How to Style Wide-Leg Jeans: 5 Outfit Ideas
Wide-leg jeans are back in a big way, and you know I love a great denim trend! While I have recently been sticking to my favorite straight-leg denim, today I am stepping out to style wide-legs. I bought 15 (that’s right, 15) pairs to test out! Jeans can be so tricky to shop for and I’ve narrowed it down to my five favorites. And if you’re struggling with ideas on how to style wide-leg jeans, have no fear! I’m going to share some easy and chic outfit ideas. I know how confusing it can be with all of the different cuts currently floating around. But honestly, styling these turned out to be a lot of fun!
My Top Five Pairs
I loved putting together these wide-leg pants outfit ideas last spring, so I was excited to take on this challenge again, but with denim. After lots of orders, returns, and try-on sessions, I landed on my five favorite pairs. I tried on a variety of cuts and styles, because sometimes I’m surprised at how differently jeans can look in person compared to how they look on a model. Here are the five styles that I ended up choosing (in no particular order).
- A Cropped Cut
- Cuffed at the Bottom
- White Denim
- A Classic Pair
- Baggy Jeans
If any of these denim cuts have caught your eye, keep reading! I’ll be going into details about each pair including fit, fabrics, and ideas on how to style wide-leg jeans.
1. Cropped Wide-Leg Denim
I am kicking it off with this pair of cropped jeans. This style is by far the most relaxed and cropped of the pairs that I kept. I really love them because not only are they easy to style, but they’re also so comfortable! I like to have a variety of denim washes in my closet to mix-and-match with different tops. Without a doubt, these are the lightest wash of the bunch.
How to Style Wide-Leg Jeans: Cropped Cuts
For this look, I chose to pair them with an extremely oversized sweater, a chic jacket thrown over my shoulders, super comfortable flats, and one of my classic Chanel bags. Obviously, these jeans are super voluminous by themselves, but I chose to go volume-on-volume to create a more editorial feel.
However, it’s certainly possible to put together a more casual outfit. They would look equally as great with a fitted bodysuit and heels. I love that you can take this pair in two totally different directions!
About The Denim
These fit TTS, but keep in mind that they are meant to be slightly more low-rise and oversized. I love that they are relaxed throughout the entire body, and that they are cropped. For reference I am 5’7″ and consistently wear a size 25.
2. Cuffed Wide-Leg Denim
This pair might be my favorite of all! The dark wash and super large cuff make them really different from anything else in my closet. In return, I couldn’t wait to play around with styling them!
How to Style Wide-Leg Jeans: Cuffed Versions
If you’re wondering how to style wide-leg jeans that are cuffed, the good news is that I found this pair to be fairly easy to style. The length makes them ideal to wear with flats, so I paired them with classic Chanel ballet flats, this cashmere sweater (a favorite of mine), and this green coat that I bought two years ago.
Many people might assume that dark denim equals dressy, but don’t fall into that trap. I actually love dressing down dark denim and dressing up light washes! When it comes to making an outfit stand out in a crowd, it is always about thinking outside the box, and creating a bit of surprise.
About the Denim
I sized down one size in these. At my height (5’7″), they are the perfect length for flats! They are 100% cotton, so they do not have any stretch. This means that you don’t have to worry about them losing their shape throughout the day. I also like that they are fitted through the waist.
3. White Wide-Leg Denim
With spring around the corner, I thought it would be great time look at how to style wide-leg jeans that are white or cream. Don’t get me wrong, I love wearing dresses with sandals in the warm weather, but it’s also fun to change it up with some pants looks. This pair of high-rise white jeans was the winning pair in this category!
How to Style Wide-Leg Jeans: White or Cream
The styling options for these are honestly endless. For this look, I chose to go with spring hues by pairing them with a green blazer, a Tuckernuck scarf, my favorite platforms, and this great leather saddle bag. I love how the green pops off of the white. Speaking of this hue, if you’re a fan of all things green, be sure to check out my roundup of green outfit ideas!
