Find your perfect-fitting jeans at Lyst. Shop every cut and wash in the denim edit, which features J-Brand, Hudson, Not Your Daughters Jeans, Paige and James Jeans and many more. Work a streamlined silhouette in white skinny jeans, or opt for a classic with an indigo straight-leg style. Give a nod to the 70s in flared and wide-leg jeans, or give your denim collection an update with cropped, boyfriend and bootcut silhouettes.
The Jeans Buying Guide
The very definition of a style staple, jeans are one of those deceptively simple pieces that can often be overwhelming to shop for. From classic straight-leg designs to skinny silhouettes, there is a pair to suit every shopper in this wide selection. In our women’s jeans buying guide, we will take you through the different types and rises of jeans, how to measure for your perfect fit and ways to care for your denim properly.
The Best Jeans For Your Budget
Levi’s Jeans
Credited with creating the first pair of blue jeans back in 1873, Levi’s has since become a global leader when it comes to quality denim. Shop the iconic 501, as well as the 311 shaping skinny jeans, 721, 711 and 325.
Rag & Bone Jeans
New York-based label Rag & Bone create premium denim that you’ll want to wear every day. Our favorites include Dre Low-Rise Slim Boyfriend Jeans, Nina High-Rise Ankle Skinny Jeans and Maya High-Rise Ankle Jeans.
J Brand Jeans
J Brand prioritizes both comfort and style in its range of jeans. From skinny jeans that are cut for a flattering, body-contouring fit to coated high-rise silhouettes, the brand strikes the perfect balance between classic and contemporary. Look to the best-selling Ruby, Alana and Maria styles.
AMIRI Jeans
AMIRI jeans combine refined craftsmanship with LA's authentic skate and street culture. Each pair is imbued with the label’s California lifestyle and rock and roll-inspired edge, from the distressed Mx1 to the cropped Hybrid.
What To Look For When Buying Jeans
As everyone’s body and style is different, there is no hard and fast rule about what jeans suit everyone. However, there are few things to keep in mind when choosing your denim and the size you need.
Across brands, no two pairs of jeans are made the same. We recommend checking the brand’s sizing guide, and cross referencing it with your waist measurement. You can also measure your rise and leg opening to find the best fit. It’s worth remembering that even if you want your jeans to fit snug, you should still be able to slip a thumb behind the waistband.
When deciding on the wash of your jeans, it is worth thinking about where you want to wear it. A lighter wash works during the summer months, while black or a clean, dark indigo wash that can be worn all year round.
To check the quality of your jeans, check the stitching around hems, pockets and side seams and ensure it is neat and won’t pull, split or unravel when worn. Design details such as copper buttons and rivets are usually a sign of a premium denim product.
How to Care For Your Jeans
From how to wash your jeans to ways to make the color last, here are some tips on how to properly take care of your denim.
- Most advice from denim experts is that you don’t need to wash your jeans after every wear, as regular washing can affect the fabric. If you have invested in high-quality raw denim jeans, these should not be washed for at least six months to ensure they develop a beautiful finish. Instead, they can be spot cleaned with a damp cloth to remove any stains.
- Non-rigid and non-raw denim can be cleaned in the washing machine. If your denim jeans are rigid and raw, they should be turned inside out and washed in cold water with mild detergent. Soak them for 60 minutes, giving the water a gentle swirl to loosen any oil and dirt.
- Avoid ironing and do not dry in the tumble dryer, instead allow your jeans to air dry naturally indoors away from direct heat and sunlight.
- Before they are washed, the dye from your indigo jeans may rub off on light-colored fabric, leather and upholstery. With repeated wearing and washing, the indigo color will fade.
- To make color last longer, wash inside out with cold water, with like colors.
- Know Your Jeans Styles
Skinny: This snug style is designed to fit close to the body all the way from the hip to the ankle. Levi’s 501 Skinny, Current/Elliott The Stiletto, Hudson’s Collin and J Brand’s 811 are some of the most flattering skinny jeans.
Cropped: Whether they are straight, kick flare or skinny, cropped jeans end just above the ankle. FRAME’s Le High, Le Sylvie, Ali and Le Original styles are all available in a cropped silhouette.
Cigarette: One of the most classic styles, cigarette jeans are fitted on the thigh area and have a straight cut that stops at the ankle.
Straight: Similar to the cigarette, this style has a straight cut from hip to ankle but is slightly more relaxed at the thigh.
Flare: This silhouette fits slim and then gradually expands down to the ankle to create a flare. The J Brand Julia, Topshop Jamie Flare, and Mother The Weekender are our go-to flared designs.
Wide leg: Wide jeans are fitted on the waist and then expand to create spacious legs. Look at styles from Ganni, AG Jeans and Totême, as well as J Brand’s Lovestory flare jeans.
Bootcut: Cut to fit straight and slim, it then widens slightly at the ankles.
Boyfriend: This style is slightly slouchy and has a relaxed cut that sits lower on the waist.
FAQ
- What are the best denim brands?
Some of the most in-demand denim labels include MiH, Levi’s, Current/Elliot, J Brand and PAIGE.
- How are jeans measured?
To find your perfect-fitting jeans, it is worth knowing the measurements of the rise you prefer, as well as the leg opening and inseam.
- To work out if you want a low, mid or high rise and see how the rise sits on your body, measure from the center of your belly button, straight down to between your legs to the bottom of your crotch.
- To find your proper inseam length, measure from the bottom of your crotch down to the bottom of your ankle bone.
- The leg opening is the measurement in inches of the circumference of the very bottom of a pair of jeans. To find the leg opening you like, measure the hemline of your favorite pair and take a note of the measurement where the tape crosses.
- What does a jeans rise mean?
Jeans will come in either a low rise, mid rise or high rise, and is the distance from the middle of the crotch seam to the top of the waistband.
Low rise: This rise will generally sit at or just below your hips.
Mid rise: This rise typically sits between the hips and the belly button.
High rise: This rise tends to cover the belly button for a sculpted look and to give the appearance of longer legs.