I love denim. Be it in the form of jean shorts for summer, mom jeans for weekend errands, or an oversized denim jacket for fall, denim is my tried-and-true category that never fails (even for the slightly less casual moments). Yes, I’ve been through the phases of trends; skinny jeans—which once were trendy and then became a closet staple—straight legs, flares, you name ‘em. But, blame it on the need to prioritize comfort without sacrificing style, my denim range has slowly gone from tight and fitted to flowy. So, stay with me here: You need wide-leg jeans, and you need them now.
If you’re anything like me, you like your legs to be free. Free to dance, free to move, free to lounge, free to perch atop your office chair…you get it. Fitted styles are great and all, but they leave much to be desired when it comes to living in the peak comfort of your jeans. Not to mention, wide-leg jeans just look cool—and who wouldn’t want that? Yeah, I know, denim is denim. So, if you want a polished way to wear jeans, this is the way to go. Just take a cue from Jennifer Lopez, who wore the style with a sweater on her honeymoon. Or, if you want an easy weekend look, channel Jennifer Lawrence, who styled wide-leg jeans with a cropped T-shirt earlier this summer.
Those of you who have yet to take a walk on the wider side may find the look intimidating. Fear not, there are wide-leg jeans for everyone! Ahead, I’ve pulled together the best wide-leg jeans to incorporate into your wardrobe this season.
The O.G. Wide Leg
When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with the most classic take on the silhouette. From floor-skimming styles to cropped wide-leg jeans, these will become your go-tos in no time.
Unexpected Details
Ready to experiment? Opt for unconventional seaming, cut-outs, or other small switch-ups to dial things up a notch. Compliments will abound with these.
Color Play
Not all jeans are made equal—and not all jeans are blue. Consider wearing a pair of wide-leg jeans in a punchy hue with a basic white T-shirt or an oversized denim button-down for an easy ensemble.
Back to Black
You love black jeans, I love black jeans, we’ll all love black wide-leg jeans.
Light and Wide
Add a bit of airiness to your wardrobe with these flowy light-washed jeans. They’ll be eye candy for just about everyone.
Dale Arden Chong is the Senior Fashion Commerce Editor at ELLE.com. Previously, she was an editor at MensHealth.com and has written for Who What Wear, GLAMOUR, The Coveteur, and more. She loves fashion, food, and art, among other things—but her greatest love is K-pop idol V of BTS.
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