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Wide-Leg Jeans Are The Only Denim Style You Need This Winter
Here, see the styles the ELLE fashion editors are eyeing up for the season ahead.
There’s a lot of stuff out there, and not all fashion pieces are created equal. Luckily, the ELLE editors know their way around a shopping rail, and when it comes to helping you find those perfect wardrobe building blocks, they’re up to the task. From the new and niche brands worth knowing to high-street hits of quality, and a few vintage treasures too, our ELLE Edits showcase the very best of the season.
Conventional wisdom might dictate that floor-skimming, wide-leg jeans ought to be reserved for the drier months, when their hems don't slurp up the puddles lining the floor. But we don't make the rules and this winter, wide-leg jeans aren't going anywhere. In fact, we're thrilled the slouchy, supersized silhouette is sticking around for another season, as once you loosen up and lower that waistband, it's hard to wriggle yourself back into anything figure-hugging and restrictive.
So, in the spirit of both looking good and feeling comfortable, here we are, talking about wide-leg jeans with all the verve that they deserve, even if they can be something of a hazard through an impromptu November (or December, or January) shower.
The humble wide-legged jean appears to have hit something of a style nerve of late. Over the past twelve months, according to Google Trends, searches for wide-leg jeans have been rising steadily, while over on TikTok, low-slung, hip-flashing wide-leg jeans have been en vogue for much of the year, with people increasingly wearing theirs with shrunken knits and bookish loafers and socks. (Frosty forecast? Add a boyish leather bomber jacket, too.)
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‘Wide-leg jeans are great because they look instantaneously relaxed yet ultra sophisticated,’ Marianne McDonald, creative director of Citizens of Humanity, tells ELLE UK. ‘There’s a versatility to them that the public has really responded to, and it makes sense – I love that idea of wearing something that feels cool and vintage, but really modern at the same time.’
Wide-leg jeans are the top performing category for insider denim favourite AGOLDE, that has seen an 83% rise in searches for the style in the past month alone. Its best-sellers this season have been the Low Curve, Ren, Harper and Low Slung silhouettes, which each offer a slightly different take on the wide-leg style. 'High waisted fits such as our Dame give a more polished look, while something like our Harper is more feminine, and the Low Slung is super baggy for a relaxed feel,' explains the brand's creative director, Karen Phelps.
Larger-than-life, pavement-sweeping jeans began their journey to the height of fashion last year, when the likes of Gucci and Bottega Veneta suggested we scale up our proportions with a stellar series of loose and languid jeans (or in the case of the latter, butter-leather trousers treated to look just like jeans). Fast-forward to autumn/winter 2024, and wide-legged styles are peaking in popularity, offering a rebellious, youthful alternative to the sensible straight-leg jean.
‘This year we’ve seen a shift towards more oversized and wide-leg silhouettes,’ Net-a-Porter's former Market Director, Libby Page, told ELLE UK. ‘Street style has embraced the baggy, low-slung styles by adding a more androgynous touch to give those off-duty-model vibes.'
How to style wide-leg jeans for the season ahead? The beauty of a larger cut is that it’s chameleonic: it will go with everything from a chunky knit and trainers to an oversize blazer and boots. For smarter occasions, McDonald recommends opting for darker denim styles: 'It feels chic and elevated, and lends itself well to evening looks. I’ll be pairing with a fitted top from Khaite and delicate strappy heels.' Team ELLE UK, meanwhile, advises experimenting with pieces that contrast one another in attitude and silhouette: think, a boyish biker jacket and ladylike kitten heel.
However you choose to style yours, these are the wide-leg jeans to make a beeline for now and wear all season long.
The best wide-leg jeans to shop now:
Reformation jeans are the stuff of fashion folklore, and the Cary is many an insider's go-to cut. It sits high on the waist and flares just the right amount without being OTT. The perfect wide-leg jeans don't exis... Oh, wait.
With just the right level of slouch and soupiness, Levi's '94s are a wide-legged classic that you'll keep returning to every season.
Nothing nails that elusive casual-yet-put-together look better than a pair of black jeans, and Italian brand Haikure's ultra-popular Bethany style is one of the best out there. Not only do they sit comfortably on the hip, but they also have that lived-in look and feel already so there's no need to break them in (yes, that's a thing).
Ever since the sad closure of fashion brand Raey, there's been an ultra-wide, extra-baggy, low-waist jeans shaped hole in our lives. Luckily, COS' new Volume design ticks all the boxes, seamlessly recreating that ultra-cool, almost-too-low silhouette the British brand was known for.
If AW24 was a pair of jeans, it would be these Low Curves by AGOLDE. Deliciously dark and wide, and made from heavyweight non-stretch cotton, they are a flawless riff on the dominating barrel-leg jean look, and nothing short of perfection.
Embellished jeans are big news this winter, solving a whole host of festive party outfit conundrums. The best pair on the shelves, Sandro's are dipped entirely in glinting crystals, and work with everything from a simple white tank to your most major party tops. Try them with a black bodysuit and stubby kitten heel for an instant late-night look.
A darker indigo denim makes a wide-leg cut feel elevated – ready for evening, even. Mango's loose-legged jeans are stiff enough to look much more expensive than they really are, too. Team them with a sleek black blazer and high heel, and you'll see what we mean.
Trust us: Weekday's denim is some of the best on the high street. The Rail cut is loose but straight, so looks great with flats and heels alike. This classic light-wash blue colourway makes the laid-back slouch even more pronounced.
Ba&sh jeans are not only cool but they're comfy too, meaning stiff and restrictive denim can finally become a thing of the past. They're on sale right, too, so what are you waiting for?
Designed to sit high on the waist with an ultra-flattering draped leg, Citizens of Humanity's best-selling Anninas now come in a number of inseam lengths so they'll work for all heights.
Denim is always a safe investment on a cost-per-wear basis, which is precisely what we'll be reminding ourselves as we add Loewe's logo-embroidered, XXL jeans to our online baskets.
In pale-blue denim, Agolde's Low Slung Baggy jeans are the perfect vintage-style choice. They're unfussy and precisely shaped to sit neatly on the hips. Wear then with a simple white tank and cashmere cardi, adding a red lip for the ultimate French-girl finish.
Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.
Roberta Schroeder is the Senior Ecommerce Editor at Harper's Bazaar, ELLE and Esquire, overseeing shopping strategy and content across fashion, beauty, and travel. Roberta has reported on everything from market-leading skincare brands to the world’s most iconic fashion pieces, while also regularly updating a range of shopping guides, including LED masks, heritage cashmere brands and niche new dress brands to know.
Roberta has more than 15 years' experience in the luxury sector, spanning editorial consultancy, trend forecasting and journalism. Over the years, she has worked for global brands including Farfetch, Chanel, and Vogue.
When not testing beauty products, trialling trends and curating content that spotlights the very best in fashion and beauty, Roberta can usually be found trawling resale sites and vintage stores for a long-coveted designer find. Follow Roberta on Instagram at @roberta__schroeder
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