Cheryl Shops

Buy it: wide-leg jeans
While I had a rather hard time finding a suitable pair, I have been and continue to be an advocate of skinny jeans--if you are thin enough to pull them off. Since boot-cut and slightly flared jeans had been de rigeur for so long, our go-to pant silhouette definitely needed some shaking up. However, not everyone can wear skinny jeans, which is why the more flattering (and forgiving) boot cut has still managed to stick around. Fashionistas in need of change but not content to go back to boot cut, however, got a golden moment of inspiration when Kate Moss turned up at the Topshop runway show in London last September in the outfit to the right: a retro top and...wide-leg jeans. Swoon. Now fast-forward a few months: While Ms. Moss is certainly still wearing her skinnies, the fashion industry is tentatively jumping on the wide-leg bandwagon. I, for one, welcome the news. I'm not ditching my skinny jeans yet, but it's nice to have options, and ones you can breathe in at that. Wide-leg pants tend to be more flattering on a greater range of body types (that is, unless you are short and on the heavier side; in that case, stick with a boot cut), and while finding the perfect pair is not quite the endeavor as shopping for skinny jeans, it is important to find a well-fitting pair, lest your legs look like tree stumps, a sad, sometime side effect of wide-leg trousers. So, without further ado, some pairs of note.

Revolve Clothing is a great denim resource, and they even have a handy trouser/wide-leg denim navigation point. Trouser jeans and wide-leg jeans often overlap because of their similar cuts; while this Joe's trouser jean has a fairly wide cut, it looks a bit too slim in the thigh for my taste (however, this could be due to the model's body as well).


On the other end of the spectrum is this crazy wide-leg jean from Goldsign; the legs are flared so much, however, that you'd have to have rather slim hips (like the model) to prevent stumpiness.


Shopbop.com has the more subtle Dietrich from Goldsign, as well as this wide-leg Tailor jean from Hudson. Both come in darker washes, which are great for wearing now (as opposed to a lighter wash for spring), not to mention that dark washes tend to be more flattering in general.


This Marc by Marc Jacobs sailor jean looks quite promising. For those who are unsure about fit, Net-a-Porter gives a handy breakdown of measurements per each size.


On the lower end of the spectrum, Urban Outfitters has some great options. I love the androgynous, slouchy look of this Levi's boyfriend jean, but I'm perplexed by the presence of Lycra--do we really need stretch in such a baggy jean?


I think the Keanu jean by Lux, a trouser-style cut, might be a bit more flattering--there's something to be said for a bit of tailoring.


But for a true bargain, nothing beats Target: this Mossimo Red wide-leg jean is on sale for a mere $17.50.


Of course, I haven't tried any of these on yet--that's when the true fit test will come. I'm not going to have much time to shop in the upcoming weeks, but as soon as I set out to find the perfect wide-leg jeans, you can be sure I'll write about it here. In the meantime, has anyone bought a pair of wide-leg jeans yet? Tell us about it!