45 Different types of Jeans : Do you have a favourite?

Yesterday I took out a pair of jeans I owned some 20 years back, from the back of my wardrobe. Don’t ask me what it was doing in my cupboard. I am all talk and no action for a minimalistic wardrobe. And I found that I still buy the same type of jeans over and over again all through the years – the same old classic regular fit jeans. Is it time for a change? Maybe, maybe not.

But, what are the options? Options galore. Here they are – 45 of them. Some of these categories do overlap. But still, there is an awesome number of choices.

Related post: How to buy jeans – fitting guide.

Different types of Jeans 

Jeans types according to leg shape/width

Straight leg jeans

This style of jeans has a straight narrow leg shape from the hip to the ankles.  It will be the same width along the thighs, knees and leg opening. This leg opening is typically 14-17 inches wide.

Skinny jeans (Tight jeans)

This jeans type has a snug fit along the hips and thighs and a tapered leg opening of about 11.5 inches to 13.5 inches and the hem will usually pool around the ankles. Usually made of stretch denim.

Tapered jeans

This is a pair of jeans which tapers towards the ankle. This style has a very narrow hem with the width at the ankle a lot less wide than the knee. 

Boot Cut Jeans / Bootleg jeans

This style of jeans is fitted along the hips, thigh, and knee, then has a slight flare at the leg opening – the hem will be 1 to 1 1/2 inches wider than the knee width. The leg opening will be somewhat between  16.5-19.5 inches. It has a tighter fit along the knee – and then flares. 

Flared jeans

This is the style with a large flare at the jeans’ hem – the width will be narrow at the knee. This is the most common leg type on low rise jeans. The hem will be 2 1/2 to 4  inches wider than the knee width – the leg opening is typically 20-22-23 inches.

Baggy jeans 

These jeans will be loose along the hips and thighs and have a wide leg opening.

Mom jeans

Mom jeans are old fashioned high waisted jeans with a loose fit around the hips and crotch.

Boyfriend jeans 

Boyfriend jeans also have a same relaxed baggy fit as the mom jeans. The kind of jeans that you might borrow from your boyfriend. The extra length is folded up into a cuff. A cropped boyfriend jeans is popular nowadays among youth. Read more about boyfriend jeans here.

Girlfriend jeans 

Girlfriend jeans is a more fitting boyfriend jeans.

Stovepipe jeans 

This jeans is a slightly tighter version of straight leg jeans. The leg opening is typically 14 -15 inches wide.

Cigarette jeans

This is an ankle length close fitting straight cut jeans – unlike skinny jeans which closely follow the leg shape this type is cut straight from knee to ankle.

Kick flare jeans

Kick flare is a similar type of jeans with a figure hugging fit till the knee and then flaring towards the hem. This jeans is tight at the thighs and then from the knee it flares out into a wide hem to your ankles.

Bell bottom jeans 

This is an exaggerated version of the kick flare jeans. This type of jeans has a very wide leg flare and usually comes with low rise jeans and ultra low rise jeans. The jeans is fitting till the knee and then leg flares and the hem creates a bell shape.

Brancusi jeans

This jeans has a tapered smaller leg opening with a balloon silhouette different from other jeans.

Jeans types according to fit

Fit refers to the ease added to the jeans.

Relaxed fit

This style has a comfortable loose fit all over at hips, thigh, and legs.

Classic fit jeans (Regular fit)

This is the traditional style of regular fit jeans with an equal measure of comfort and style. This usually has a straight or slightly tapered leg opening of about 13-16 inches.

Slim Fit

This is a close-fitting jeans – the jeans fit tightly along the waist, hips, thighs, legs and ankles. It usually comes with a tapered leg. Same as Skinny jeans.

Straight Fit jeans

In this style, the knee and ankle are of the same width.

Stretch jeans

These jeans is made of the fabric mixed with lycra/spandex. The addition of spandex fibers gives jeans a lot of stretch and flexibility.

Cargo Fit

This is a loose jeans style with cargo pockets on the legs.

Loose fit 

These jeans have a  lot of space along the hips, thighs, and legs – this usually comes in regular and lower rise.

Trouser fit

This is a jean style with a loose fit and straight legs.

Easy fit

It is the same as a relaxed fit with a low rise.

Read more about the fit of jeans here. 

Jeans types according to Waist Levels

Rise refers to the position of the waistband of the jeans. Rise is measured from crotch to the waistband. 

Regular Rise

This is the style with the waistband of the jeans resting exactly at the waist.

Lowrise jeans

In this style of jeans, the waistband is located about 2 to  3 to 4 inches under the belly button/navel. This is a very popular choice for women’s jeans.  For a super low rise jeans, the distance from navel could even be 5 inches.

Brazilian Low Rise Jeans / Ultra low rise jeans

As the name indicates this is a super super low rise jeans.

High Waist jeans

This type of jeans has the waistband sitting a little above the natural waist.

Midrise  jeans

The style of jeans with the waistband just below the natural waistband.

Jeans types according to length

Skimmer

This is a short length jeans with the hem somewhere between the knee and the ankle.

Cropped jeans (Crops)

A jeans style that ends between midcalf and knee – about 3/4th of the way down the calf.

Ankle length jeans

This style is cut just above the ankle.

Capri

This style of jeans has the hem sitting just below the knee or at mid calf.

Gaucho

This is a loose jeans style with the hem falling somewhere at midcalf.

Retro jeans

This is a pair of jeans with a different period – a type of style from the past.

Jeans types according to embellishments

Distressed jeans

This is jeans with a used and old look – deliberately made so with different techniques. This jeans will look faded and have holes, rips, tears and frayed hems. Many innovative methods are used to create this effect. Bleach, stone washing, oven baking etc are some of the popularly used methods.

You can check out the 15 methods used to make distressed jeans. 

Sand blasted jeans 

This is jeans made with fabric that is washed with sand to get a faded and old look.

Dirty washed jeans 

This is a pair of jeans made to look like it is dirty – it will be made to look brown or beige with the help of different washes.

Tinted / Colored jeans 

This is dyed jeans – denim is dyed in different colours and hues other than the classic blue, white and black there are bright colored, pastel colored jeans and they are as popular as the classic ones.

Slub

This refers to the type of jeans made with denim woven with uneven yarns.

Whisker washed jeans 

This is a style of jeans with marks that look like whiskers.

Ripped jeans

This style of jeans is distressed and the fabric is deliberately ripped on many areas including pockets, pant, legs, hems, and edge of waistbands.

Frayed jeans

Here the thread is frayed on edges deliberately as a way of distressing.

Carpenter jeans

These jeans will have a relaxed fit and has an external tool pocket (or many) and hammer loop.

Corded jeans

Jeans made of corduroy denim.

Lace-up jeans

This has lacing up at the side seam.

Pintuck jeans 

This is a pair of jeans with a seam down the front of the legs, which looks like a pintuck.

Cuffed jeans

This is a jeans with a fold at the hem of the jeans.

Relaxed posts : Different parts of jeans ; Jeans Repair – 7 problems and solutions; History of jeans ; How to make ripped jeans ; How to fix holes in jeans; Make jeans skirts ; Make jeans bags.; 10 jeans recycle ideas; How to sew denim

Updated on March 13, 2023 by Sarina Tariq