The classic blue jean: it’s a staple garment in any American wardrobe, and has been for decades. For women, the perfect pair of blue jeans is both comfortable and flattering, soft and stylish. The right pair of jeans will complement your figure and feel great, whether you’re running a few errands or heading to a full day at the office (casual Friday, anyone?).
Below, you’ll find five popular types of jeans for women that can be found at all different retailers, both online and in person. Jeans are a versatile garment, and many of these jeans varieties can be worn for both casual and dressy occasions. Most women choose to have an assortment of types of jeans in their wardrobe to satisfy different style needs.
Skinny Jeans
Overview
Skinny jeans are a popular and stylish option of blue jeans for women of all ages. This type of jean is defined by a fitted style that follows the line of the body and tapers at the ankle. Skinny jeans are flattering because they show off the line of the leg and accentuate your curves. They’re also a popular option to wear with long, flowing tops because the tight fit of skinny jeans provides contrast to looser shirts.
Key Features
- Skinny jeans taper down the leg and fit tightly around the ankle.
- This type of blue jeans has a narrow fit that shows off the line of the leg. Skinny jeans make your legs look longer with this accentuated leg line, which is part of why skinny blue jeans are popular among women.
- Skinny jeans look great with ballet flats, sandals, and high heels. This is because the tight fit around the ankle draws attention to your shoes.
- You can wear skinny jeans with a casual outfit, such as with a solid colored T-shirt and basic sneakers or sandals. For a dressy skinny jeans look, choose a dark blue denim wash, then pair them with a blouse and cute shoes.
Bootcut Jeans
Overview
Bootcut jeans are a versatile variety of blue jeans for women. The bootcut style makes a clean line from hip to ankle with only slight tapering. The jeans fit closely from the hip to the knee and makes a straight line from knee to ankle. This allows you to comfortably wear all styles of boots with the jeans without disrupting the line of the leg.
Key Features
- Bootcut jeans provide a fitted look to flatter the legs while also offering enough room at the ankle to accommodate a great pair of boots. This neutral, balanced look is great for everyday wear, or even a casual day at the office.
- Bootcut jeans shouldn’t be confused with flared jeans, which have a wide opening at the ankle. Bootcut jeans have just a slight ankle flare.
- Bootcut jeans are an awesome choice for all different body types. This jeans style isn’t too tight, making it a comfortable option, but it does show the line of the leg to flatter your body.
- This type of blue jeans can be worn with casual, professional, and dressy outfits. For a casual look, pair light wash bootcut jeans with lace-up combat boots and a V-neck T-shirt. For an office look, pair a dark wash denim with black Chelsea boots, a white button down blouse, and a blazer. For a night out, pair bootcut jeans with heeled boots and a blouse with sparkly detailing.
Boyfriend Jeans
Overview
Boyfriend jeans are a stylish and comfortable option for women. This type of jean comes in many varieties, but is defined by a (somewhat) loose, masculine style and fit. Boyfriend jeans are popular because the boyish style provides an interesting contrast to women’s attire. For example, you can pair boyfriend jeans with a soft, feminine top for a trendy, eye-catching outfit.
Boyfriend jeans earned their name from the concept of a woman wearing her boyfriend’s jeans. So, women’s boyfriend jeans are made to look like menswear, which provides a fresh look for women at all stages in life. This style of jeans is also perfect for women who feel uncomfortable in tight-fitting clothing.
Key Features
- Boyfriend jeans have a relaxed, casual style and fit. This type of jean doesn’t fit as tightly as skinny jeans, bootcut jeans, and other styles of women’s denim.
- The fit of boyfriend jeans can range from baggy, with plenty of room in the legs and hips, to closer fitting. Slim-cut boyfriend jeans still provide a relaxed, loose fit, but make a cleaner line.
- Boyfriend jeans are meant to be worn as a casual attire and, therefore, often come with rips, holes, and fraying for added visual interest.
- To achieve the classic “boyfriend” look, you can select a larger size of boyfriend jeans than you would with other types of jeans. This will provide the baggy, boyish menswear look that inspired the conception of boyfriend jeans.
Flared Jeans
Overview
Flared jeans, known mainly for their popularity in the 60’s and 70’s, are a fun and spunky style of jeans. Flared jeans for women can also be called bell bottoms and are defined by a wide fit around the ankle. These jeans fit closely through the thigh and knee, then open into a bell shape at the ankle. The width of the flare around the ankle can range from subtle to quite large and striking, as was in fashion during the 60’s and 70’s.
Key Features
- Flared jeans fit tightly around the thigh to flatter the leg, but flare at the ankle for a wholly unique style.
- Flared jeans have been worn during many different eras, but are thought to have origins back as far as 1917 when flared pants were worn by sailors in the Navy.
- Since flared jeans open out at the ankle, designs with small, understated flares may get mixed up with bootcut jeans, which also feature a fit that widens at the ankle.
- Flare jeans look great with all different types of shoes, but especially ballet flats, wedge heels, and sandals.
- This type of jeans is considered casual. Pair them with a flowing peasant blouse for a true throwback look, or even a simple T-shirt for a comfortable weekend outfit.
High-Waisted Jeans
Overview
High-waisted jeans are designed so that the waistband is positioned a few inches above the belly button. This style exaggerates the length of the leg for an elongated look. This style of jeans can even help you appear taller! High-waisted jeans are also called high-rise jeans and, similarly to flared jeans, were popular among both men and women in the 1970s.
Key Features
- Oftentimes, high-waisted jeans feature an extra-long zipper. Or, this type of jeans may feature multiple buttons as an interesting detail.
- Many women choose to tuck in their shirt when they wear high-waisted jeans to make their legs appear proportionally longer than their torso.
- High-waisted may be more comfortable for some women than low-rise jeans because the waistband sits higher on the stomach and is less likely to sag.
- High-waisted jeans are a great option for professional looks. This type of jeans looks great with a tucked-in button down and chunky heel.
- While high-waisted jeans are often thought to be worn mainly by older women, they are back in style and now worn by young women as well.
Lisa has a Bachelor’s of Science in Communication Arts. She is an experienced blogger who enjoys researching interesting facts, ideas, products, and other compelling concepts. In addition to writing, she likes photography and Photoshop.