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Men, my mother likes to remind me, were blessed with many things in life, among them “great legs”. Yet while flaunting what you’ve got is good, few men I know would embrace the skinny jean today. “Skinny had its moment, but that moment is not now,” says designer and self-described “denim expert” Benjamin Talley Smith. Instead, he, like others, is looking to straight- and even wider-legged styles.
Straight-leg
Re/Done, the specialist in vintage reconstruction, offers a desirable straight-leg cut with its 1401s, which come in varying shades of worn-in blue (£350). For a darker, smarter wash, Community Clothing’s Loose Arran jeans (£99.50) are made from locally recycled cotton and flaunt a chain-stitched hem. Cult denim brand Agolde has recently expanded into men’s. The 90s jean (from £280) sits among its top mid-rise styles and is available in 11 washes.
Raw denim
Shawn Joswick Tuxedo Jean, $450
For a more elevated work jean, try wearing something stiff. Brooklyn-based denim designer Shawn Joswick has been working exclusively with Japanese raw materials since 2000. “NO STRETCH DENIM. Woofffffff,” he writes via email. “I like jeans cut on the selvedge (the finished edge of the fabric)”. Current favourites include the Tuxedo Jean ($450), which features a twisted seam and subtle bow-leg, and the J001 Full Cut Straight Jean ($400) with leather patch branding. “Think Sidney Poitier in The Defiant Ones,” he says. APC’s raw selection is another classic. Try the Aaron (£210), which offers a wide leg, or the Standard (£215) for straight and classic lines. APC’s Butler programme means you can bring back your used jeans and exchange them for a new raw indigo pair at half price.
Bootcut
Brad Pitt has been wearing bootcuts ever since his appearance as stunt double Cliff Booth in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 Once Upon A Time… in Hollywood (he wore vintage Levi’s). Elsewhere, find your ’70s flare with Jeanerica’s “Odeon” mid-rise (£190). London-based stylist and bootcut connoisseur Eddie Wailes also swears by Acne’s “true-to-size” studio cuts.
Baggy
Axel Arigato’s Zine relaxed-fit jeans (£185) are the perfect “baggy” segue, their non-stretch lending them a semi-structured fit. London-based YMC has also crafted a loose-fit version from organic cotton (£195, farfetch.com); the brand’s new creative director Sage Toda-Nation is especially partial to a “wider, slightly curved leg”.
Baggier
For those who like jeans extra-roomy, Acne Studios’ Loose and Baggy fit jeans (from £300) span several prints and colourways from indigo to pink. “All the young guys are going so far as to wear JNCO (from £104) again,” says Talley Smith. “Super-wide jeans that cover your shoe and have huge pockets.”
Slim-fit
J Crew 484 slim-fit jeans, from £143
Still hankering after a “skinny” fix? Then try J Crew’s slim-fit (from £132) as a good compromise. Or try the Classic (£165) for a slightly higher rise and fuller leg.
Something different
In Japan’s Okayama prefecture, Kapital thrives on embellishments from punchy patchwork to silver-tone studs. These jewel-encrusted Monkey Cisco (£695, mrporter.com) jeans make the perfect partywear. For a more craft approach, Wales Bonner’s AW24 offering includes a front-and-back pleated style in indigo with a crochet side-stripe best worn over boots (£695); meanwhile, Junya Watanabe has collaborated with Levi’s on a straight-leg jean, flaunting a dark wash, khaki patch pockets and belt-loop detailing (£508, mytheresa.com).
White jeans for winter?
Rag & Bone Fit 4 straight-fit jeans, £195
Vintage collector Alessandro Squarzi is a major proponent of winter whites, as is actor Jeff Goldblum. Rag & Bone makes an elegantly tailored Straight Fit pair in stretchy ecru (£195). See also Levi’s 568 Stay Loose (£100) for a more casual fit.