Jeans, trousers, and leggings — the pieces that get worn the most often, so they're worth getting right. How we choose these picks.
A straight leg balances structure with comfort and tends to work across more body shapes than a skinny or wide-leg cut — check the brand's specific size chart, since denim sizing varies significantly between brands.
Added stretch fiber keeps a skinny cut from feeling restrictive through the day, which is usually the actual complaint people have with non-stretch skinny denim.
Real working pockets and a relaxed cut make cargo pants genuinely useful, not just a trend piece — check the inseam length before buying, since these run long on some brands.
A wide-leg trouser reads more polished with a fitted top and more casual with a plain tee, making it one of the more flexible single pieces to own.
A well-fitting pair of denim shorts gets more wear per dollar over a summer than almost any other single warm-weather item.
A genuinely opaque, high-waisted legging works for both athletic use and casual everyday wear, which is why it tends to get the most wear-per-dollar of anything in a closet.
There's no universal sizing standard across denim brands — a size 8 in one brand can fit like a 6 or 10 in another. Always check the brand's specific size chart (waist/hip measurements) rather than relying on your usual number.
Most stretch denim is designed to be worn true to size and will relax slightly with wear — sizing down expecting it to stretch out significantly usually ends in a tighter fit than intended.