When shopping for a new pair of jeans, do you ever find yourself growing frustrated that none of them suit you? There’s no worse feeling than trying on what feels like hundreds of pairs in a sweaty changing room and feeling like none of them suit your body shape. That’s why I’ve created a handy guide to which jeans styles suit various body shapes, like the pear, hourglass, inverted triangle, rectangle and apple. I’ll tell you what to avoid when looking for a new pair and what to look for, so you’ll never need to try on an unflattering pair ever again. And if you’re wondering what your body shape is, you need to check out this handy body shape calculator.

Finding the perfect pair of jeans is like looking for your soulmate. It’s never easy, but when you’ve found ’em, you’ll never want to let them go. There are so many styles to choose from these days, like the classic bootcut, boyfriend, straight, skinny, mom and flared styles, as well as the more modern iterations like cargo, ripped and even metallic jeans. But it doesn’t really matter what jeans are trending if they don’t suit you or make you feel like your best self.

There are also some styles that suit certain shapes more than others. Use our guidelines to help you find your perfect pair. But that said, just because you’re an hourglass doesn’t mean you can’t wear boyfriend jeans. It’s always a case of trial and error, and sadly, trying jeans on. I’d love to tell you to skip your trip to the changing room, trying before you buy is highly recommended if you want to invest wisely.

Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about finding the best jeans for your body type. Next, check out the best jeans from Zara tried and tested by us.

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Which rise should you wear?

First, have a look at the rise of your jeans. You’ll probably have a personal preference and naturally, certain rises will better on certain body types more than others. Ignore what’s trending and focus on what works best for your shape.

High rise: best for hourglass and pear shapes

High rise jeans usually sit at or above the belly button, which means they hold in the tummy and prevent a muffin top situation. High rise styles work on basically every body shape, whether you’re athletic, hourglass, pear or anything in between. They elongate the legs,making them ideal for those with short legs or a long torso. This is also the best rise to choose if you want to tuck a top or knit in.

Mid rise: best for petite or slender frames

Mid-rise jeans sit just below the belly button and as the name suggests, offer a happy medium between low and high rise styles. Mid rises work well for just about any figure, but particularly those who are petite or slender. They can also be worn with any top, whether you want to tuck it in or let it hang out.

READ MORE: How to Work Out Your Size in Jeans

Low rise: best for athletic body types

Low rises are probably the most feared style of jeans, especially amongst millennials. They sit around 2 inches below the belly button, often exposing your tummy depending on what you choose to wear them with. They sit at the hips, so if you’re athletic or slender, these will work well for you and create a little bit of shape around the hips.

Which style of jeans should you wear?

There are a huge number of jeans types these days, including cargo, baggy and dad jeans but I’m running down the most popular styles on the market like boyfriend, skinny, bootcut and flared jeans to keep things simple.

Boyfriend

What are boyfriend jeans?

Boyfriend jeans offer a baggy fit, widening around the hips and maintaining a loose shape throughout. They offer a straight fit and loose-fitting appearance, giving a casual vibe.

Best for

Apple and rectangle body shapes suit boyfriend jeans.

How to style boyfriend jeans

If in doubt, wear your boyfriend jeans with an oversized blazer, simple tee and loafers. Simple but effective.

Straight

What are straight jeans?

Straight jeans have a consistent leg width from top to bottom, unlike flares, skinny jeans or wide leg styles.

Best for

Hourglass, apple and athletic body shapes can all wear straight leg jeans effortlessly.

How to style straight jeans

Straight leg jeans are pretty easy to style. They look great with a tucked-in blouse or striped sweatshirt and boots.

Bootcut

What are bootcut jeans?

Bootcut jeans flare out slightly at the ankles, but unlike flares, it’s much more subtle. They’re designed to sit over your shoes or boots, hence the name.

Best for

Any body type suit bootcut jeans, so if you’re not sure which style suits you, these are a sure bet.

How to style bootcut jeans

Bootcut jeans look great with tucked in tops as well as loose, flowing shirts. Wear a tucked in vest or tee with an oversized shirt over the top and a heeled boot for an effortless, laid back look.

Flared

What are flared jeans?

As you probably guessed, flared jeans have an exaggerated flared leg. The 70s-inspired style help to elongate the legs and give a retro appearance.

Best for

Hourglass and triangle body shapes really suit flared jeans, as they help to balance out their shapes. Rectangle shapes can also wear flared jeans as they create definition at the waist.

How to style flared jeans

For a failsafe option, wear your flares with a tucked in shirt. This gives a smart appearance and the proportions work well too.

