Denim Fit Guide; understanding all the different styles of jeans

I wish I had a denim fit guide ever time I went shopping for jeans don't you?

Do you know the difference between a boyfriend jean and a classic fit?

How high is a high rise and do they even make jeans with tapered legs any more?

Every brand has its own names for the different styles of jeans but there is an underlying descriptor that is consistent throughout the industry.

Skinny, trouser, boyfriend. These all mean something and that is what torontoshopoholic.com is going to figure out in this denim fit guide.

Most styles are described by the style of leg on the jean. So this is where this denim fit guide will start. Going from skinny to wide these are the most typical jean descriptors.

Skinny jeans - Skinny leg jeans have become so mainstream it is easy to say they are no longer a fad.  Leg openings are 12 inches or narrower and as the name implies the fit is skinny all over. Jeggings or denim leggings are the narrowest of the skinny jeans.  Great for wearing with boots!

Straight leg jeans - sometimes confused with or substituted for skinny jeans, straight leg denim has a leg opening of approximately 14 inches but can be slimmer or wider. The true defining characteristic is the cut of the leg which has the same width straight from the knee down to the hem. Also watch for names like easy or comfort fit, even boyfriend jeans are wider versions of a straight leg jean.  These cuts are not only wider in the leg but also less fitted through the hip and thigh.

Boot cut jeans -  once a staple of every jean lovers wardrobe the boot cut has fallen from favour since the dawn of the dreaded skinny.  Oddly enough it can actually be harder to pull off because this style is fitted though the knee and thigh and widens to an approximately 16 inch leg opening.  As the name implies this jean is cut to accommodate a boot - but wear the jean on the outside!

Flare jeans - The flare jean is similar to the boot cut but the leg opening is exaggerated. Call them bell bottoms or flares these jeans have a  fitted thigh and knee and widen to about an 18 inch leg opening.

Trouser jean - Cut like a trouser, these are the most universally flattering of all the jeans listed so far. These jeans are looser from the hip down and open to a full leg of approximately 18 - 20 inches and typically have a wider hem.  You might also see jeans labeled as a wide leg jean which is the widest cut you can get.

The rise of a jean is also important factor for every deinim fit guide. High rise to low and super low rises all work on different body types.

Traditionally a high rise jean is 11 inches or more and sits above the natural waist, however many modern high rise jeans are more likely to be lower (between 9.5 - 11 inches) and sit at the natural waist.

Super low rise, which can be tricky to wear unless you are short waisted, sits several inches below the navel and is about a 7 inch rise.

Styles to avoid? Classic fit which usually means two things a high rise (above the navel) and a tapered leg. This cut is also synonymous with the "Mom jean" which is code for ugly jean.

Want to follow all the torontoshopoholic.com style tips and guides like this denim fit guide? Sign up for our newsletter for more Toronto store reviews.