These Wide-Leg Jeans Are a Chic Answer to the Denim Debate

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

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—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.

XL Flood Women’s Jeans
Levi’s XL Flood Women’s Jeans

Now 31% Off

The Masha Wide-Leg Jeans
Favorite Daughter The Masha Wide-Leg Jeans
Odessa Wide Straight Jeans
Moussy Vintage Odessa Wide Straight Jeans
The Getty Wide Leg
Rails The Getty Wide Leg

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.

Cowgirl High Rise Straight
Still Here Cowgirl High Rise Straight
Wilder Cargo High Rise Wide Leg Jeans
Reformation Wilder Cargo High Rise Wide Leg Jeans
Le Bardot Wide Leg Jeans
FRAME Le Bardot Wide Leg Jeans
Weightless Track Pants
Good American Weightless Track Pants

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.

Purple Tint Jaya Boyfriend Jean
BDG Purple Tint Jaya Boyfriend Jean
Denim Pants
Acne Studios Denim Pants
The Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Jean
Madewell The Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Jean

Now 59% Off

Hepburn Wide Leg Jean
DL1961 Hepburn Wide Leg Jean

Now 20% Off

Back to Black

You love black jeans, I love black jeans, we’ll all love black wide-leg jeans.

The Baggy Jean
Everlane The Baggy Jean
Eva Super Wide Leg Nonstretch Jeans
SLVRLAKE Eva Super Wide Leg Nonstretch Jeans

Now 40% Off

West Slouchy Jeans
We The Free West Slouchy Jeans
NCE Plus - Wide Leg 33”
Warp + Weft NCE Plus – Wide Leg 33”

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.

Low Rise Baggy
Agolde Low Rise Baggy
Gaucho Vintage Wide-Leg Jeans
Citizens of Humanity Gaucho Vintage Wide-Leg Jeans
Low Rise Baggy
EB Denim Low Rise Baggy
Baggy Denim Jean
Nigel Curtiss Baggy Denim Jean
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Headshot of Dale Arden Chong

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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