The Fundamentals: Baggy Jeans
Searches for wide leg, relaxed fit jeans are up 55% so far this year. Even if you’ve been in a steady relationship with skinny jeans for the past decade, notwithstanding a brief flirtation with straight-legged styles somewhere in between, it’s now officially time to call it quits. If you’re investing in a pair of jeans this season, it’s simple: the baggier, the better.
Our top-trending pair of loose jeans, with a search increase of 366% month-on-month, are the baggy ‘dad’ jeans from Levi’s®. Why? Well, the denim outlook on the catwalks has been decidedly loose for the past few seasons. And as Y2K continues to rule TikTok, the pendulum has swung back to a baggier state of mind, favouring jeans that first gained a cool-girl fan club in the early noughties, and are now finding a whole new wave of followers in the process.
This season’s trending styles are comfortable, give effortless model-off-duty energy, and have the ability to make any outfit look more directional. These are the fundamentals of finding the best baggy jeans for you.
Focus on the Fabric
First up, dive deep into composition. Care labels will tell you the vital stats when it comes to the weight and feel of the fabric of your jeans. While heavyweight denim is more rigid but also more durable, lightweight denim can be more comfortable and easier to break in — it’s also perfect for spring as the lightweight fabric is naturally cooler. Most baggy jeans are made from cotton, known for its softness and breathability, and can also contain elastane, which gives jeans their stretch. The popular Levi’s® 568™ Stay Loose Carpenter Pants have a fabric weight of 13.75 ounces, meaning they’re at the heavier end of the scale for extra strength.
Respect the Fit
High rise jeans sit just above your natural waist, over 10 inches to be precise, while low rise sit closer to your hips at 7- 8 inches. The The Levi’s® Baggy Dad Women’s Jeans are mid-rise, with a relatively straight-leg silhouette that is loose through the hip and the thigh, while the Ribcage Wide-Leg Jeans are particularly leg-lengthening with their super high rise waist.
Inseam length, which is measured straight down the inside leg from the crotch to the ankle, also matters. Depending on how you want your loose jeans to fall and what shoes you plan on wearing them with, you could opt for an extra few inches so the hemline pools at the ankle, or go ‘true to size’ so that the hemline brushes the tops of your shoes.
Baggy jeans can make a strong fashion statement, or be a subtle styling tool. Counterbalance is key; going full oversized with your look can overwhelm those with smaller frames. Instead, try and balance the silhouette out with something fitted, like a tank top and a cropped jacket or cardigan. An oversized jumper with a similar amount of slouch-factor to your jeans will also work if you want to maximise the relaxed vibes from top-to-toe. A tailored coat thrown over the top will always add a note of polish, while a pair of sneakers or ballet flats will complement the exaggerated proportions.
Watch Your Wash
Loose jeans come in a multitude of colours or ‘washes,’ because the blue of blue jeans comes from indigo dye that gradually develops tonal variations unique to each wearer. The Levi’s® Baggy Dad Women’s Jeans are available in a range of shades, from an ever-so-slightly faded black to a blue wash with faded stripes along the wear points. Stick to darker blues, whites, creams or blacks for a smarter look, and leave lighter tones for the daytime. Right now, pale blue baggy jeans with a lived-in feel are trending on Lyst.
Depending on the pigment of its dye, the colour of your jeans might transfer to other materials (a process known as crocking) or even run during its first wash, hence why you should always wash them with similar colours. Levi’s® recommends a wash once every 10 wears at most, turning your jeans inside out on a cold-normal cycle. A lot of denim aficionados, however, will tell you to avoid machine-washing as much as possible (and tumble drying at all costs), using spot-cleaning and steaming for a quick refresh that will retain the integrity of your jeans.
Don’t Compromise on Brand
There’s a reason Levi’s® jeans are considered the gold standard of denim. When you’re buying a pair of jeans, you want them to last in terms of style and status, and Levi’s® have durability built into their DNA. A few key details signal the brand’s heritage and credibility. See them and you’ll know; these jeans are the definition of keepers. The Arcuate stitching on the back pockets, so called because of its iconic arc formation, has been used since 1873, the year the brand earned its patent for what it then called ‘waist overalls’ (aka, jeans). Classic rivets, sometimes replaced by heavy stitching known as tack stitching, are strategically placed at the corner of pockets to add strength and prevent tearing. The Levi’s® signature batwing logo, and the Red Tab, first added to the back right-hand pocket of 501®s in 1936, are the ultimate stamps of authenticity. Fundamentally, if you’re looking for baggy jeans, Levi’s® are a worthwhile investment.