Skinny

What are skinny jeans?

Skinny jeans are tight-fitting jeans, which have a snug fit from the waist to the ankle. They offer the same fit as leggings, but are much more structured as they’re made from denim.

Best for

Skinny jeans work for every body type, but it’s all about what you wear them with.

How to style skinny jeans

Skinny jeans are a controversial look in 2024. The iconic denim pants have been slated by Gen Z-ers, who argue they’re the least flattering jean type. If you still love them, there’s no shame. Bring them to the modern day by teaming them with loose-fitting knits or sweaters, an oversized puffer jacket and knee-high boots.

Mom

What are mom jeans?

You’ll probably recognise mom jeans from the 80s. This classic style is high-waisted, with a baggier fit over the butt and thighs and a tapered ankle.

Best for

As mom jeans have a looser fit around the bum and thighs, they work particularly well for and highlight pear and hourglass shapes.

How to style mom jeans

Mom jeans look good with pretty much anything. If in doubt, wear yours with a tucked in sweater, a classic trench and ankle boots.

Wide leg

What are wide leg jeans?

Wide leg jeans do what they say on the tin. This style has a loose fit on the legs from top to bottom.

Best for

Those with wider hips or a smaller upper body suit wide leg jeans as they can help to balance out the proportions of your body. If you’re pear shaped or have an hourglass figure, give these a go.

How to style wide leg jeans

Wide leg jeans always look perfect with a shirt and a pair of heels. This look is always effortless yet polished.

Which wash suits you best?

Now you’ve nailed the shape, you’ll want to look at which washes suit your shape best. There’s no hard and fast rule, but you might find that certain colours look better than others on you or offer a different vibe.

Dark wash

If you’re dressing up, dark or black jeans offer a much smarter look than lighter washes. If you have bigger thighs, they also have a slimming effect that might make you feel less self-conscious in your jeans. Check out our guide to how to stop your black jeans from fading too, as they have a tendency to turn grey after a few washes.

READ MORE: How Often Should You *Really* Wash Your Jeans?

Mid wash

Mid washes work for pretty much everyone and they can be dressed up or down, depending on the vibe you’re after. They’re the perfect every day jean, but throw on a heel and you’ll look smart too.

Light wash, white or cream

Lighter washes are best for warmer weather, but that’s not a hard and fast rule. As someone with chunky thighs, I tend to steer clear of tight-fitting white jeans as I find these really unflattering, but athletic shapes can wear them no problem. Be warned that if they drag along the floor, you run the chance of having dirty hems. Never a good look.

Coloured jeans

Coloured jeans offer a completely different vibe to regular denim jeans. Burgundy, olive and browns are great for autumn and winter, while bolder, brighter shades look gorgeous in spring and summer.

What size am I in jeans?

Wondering what size you are in jeans? You’ll notice that jeans are often offered in waist size, which can give you a more precise fit than picking your regular dress size. A size 10 is a jeans size 28, but if you’re in-between sizes, you can opt for a size 29 pair of jeans, which is a size 11. A UK size 12 would wear a jeans size 30 and a size 31 in jeans equates to a size 13 in regular UK sizing. This system means you can find the best fit for your waist without denim being a little loose or tight.

Jeans size chart

If you’re still a little bit lost, take a look at this handy size chart, which breaks down the rough size of jean you should look for.

	XXS	XXS-XS	XS – S	S – M	M – L	L – XL	XL – XXL
UK	4	6	8	10	12	14	16
US	00	0	2-4	4-6	8	10	12
Italy	36	38	40	42	44	46	48
France	32	34	36	38	40	42	44
Denmark	30	32	34	36	38	40	42
Russia	38	40	42	44	46	48	50
Germany	30	32	34	36	38	40	42
Australia	4	6	8	10	12	14	16
Japan	3	5	7	9	11	13	15
Jeans (in inches)	23	24 – 25	26 – 27	27 – 28	29 – 30	31 – 32	32 – 33

How to measure yourself

To work out your jeans size accurately, it’s a good idea to measure your waist and the length of your legs with a measuring tape or a pair of great-fitting jeans that you already own.

To measure your waist, find the circumference of your belly by placing the tape measure at the level of your belly button. If measuring jeans, lay them flat on a surface and measure their width from left to right, at the level of the waist button, over the zipper. When you find the perfect fit, double the jeans’ width to get your waist length.

To measure the length of your legs, measure from your groin to the desired length of your jeans. If measuring your jeans, measure their inner length by following the inner seam to the bottom of the leg.

When you have all the numbers you need, enter them into the calculator below for the best fit.

Jeans size calculator