The 13 Very Best Jeans for Women

Sizes and lengths: 23–39 (plus sizes here) with 26-, 28-, and 30-inch inseams | Rise: 10.85 inches | Stretch: Stretchy | Cut: Straight leg | Price: $

The Wedgies might be the jeans we’ve written about most — they appear all across our archives, including topping our list of the best high-waisted jeans. After wearing them myself for over a year now, I can say the fervor around the jeans is warranted. You’re getting well-made, well-fitting jeans — for less than $100. They have a straight-leg silhouette that’s as traditional as it gets, skimming right along the hips and thighs to the hem. It’s a cut that’s universally flattering and doesn’t go out of style (you won’t ever hear that it’s “on the outs,” as other cuts are).

While everyone’s body is different, I would describe mine as hourglass-shaped, which the jeans fit by embracing me through the hips. The higher waist holds me in without making me feel too held in, too. I see the Wedgies as a bridge between too-rigid and too-stretchy denim. They don’t have much stretch (they’re made from 99 percent cotton and one percent elastane), so if you’re used to non-stretch denim, you’ll find them more forgiving than a completely rigid pair. If you’re used to stretch denim, you might feel that they’re a little tight before becoming just-right — but trust me, they will.

Another part of the Wedgie’s appeal is the different inseam lengths offered (26, 28, and 30 inches) with the shortest being suitable for most petites and the longest for taller people. I’m about five-two, and I don’t have to roll up the hem on my 26-inch-inseam pair at all. And since the jeans come in a dozen different washes, you can get them in multiples — something that those who own Wedgies take great pride in doing whenever there’s a sale. (Their following includes Bird founder Jennifer Mankins, former Madewell creative director Joyce Lee, and Dianna Cohen, founder of Crown Affair.)

Sizes and lengths: 10–30 with 25-, 27-, 29-, 31-, and 33-inch inseams | Rise: No rise listed | Stretch: Stretchy | Cut: Skinny | Price: $

Torrid specifically designs for those who wear a size 10 to a size 30, meaning its jeans fit curves right. I heard much praise for the brand as I reported our guides to plus-size jeans and plus-size work pants, and learned that the Bombshell jeans are its signature style. “They hug my curves, and cling where I need them to,” says content creator Nikki Apostolou. Tinsaye Berhanu, a petite-plus influencer, told me that the high-rise on the jeans is “really comfortable without rolling down,” and that the pair have an elasticized waistband that doesn’t gap. (The jeans are rated as a “maximum” on an in-house stretch scale.)

Natalie Craig, another petite-plus influencer, says that unlike other plus-size brands, Torrid offers a range of inseams (there’s regular, short, extra-short, tall, and extra-tall). Since you can choose your inseam, the jeans won’t sag at your ankles in the way others do, according to Megababe founder Katie Sturino. And if you’re looking for another style other than skinny, the Bombshell comes in a wide-leg and flare too.

Sizes and lengths: 23–37, with 26.5-, 28.5-, 30.5-, and 32.5-inch inseams | Rise: No rise listed | Stretch: Stretchy | Cut: Straight-leg | Price: $

Abercrombie’s jeans have become something of a social-media favorite among petites for the inseams: “short” for those who are five feet to five-foot-three and “extra-short” for those under five feet. Although the “extra-short” length is only available in sizes 25 to 30, “short” is offered in the full range of sizes 23 through 37. But beyond the petite-specific lengths, these jeans — which are straight-legged, high-waisted, and feature some stretch — are ultracomfortable. Amy Serrano, a content creator, wore them while doing “a round of high kicks with the Radio City Rockettes” and wasn’t uncomfortable in the slightest. The jeans are tailored to fit different body types, too. Photographer Lizbeth Hernandez says they are “perfect for my curvy body,” while Serrano mentions they “hug every part of my butt perfectly.”

Sizes and lengths: 23–33 with 29-, 32-, 35-inch inseams | Rise: 9.25 inches | Stretch: Stretchy | Cut: Fuller flare | Price: $$

Some of the jeans I’ve had the longest are from Madewell — they wear well over the years — and the retailer is mentioned in every denim guide on the Strategist site, second only to Levi’s. It’s for good reason: Madewell simply makes a variety of great jeans.