A more classic styling option would also look amazing with these jeans. You could pair them with this navy and white striped top, these navy loafers and this sweet leather crossbody bag. I also feel like white denim is the perfect candidate to mix with true denim in different hues of blue. Take a peek at this post to get a little inspiration!
About the Denim
I am wearing my normal size 0, and I think they fit perfectly. Based on the reviews, I feared they might be super long, but I found these to be a great length. While I wore them with platforms in these pictures, I’ve found that a low mule also works with these!
4. Classic Wide-Leg Denim
Of the five pairs I’m discussing today, I would consider these to be the most classic pair. They are a high-rise wide-leg jean in a great mid-tone wash. They don’t have much distressing or sandblasting – they’re just a timeless blue jean. I’ve actually never bought denim from this brand before, so these were a bit of an unexpected love!
How to Style Wide-Leg Jeans: A Classic Pair
While I consider this to be the most classic pair, I wanted to style them with a bit of a trendy vibe. So, I went with denim on denim. I wore them with an older oversized Topshop button-down, this denim peacoat, these pointed toe pumps that I often rave about, and my DeMellier tote (you can see a full review of this bag here). I really loved this look. However, these are such a timeless pair that there are tons of styling possibilities!
About the Denim
Since this was my first time ordering denim from this brand, I was happy to find that they ran TTS. On me, they are a great length to be paired with a mid to high heel. I love that they are fitted through the waist, but not tight across the hips. The wide leg opening also felt perfect for me. They had just the right amount of volume!
5. Baggy Wide-Leg Denim
If you’ve wondering how to style wide-leg jeans that are baggy, you are not alone. I feel like this might be the trickiest type to style, but it’s certainly possible to make them look chic! I purchased these baggy jeans, and I have to say, I feel like they look quite different on me compared to on the model. They are a mid-rise fit (as described), but they don’t seem to pool around me as much. Basically, they weren’t as long or baggy as I had expected!
How to Style Wide-Leg Jeans: Baggy Versions
I wanted to do another colorful, fun denim look. So in the spirit of it being Valentine’s month, I mixed and matched these jeans with this cable-knit sweater, this detachable collar, a pair of Mango mules, and an older Casablanca coat. I also wanted to take this baggier denim to a more sophisticated place. So I love how these more tailored styles dressed this denim up a bit.
About the Denim
While these jeans weren’t as baggy as I had expected, they did still have the widest leg opening of all the denim I tried. They are a cotton/viscose mix with stretch, and they’re incredibly soft. Due to this material, they also have a bit more drape than most of the denim in my closet, which was a fun change!
What Didn’t Work
As I previously mentioned, before I was able to decide how to style wide-leg jeans, I had to try on a lot of different pairs. There were a few pairs for which I had high hopes that simply ended up not working on me. I am breaking these down below!
1. Agolde Dame Wide-Leg
I was swimming in these. Even if I had sized down, the amount of volume and extended length of these just didn’t work. They look so cool on the model, but on me they were giving Y2K vibes in a very bad way.
2. KUT from the Kloth Jodi Jeans
At just above $100, I was really hoping these would be a great quality for the price. Sadly, these were far too drapey on me, and they just ended up looking sloppy. On the flip side, they were extremely comfortable. I just wasn’t into how deconstructed they looked on me.
3. Paige Sasha Wide-Leg
These are a beautiful wash, which is what originally caught my eye. And while I loved the leg shape, when it came to the waist and hip area, they hugged me in all the wrong places. However, I would for sure try this wash in a different cut!
Final Thoughts on How to Style Wide-Leg Jeans
Nowadays, there are so many different styles of jeans circling around, that it’s hard to know where to start. While I’m currently getting the most wear out of my straight-leg pairs, I do like to have a variety of jean styles in my closet to wear as needed. Yes, even skinny jeans (to wear under tall boots!)
Trying to figure out how to style wide-leg jeans can sometimes be tricky because there’s a fine line between chic and sloppy. However, I really do love these five pairs. And if you’re ready to try out this trend, I hope these reviews and styling ideas are helpful!
For additional outfit inspiration, head on over to my posts about Adidas Gazelle outfit ideas, styling dresses with sandals, and green outfit ideas!