Cheryl Shops

I was really excited about boyfriend jeans last fall--I bought a pair at Levi's, and I wear them a lot, but they're so baggy that they almost feel a little sloppy, and thus I end up wearing them on the weekend only. I love how liberating they feel, but at the same time, there's something so chic about skinny jeans, and judging by what people are wearing, skinny is still the dominant silhouette at the moment. However, there's a new alternative to the ultraskintight look, and that's the slouchy skinny jean. It's basically the perfect hybrid of the skinny jean and the boyfriend jean (in fact, they're sometimes called "skinny boyfriend jeans"): the hips and thighs are roomier, but not so much as to make your hips look wider (a frequent unintentional side effect of boyfriend jeans), while the legs are still slim from the knee down. Basically, they're the best of both worlds--slim enough to be stylish, but roomy enough to be able to wear for hours.

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The brand that's been mastering all iterations of the boyfriend look is Current/Elliott, and their super slouchy skinny jeans are just about perfect. I have a pair of these, and they're currently my favorite jeans at the moment--they're so soft, they almost feel like pajama pants. Also, Current/Elliott tends to run a little big (I had to size down, and mine are still nice and roomy), so if you're into vanity sizing, that's a nice little bonus.


One of the holdouts in the premium denim market is R13, a relatively new line of Made-in-Italy jeans which, of course, you can find at Barneys. Their loose skinny slouchy jeans are ankle-length, which is good for tucking into boots and/or if you don't like that bunchy-ankle look that tends to happen a lot with skinnies.


For a more high-fashion look, J Brand collaborated with the avant garde designer Hussein Chalayan to create these Circut jeans, a more extreme take on the trend with a baggy thigh/fitted calf silhouette that reminds me of jodhpurs.


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The Josefina slouchy distressed jeans from 7 For All Mankind looks best cuffed (although can be worn longer), the better for showing off your favorite ankle boots. Plus, 7's jeans have a pretty much universally flattering fit, so you know they'll be neither too slouchy nor too skinny.


Rich & Skinny's skinny boyfriend jeans are just that--skinny and rich-looking, with a nice deep blue wash that's perfectly broken in but not too dark. I also like the subtle tapered effect at the ankle, which helps to contain the volume.


More on the skinny side are Genetic Denim's Davis slouchy cigarette jeans, which are basically skinny jeans with a bit of breathing room—it may be just a fraction of an inch, but it's enough to make a noticeable difference. I like the distressed finish too.


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These Indigo Saints slouchy stretch skinny jeans have that distressed, patched look for a fraction of the price of the above jeans. The fit looks a bit more snug, however, so I'd suggest going a size up just in case. Bonus points: For the tall gals, these come in up to a 37-inch inseam!


These Madewell slim slouch jeans have a truly boyish-looking fit, and I like that they look as good cuffed as they do down.


Victoria's Secret can sometimes have deceptive styling--their clothes can sometimes look either sexier and/or more stylish than they actually are. However, I'm willing to give their slouchy skinny jeans the benefit of the doubt, especially considering their very reasonable price.