The Best Wide-Leg Jeans For Everyone, From Petite to Tall

Wide leg denim has become such a staple it even made an appearance over the summer in what one might consider the most unlikeliest of places—at Haute Couture. Kaia Gerber sauntered down the Valentino catwalk in a dark rinse pair with a crisp white button-down and statement crystal earrings, instantly becoming the hero of countless inspiration boards to come. Going into fall, there’s no better example of a perfectly bohemian way to style wide leg jeans than designer Chemena Kamali taking her final bow in a perfect pair. She also showed another medium blue style in the show with a high neck tweedy blazer for some ideal prep inspiration come autumn. And over at Gucci’s fall collection, wide leg denim was paired with a wonderfully sparkly green tank, proving ultimate versatility. Not quite sure where to start? Shop the best pairs below, for now and forever.

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Best Clean & Classic Wide-Leg Jeans

A deep blue, classic pair invokes all the best things about wide-leg jeans, namely that they have a wonderfully tailored, ’70s appeal. Invest well now and they’ll stay in rotation for years to come. We love them as much with a white tank and leather belt in summer as with a chunky knit come fall.

Best Wide-Leg Jeans For Petites

There seems to be a misconception that wide-leg is a style that should be avoided by petite women—a notion that couldn’t be further from the truth. Go all in on a pair with the correct inseam, style with the right proportions—namely, nothing too long or oversized on top— and see how on point a great pair can be.

Best Wide-Leg Jeans for Tall People

Part of the appeal of a great wide-leg is how sleek it looks, so a pair that hits awkwardly at the ankle just isn’t it. Brands have leggy ladies in mind with wide-leg options with longer inseams for an always on-point fit for the tall set.

Best Wide-Leg Jeans With a Mid-Rise

A good mid-rise is like the Goldilocks of denim—not too high, not too low, it hits just right. These year-round styles are ideal for pairing with everything from tees to blazers effortlessly.

Best Pleated Wide-Leg Jeans

Part trouser, part jeans, a pleated pair of wide-leg denim is a revelation. We love their inherent dressed-up quality, but they never feel too precious, lending everything you wear with them a bit of unexpected, yet unfussy elegance.

Best Cropped Wide-Leg Jeans

In the more casual realm, a good wide crop is just what you want on easy fall days. Wear them with loafers or sneakers and a great knit or turtleneck and you’ll be cooler than you ever thought possible—just as the weather is turning.

Best Low-Rise Wide-Leg Jeans

The best low-rise styles lean into the louche slouch of it all. These wide-legs teeter on the edge of ultra-baggy and offer the kind of undone allure you generally associate with bohemian French girls and indie rock stars. Turns out it’s not as hard as it looks.

Best Cuffed Wide-Leg Jeans

A little cuff goes a long way—or a lot of cuff. These are giving collegiate prep, especially in a darker wash. They make a statement with even the simplest basics. And we particular love them styled with a sleek boot underneath.

Best High-Rise Wide-Leg Jeans

The high-rise wide-leg is a like a denim unicorn—virtually good on everyone. Up the ante on what these styles do best by highlighting your waist with a belt or tucking in your top. We particularly like them in a great, medium goes-with-everything wash.

Best Cargo Wide-Leg Jeans

We’ve been in the realm of ultra-simple denim for so long that unexpected details like cargo pockets feel right on time. Fashion-forward shapes (see: the barrel leg) ensure that they’re more brunch date than work-site-ready.

Best White Wide-Leg Jeans

One of the easiest ways to look absolutely chic is by wearing any sort of white-on-white combo—and pairing wide, white jeans with an ivory sweater (perhaps one of the fisherman variety) ensures you’ll look like the main character wherever you go.

Why just wear wide-leg jeans when you can wear ultra-wide leg jeans? Take the whole idea up several notches with some voluminous denim that makes a very fun statement. Chances are you’ll want to focus on proper proportions when styling these—namely something a bit more fitted on top—to let these pants really take center stage.

Best Black Wide-Leg Jeans

Great black denim is a must in every well-curated closet. Skip the skinnies in favor of something with a little volume. We think you’ll find that once you own them they’ll become an irreplaceable part of your denim wardrobe.

Best Barrel Wide-Leg Jeans

Wide-leg but a bit tapered on the bottom? It took us a minute to get accustomed to this silhouette but once we did, we found it to be a wonderfully flattering. You get all of the allure of a wide-leg with the ease of a straight.

Best Gray Wide-Leg Jeans

Life isn’t always so black and white—sometimes you need to exist in the gray area. Not to get too esoteric about it, but gray jeans just make the most sense sometimes—they’re a little dressier than light denim washes, not as precious as white, nor as edgy as black, and certainly not as serious as dark denim. Try them in a monochromatic moment with a gray cashmere sweater layered over a turtleneck for something sleek yet impactful.