Want to know how to anti-age yourself by ten years with one pair of jeans? I’ve got the secret: a baggy jean. But it only works if you’re over 40, and there are, I discovered, certain hard and fast rules to making them work.
I realised this today, mid-jeans hunt. Not online, but on the street, where the best clues always are. I stopped two women wearing exactly the kind of chic, comfy, baggy jeans I wanted and asked where they were from. Arket and Uniqlo, they said. So off I went.
Why baggy jeans? Well, we’re in the middle of what us fashion editors call a “silhouette change”. We are shifting away from clothes that fit close to the body, towards clothes that skim, shroud, and cover in ways that suggest what is underneath, rather than display full anatomical detail.
In short, things are loosening up.
Personally, I couldn’t be happier about this: I’ve rarely out of my chic yet very comfy balloon cut trousers, but the only baggy jeans I have are Levi’s 501s I’ve owned for years, and they are not baggy enough. Time for a denim refresh.
Read on for my top four with styling notes, and a big nod to Arket whose current denim selection is brilliant.
The Best Baggy Jeans Now
Baggy Jeans, by JW Anderson at Uniqlo * best value
If you love a barrel leg jean, think of the unisex Baggy Jean from Uniqlo as the next iteration. No curve though the leg on this one, it is simply baggy, and straight.
I put on a pair in my usual size, but they looked too fitted – the laid-back look I was after wasn’t there. So I went up an inch and liked what I saw. They are relaxed, comfortable and look fresh and modern, and, at £34.90, they are excellent value for money. Not to mention they come in a soft, light cotton, and in three leg lengths, so will work if you are petite, too.
Sizing Note: Don’t go with what the size on the tag says, go with what looks good in the mirror.
Styling note: I recommend a belt with these, but only to stop them falling off, not to make them tight to your body.
Available in mid blue, light blue and cream in waist sizes 22-34 inches, in leg lengths, 29, 31 and 33 inches.
Curved Leg, by Arket
At first glance these jeans seem.. challenging. They are wide-legged with a button at the ankle, which, when undone, releases a panel of extra pleated fabric making them more voluminous.
But, that's the thing about new styles, you've got to get out of your comfort zone. Once I did, I loved them; the waist is form-fitting yet loose enough to be comfy, and balances out the width of the leg so they don't make you look bigger than you are. Overall these jeans look modern and will refresh your denim game if you're willing to give them a try. At £95, they are expensive, but for long term wear they are worth every penny.
Sizing note: wear your usual size.
Styling notes: wear with your favourite T-shirt (mine is by Uniqlo), a short sleeve spring knit, and finish with an Oxford shirt or cropped jacket.
Available in size from 34 (UK 4-6) to 44 (UK 14-16)
Cloud jeans, by Arket
These jeans, which look straight from the nineties, are comfortable and flattering. In a soft and fluid pale blue denim (and in 10 other shades including dark grey, darker blue and red), the style has the relaxed yet chic energy I'm going for plus the loose cut through the legs will modernise your denim style in an instant.
Sizing note: wear your usual size
Styling note: will work with your favourite T-shirt, a spring knit, or a pretty blouse. On your feet they work as well with summer sandals, kitten heels, or sneakerinas.
Available in sizes 25-33 waist.
Pine Relaxed Barrel Leg, by Arket * Winner
This isn’t a style of jeans I’d normally try, but with the words “relaxed” and “barrel” in the name, I gave them a go, and immediately felt at ease in them. If you’ve been unsure about this shape, don’t be.
They have that thing I was looking for. Relaxed but still chic, and crucially, they don’t swamp your shape. The pale blue shade also looks fresh, modern and perfect for summer.
Of all the pairs I tried, these felt the most effortless and comfortable for all day, everyday wear. They’re also the easiest to style with pieces you already own. While I’d recommend all the jeans here, this is the pair I’d buy, and they also come in an excellent - and equally stylish - very dark blue denim.
Sizing note: if you are between sizes size up an inch at the waist, rather than down
Styling notes: These are very versatile and work with pretty shirred top, a cropped jacket and kitten heel sandals or mules.
Available in waist sizes 25 to 33 inches, also in dark blue denim.
