summer, effortlessly.
BOYFRIEND-CUT JEANS
DL1961 Riley Adams Jeans, £179
It's pretty hard to pin down the exact definition of this fit but overall they are looser edging towards baggy. Of course, there are varying degrees of this fit loose. Very loose will work well for a casual look while a slightly slimmer cut boyfriend jean is a dressed up style win with a jacket and heels.
Good for: Boyfriend jeans work best for apples and athletic body shapes.
Wear with: Don't double dose on volume with a boyfriend jean. Instead opt for something a little more fitted on your top half. Boyfriends always look amazing with heels.
So there's our style guide to finding your perfect jeans. What will you choose? Or perhaps you'll opt for a crop. Most of these cuts offer a flattering crop too, which is perfect for summer. Shop all our jeans HERE.