For the longest time, Madewell offered “tall” and “taller” lengths: tall for anyone who’s five-eight to five-eleven, and taller for those six feet and over. More recently, the company has slowly stopped selling the taller inseam, only offering the tall. Still, I noticed that the regular inseam on Madewell’s newer jeans is now longer than their default used to be — for example, the Superwides and Relaxed Bootcuts have a 32-inch inseam (there’s a 35-inch inseam on the tall versions), while the Dean features a 30-inch inseam (the inseam on the tall version is 33 inches). That’s all to say: If you’re tall, there’s no shortage of styles to try at Madewell — something you can’t always say about a mall brand.

Here, I included a Strategist-reader favorite, the flared Kick Out. This “full-length” edition is longer than the original, with 32- and 35-inch inseams instead of the old 30- and 33-inch inseams. So they’re even better for anyone who has ever dealt with a too-short hem.

Sizes and lengths: 00–15 (equivalent to 22- to 32-inch waists) with 30-, 32-, 34-, 36-, and 38-inch inseams | Rise: 11.75 inches | Stretch: Not stretchy | Cut: Tapered slim straight-leg | Price: $

Don’t let the “cowboy cut” fool you — these Wranglers fall somewhere between a straight-leg and a skinny jean. “I feel like ’90s Shania Twain in the jeans,” says artist Melly Wirtes of this pair, which come in 30-, 32-, 34-, 36-, and 38-inch inseams, and odd-numbered sizes. Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens recommends going for the number above your usual even-numbered size (a size three if you’re a size two, for example) as these are particularly rigid. On the fit front, the jeans are made with 100 percent cotton in the lighter and darker washes while the medium washes feature 2 percent spandex. “New Levi’s rarely look or feel like vintage Levi’s, but these Wranglers could have passed for preserved ’70s deadstock,” Kitchens says. After a few washes, hers got that “thrift-store-faded patina the jeans are known for,” and she suggests washing them less to keep “their A.P.C.-like stiffness.” If you need any more convincing, her ode to the Wranglers convinced at least four friends (including editor Laurel Pantin) to get a pair almost immediately.

Sizes and lengths: 23–40 (plus sizes here) with 28-, 30-, and 32-inch inseams | Rise: 10.25 inches | Stretch: Very stretchy | Cut: Jegging-style skinny | Price: $

Even as their merits have been contested, I still think skinny jeans are worth having in your closet. (Consider this just another phase of the fit cycle, like the hemline index.) Levi’s 720s might be the brand’s slimmest fit, and are cut to be super-skinny in shape. As with most skinny jeans, they have lots of stretch from a combination of cotton, lyocell, and elastane. Thanks to their ample stretch, the jeans will show off every curve of your leg, while not feeling overly compressive, according to writer Diana McCorry, who says these “create a great silhouette when you stand up.” (And if you can splurge, Frame’s Le High Skinny Jeans are as skinny as they come,” says stylist Jessica Cadmus. “They are so skinny, they look painted on.”)

Sizes and lengths: 24–31 with a 28.5-inch inseam | Rise: 11.75 inches | Stretch: Stretchy | Cut: Wide-leg | Price: $$

If you want a wide leg with some flare, the Sailors from Rolla’s take inspiration from Jane Birkin’s patch-pocketed pairs. Digital content creator Carrie Carrollo likes that the jeans remind her of the bell-bottoms of the past: “The wide leg feels dramatic. Paired with a vintage T-shirt, I always feel like they look extra ’70s.” Carrollo thought the jeans might not work on her five-foot-five frame — assuming the cut was more flattering on those who are tall — but found that the shape suits her well. These flare out through the leg, and “the waist-to-hip ratio for my body type really works,” she says.

Sizes and lengths: 23–34 with a 31-inch inseam | Rise: 11.25 inches | Stretch: Not stretchy | Cut: Barrel-leg | Price: $$$

By now, the barrel-leg needs no introduction. Almost every denim maker offers one — from Levi’s to Mother — and it’s even become something of a controversial silhouette. If you’ve been trying different barrel-legs and haven’t found the right one yet, consider Agolde’s Low Curve Jean. With a curved seam that falls at the ankle, these are somewhere between a barrel-leg lite (like Everlane’s The Way-High Twist Curve) and an extreme barrel-leg (see Citizens of Humanity’s Horseshoe). “To me, these are a cross between a barrel and a wide leg,” says Love and Other Rugs newsletter author Lily Sullivan. “And they would absolutely make any barrel skeptics reconsider.” It’s the jean Sullivan has been wearing the most nowadays (even more than her B Sides). “It’s a hot jean that goes very day to night,” she says. There’s no stretch in the Agoldes, so Sullivan went down a size from her usual. They’re more close-fitting that way, which is exactly what she wanted.

