Women's Jeans

Rise sets the shape of a pair of jeans, and everything else negotiates with it. High and ultra-high waists sit at or above the navel and lengthen the leg; mid-rise lands just below and stays neutral under most tops; low-rise sits on the hip bone, lengthening the torso and shortening the leg line. Leg shape follows from there: skinny and slim hold the thigh, straight runs clean from hip to hem, and tapered, relaxed, barrel, wide and flared cuts each redraw the line in their own way.

Weight decides how they wear in. Rigid denim around 12 to 16 ounces holds its shape and marks with use, while lighter stretch blends give at the seat and recover. Washes run from raw indigo through stonewashed and whiskered mid-blues to ecru and true black, with hems clean, cuffed, released or raw, and distressing anywhere from none at all to heavy.