As one of the most democratic items of clothing, jeans are a wardrobe staple for nearly everyone. Together with the perfect blazer, a great white T-shirt and boxfresh trainers, jeans make up the perfect capsule wardrobe. And while they can be brilliant once you've identified which styles fit and feel good, shopping for denim, it's got to be said, can be a nightmare. So, to save you the hassle, Grazia’s editors share their favourite tried and tested jeans.
How do I find the right jeans for myself?
The person who finds shopping for the perfect pair of jeans enjoyable is rare indeed. Sizes can vary wildly, depending on where you shop, which can feel really disheartening. This is when you need to dismiss the numbers on the label. Instead, just go for what feels the best because ultimately this is what is going to make you feel more confident in the long run. Remember: different brands use different fit models to determine sizes so sizing is, at its essence, an arbitrary thing anyway. And so whether you count as petite, curve even pear-shaped can vary from brand to brand. Our top tip when trying on jeans? Always bring an additional pair of shoes to the ones you're already wearing to see how compatible they are with your footwear selection. This might sound tedious, but it'll pay off.
Sizing aside, jeans can also be a bit overwhelming, given the large offering. There are the trusted speciality brands – Levi's, Wrangler and 7 For All Mankind for example, as well as the high street names, such as Zaraand M&S, are renowned for their excellent denim selection. Once you’ve found a pair you love, stock up. You can never go wrong with multiple colourways. What's more, a plethora of body types might mean that the perfect fitting jeans are not out there. If you find a pair that you love, consider getting them altered after buying. Services like The Seam offer fuss-free and budget-friendly tailoring services that bring you your ultimate pair of custom jeans.
What jeans are in style in 2024?
There's no bones about, there's hardly a wardrobe evergreen like sturdy denim. But even denim isn't immune to the fashion tides and different shapes and styles go through perpetual trends. And there's a handful of styles which hold us in a sartorial chokehold this year. While classic '90s straight-leg jeansand baggy styles still very much reign supreme, the runways of Miu Miu and Alexander McQueen also semaphore of the return skinny jeans (if you can brave it!). But there's more: courtesy of Alaïa, the horseshoe jeans (an exaggerated barrel leg) have become this year's most popular style. Elsewhere we're seeing a rise in jazzy jeans (think Undercover's tinsel-trimmed pair) as well as drawstring denim, which is selling out on the high street (hello,M&S).
Best jeans for women in 2024 at a glance:
No body is the same and, so, jeans fit everyone differently. To help you find your perfect pair, the Grazia team has put a number of different styles to the test to give you an honest review of their (now) favourite pairs.
The best horseshoe jeans: We Are Free, Good Luck Mid-Rise Barrel Jeans, £98
The best straight-leg jeans: Mother, The Dodger Skimp Cuff High-rise Straight-Leg Jeans, £242
The best drawstring jeans: Marks & Spencer, Drawstring Jeans, £39.50
The best wide-leg jeans: Zara, Mid-Rise Jeans, £45.99
The best flared jeans: Isabel Marant, Lemony Jeans, £395
The best curve jeans: Good American, Good '90s Relaxed Jeans, £185
The best petite jeans: Stradivarius, Wide-Leg Jeans, £28.79
The best high street jeans: Arket, Cloud Low Loose Jeans, £97
The best skinny jeans:Marks & Spencer, Sienna Jeans, £32.50
The best embellished jeans:Reformation, Studded Jeans, £205
The Horseshoe Jeans
Very much on theme with this year's dominating cowboy aesthetic (thank you, Beyoncé), the horseshoe jeans have firmly established themselves as the silhouette of the year. Too sculptural to be your average wide-leg jeans but too loose to a straight-leg pair, the horseshoe curves out at the hip and tapers at the ankle, creating its voluminous shape.
www.freepeople.com
Julia Harvey, shopping editor: 'I've been wearing this pair of Free People horseshoe jeans on repeat, the side seams add a little more detail than just straight-forward baggy jeans to give a stylish update to my everyday uniform of jeans and a tee. For evening outfits I'll swap sandals for kitten heels and throw on a blazer for something smarter.'
'90s Straight-Leg Jeans
The classic straight-leg jean is a fashion editor favourite and loved by the likes of Sienna Miller, Emily Ratajkowski, and Hailey Bieber. Roomier than the skinny, the straight-leg has a more formally tailored shape that can be dressed up or down and works for most body types.
www.net-a-porter.com
Natalie Hammond, senior fashion news editor: 'Straight-leg jeans are my denim comfort zone and one of my favourite pairs is Mother’s The Dodger Skimp Cuff High-rise Straight-Leg Jeans (bit of a mouthful). Designed with extra leg room – I’m 5’ 7” and they pool by a few inches at my ankles – I like the fact that you can roll the hems up if you’re wearing them with flats to create a relaxed turn-up.'
