Wide-Leg Jeans

Wide-leg jeans are suddenly everywhere, confirming it’s the denim silhouette of the moment. Sometimes baggy, sometimes slouchy and always wide, wide-leg jeans are surprisingly flattering. They camouflage heavy thighs, contour wide hips, balance broad shoulders and cinch the waist, all while delivering a relaxed, comfy fit. But unlike bootcut and flare-leg jeans, wide-leg cuts have more fabric which means there’s more bulk to balance. Avoiding overwhelm is key, so here’s how to style this season’s hottest denim trend:

1. Short and sleek tops
   Keep tops tucked, fitted or cropped when wearing wide-leg jeans to maintain two-thirds proportions below the waist and one-third above it. Consider a statement belt to emphasize the waist, and pair jeans with a second skin bodysuit for an extra sleek look. Avoid untucked shirting and chunky sweaters, as both add weight and overwhelm even the largest of frames.

2. Tapered blazer
   Pair a neatly-tailored, cropped and tapered blazer with wide-leg jeans. The blazer’s contoured, feminine shape softens the denim’s roughness, plus its tapered design accentuates the waist which visually balances bulk below it. Try a wooly menswear-inspired blazer in houndstooth, glen plaid or herringbone, and pair with a micro-thin turtleneck in a tone-on-tone matching leopard, python or autumnal floral for a super chic textured look.

3. Sweater sets
   Sweater sets add a girly, flirty touch to heavy, rough wide-leg jeans which creates a juxtaposition that works. Keep it simple with a monochromatic set, or try a horizontal striped or patterned cropped sweater to balance the wide-leg hem. Always make sure the waist is on display with either tucked or cropped knits or, if longer, accessorize with a belt cinched over sweater.

4. Color columns
   Some wide-leg jean cuts have voluminous amounts of denim which can make them overpowering. Streamline the silhouette by creating vertical color blocks that elongate. Style with a chambray shirt to make a lengthening inside color column, or a jean jacket for an outside color column. Also try layering a thigh-grazing gilet or duster cardigan sweater over a body-skimming base layer to minimize bulk and maintain flattering proportions. Pair with pointy-toed shoes to create another line that lengthens.

5. Shoe color
   Oftentimes wide hems widen and shorten a silhouette, so use footwear to complement and flatter wide-leg jeans. Try a cropped wide-leg style and match shoes to skin tone for a leg-extending effect. If wide-leg jeans are trouser style, match shoes to jean color to elongate leg line. Both tricks prevent wide-leg jeans from overpowering the wearer.

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