Sizes and lengths: 24–33 with a 28- and 30-inch inseam | Rise: 10.25 inches | Stretch: Not stretchy | Cut: Looser straight-leg | Price: $$

“You will never, and I mean never, catch me in skinny jeans,” says writer Jo Rosenthal. “When they went away the first time, I cheered, and the next time they go away, I’ll cheer even louder.” Rosenthal’s most-worn jeans are these Levi’s Baggy Dads, which have a much wider leg than the brand’s Wedgies or Ribcages. “Everything but the waist is baggy,” she says. Rosenthal got a size bigger than her usual, and while there wasn’t a noticeable difference in the waist measurement, they were a little bit wider in the leg that way. The Baggy Dads are loose through the hips and thighs, and are meant to stack at the ankles. While they aren’t stretchy at all, the jeans have “that Levi’s worn-in” feel from the beginning, Rosenthal tells me. Now, she’s up to three pairs. “These are like a good alibi — reliable and they never let you down,” she says.

Sizes and lengths: 23–34 with a 27.5-inch inseam | Rise: 11 inches | Stretch: Stretchy | Cut: Flare | Price: $$$

“The flare and frayed bottom are shockingly similar to my favorite pair from freshman year of college, but blessedly, they don’t have that Britney Spears low-rise,” says Catherine Smart, co-founder of sauce-and-salad-dressing-maker Not Just Co., of Mother’s Hustler jeans. She describes the cut as a “solid flare” (not a bell-bottom or a straight-leg in the least). “They’re a far cry from the skinny jeans I was clinging to as an elder millennial.” Smart says they run large — when a Anthropologie employee handed her a size 25 to try on, she literally laughed out loud, as she’s usually a 26 or 27. The jeans also have “enough stretch to be forgiving, but are sturdy enough to hold everything,” she says, declaring that even though their more-than-$200 price is probably the most she’s ever spent on jeans, they’re well worth it.

Sizes and lengths: 23–37 with 33- and 36-inch inseams | Rise: 10.25 inches | Stretch: Very stretchy | Cut: Bootcut | Price: $$

Bootcut and flare are often terms used interchangeably, but a true bootcut will be less flared than a flare. The bootcut is having a moment of sorts (some blame Bella Hadid), and J.Crew is making a new pair. “I was in high school the last time flared jeans roared into the Zeitgeist. Maybe you were too,” says Wall Street Journal art editor Alexandra Citrin-Safadi. “If so, know that this pair is sharper (and, blessedly, higher cut) than our shredded Mudd bell-bottoms from 2003.”

In Citrin-Safadi’s recent closet cleanse, these jeans were among the “only denim survivors.” The reason, she says, is that they’re “sexxxy, and you have to keep the three x’s if you publish this, by the way, because I mean it.” On J.Crew’s current scale of rigid to stretchy jeans — which includes the 1984 rigid and the 1996 semi-stretch — this 2003 super-stretch is the stretchiest, made with 2 percent Lycra (plus a percentage of polyester that helps them snap back). “Of course, I recognize that calling the denim ‘2003 super-stretch’ is a millennial dog whistle — my compliments to the J.Crew copy team,” Citrin-Safadi says. “It totally worked on me.” The jeans are also available in black, white, and blue washes. Citrin-Safadi went for a darker blue wash, “making them basically interchangeable with trousers.”

Sizes and lengths: 23–34 with 30- and 32-inch inseams | Rise: 11.125 inches | Stretch: Not stretchy | Cut: Straight-leg | Price: $

You can’t go wrong with 501s if you’re looking for a jean with absolutely no stretch. The legendary fit literally started it all for Levi’s — they were the first true-blue jean. Several of those who I spoke to not only own vintage versions of this style, but judge the jeans they’re thinking about buying against them. “Levi’s never fails — they just get jeans and always have,” says musician AJ Michalka. Gabrielle Arruda, a designer-slash-blogger, is a recent convert to the cult of the 501. “They are the jeans you can actually wear all day,” she says. Arruda mentions paying attention to the wash, as the darker shades seem to have “a slightly tighter weave, so they don’t naturally stretch out as well.” That said, these do need some breaking in. Stylist Karla Welch used to sit in a bathtub with the jeans on to get them to fit as a teen. Her advice: “Wearing them, and wearing them, and wearing them, and wearing them.”

(For some more non-stretch denim: The Feel Studio, founded by stylist Stevie Dance, a devout Levi’s wearer, has the Genuine Jean that’s inspired by old 501s, according to Kitchens. Dancer Eva Alt calls them the jeans “you always hope to find at a vintage store — just without the work.” )