Wide-Leg Jeans
There's hardly a style more popular than wide-leg or evenbaggy jeans. Perfectly worn with sandals for a relaxed look, wide-leg jeans can also look sharp when worn with pointed kitten heels. But fret not, you don't have to budget in a designer pair. The high streetoffers up a conveyor belt of suitable, high-quality styles.
www.zara.com
Renee Washington, digital fashion and beauty assistant: 'I love wide leg jeans and Zara’s have quickly become my favourite. First off, they’re long enough, which is a huge plus for me as a tall girl. It’s so hard to find jeans that don’t leave me with that awkward ankle gap, but these ones have the perfect length. Even better, I got to try them on before buying, so I knew they’d fit just right. I’m also very drawn to their oversized fit - it's just the right amount of slouch without feeling baggy. The deep denim colour is rich and versatile, making them easy to dress up or down. For reference, I’m wearing a size 10 UK, and they’re super comfy. These jeans have definitely become a staple in my wardrobe.'
Flared Jeans
Whether you opt for bootcut or a cropped kickflare style, jeans that kick out at the hem never really go out of style for good reason: wear them with a pair of heels for an instant leg-lengthening effect. The return of Chloé boho girl under the new creative direction of Chemena Kamali naturally hailed the the '70s-inspired jeans (and Sienna Miller is already a fan).
www.mytheresa.com
Hattie Brett, editor-in-chief: 'I’m usually not a fan of jeans you have to wear heels with, but these Isabel Marant flares won me over. The high-waist, elusive true-blue wash and clever pockets are super flattering. These are definitely my keep-for-smart jeans, rather than weekend ones, but I love that you don’t need anything more than a simple top to wear them for work. I’ll add a jacket and swap my block heel pumps for boots come winter. An example of the type of jeans that, when you get them right, takes the effort out of getting dressed.'
The Best Jeans For Curvy Women
Finding a pair of jeans that make you feel confident isn't easy - if you're concerned about finding a pair of jeans that are high-rise, fit your curves (legs, bum and hips) but also don't give you a massive gap at the waist - we've scoured the internet and found the best pair to flatter curvy women.
www.goodamerican.com
Gavrielle Weiss, fashion assistant: 'As a tall size UK18 girl, finding the right pair of jeans can be a daunting task. The Good American 90's jeans have been my go to pair for the last few years. They're baggy in all the right places and still comfortable enough to sit in all day at work. The denim is high quality so even after years of regular wear I haven't gotten any tears on the inner thighs (if you know you know). While it's always best to try on denim in store, many stores don't carry their full size range IRL but Good American has photos on their website so shoppers can see a model wearing them in three different sizes (0, 8, 16) and carry sizes US00 - US32.'
The Best Petite Jeans
Petite frames don't have an easy job finding the perfect jeans that fit. Marina Avraam to the rescue: the 5ft2 tall writer has found her favourite petite pair online.
www.asos.com
Marina Avraam, deputy commerce editor: 'At 5ft2 tall, online shopping for jeans is the ultimate gamble - especially when it comes to wide-leg jeans. So, when I stumbled upon these dark wide-leg jeans from Stradivarius and added them to my basket on a whim, I was expecting nothing but disappointment. To my utter delight, these jeans felt like they had been designed for my frame. They're wide-leg but not too wide-leg, come in the perfect shade of dark denim, and the contrast stitching makes them look much more luxe than their high street price tag would suggest. They also fit perfectly at the waist, which for wide-leg, is not easy to come by.'
The Best Baggy Jeans
Baggy jeans have become uber popular in the last couple of seasons. Their slouchy fit, however, doesn't semaphore carelessness or signposts you as a lazy dresser. No, they have an attitude to them that takes skill to pull off.
www.guess.eu
Julia Harvey, shopping editor: 'I love a pair of off-white jeans, as they look a little more 'dressed up' than usual blue denim and - if you're as prone to spilling as much as me - won't show any stains as dramatically as pure white jeans. A high-waist, baggy fit I find one of the most flattering styles whilst still being comfy and easy to wear all day, everyday.'
The Best High Street Jeans
Good jeans age like a fine wine. And they don't even have to be tagged with a designer label to last for a long time. The high street offers up a stealth selection of forever denim that stands the test of time and doesn't break the bank.
www.arket.com
Hattie Brett, editor-in-chief: 'I’m tall but curvy so it’s often tough to find trousers that fit brilliantly. Me & Em never lets me down. I’m a big fan of the founder Clare Hornby’s approach of putting flattering cuts at the centre of her designs. The same goes for denim. I’ve worn these relaxed fit white jeans to death over the last few years. And I’ve currently got my eye on this true-blue pair, which come in both short and regular lengths. In a world where denim trends change so fast, it’s always worth checking out the high street for affordable versions of the latest style – especially from stores where you know they won’t compromise on quality. If, like me, you’re feeling like wearing more relaxed denim lately, I also love Arket’s Cloud jeans, which come in many washes and are my new weekend staple, and Aligne’s horseshoe grey jeans.'
Henrik Lischke is the Senior Fashion Features Editor at Grazia. Prior to that, he held the role of commerce writer at British Vogue, and was junior fashion editor at The Sunday Times Style. A first-class honours Fashion Journalism graduate from UAL: London College of fashion, Henrik is invariably on the lookout for the newest talent in fashion, that is driving the industry forward, and shining the spotlight on them whenever possible. He’s also got a passion for interiors design and the arts.