From Arket to Agolde: I Just Tried On 2024’s Best-Selling Jeans | British Vogue

The best pairs of jeans are the ones you want to live in and wear again and again – and they get better every time you slip them on. However finding the “perfect style” can be hard, given there are so many different silhouettes, cuts and washes available, plus sizing can vary depending on the brand.

The options are endless, and so to help you with your search, I spent a day changing-room hopping to give you insights on the best jeans you can buy right now. After trying on countless pairs of varying shapes, sizes, and cotton compositions, I’ve realised that the pool of exceptional, stand-out styles is much smaller than you’d think. The age old technique of trial and error has turned me to the classics such as Levi’s, Citizens Of Humanity and Agolde, as well as more contemporary iterations from the likes of Arket, Uniqlo and Ganni. Vintage stores are worth visiting too: Unlike off-the-rack styles, vintage denim offers worn-in appeal, as well as unique details like rivets, stitching and patches that give jeans a beautiful lived-in quality.

Before heading off on my quest to the fitting rooms, I grabbed a few different types of shoes that I would want to wear with my every-day denim – a kitten heel, a trainer, a boot, and of course a loafer, squeezed into my largest tote-bag. It might sound like a painstaking process, but it paid off tenfold when I saw how different jeans transformed with a simple shoe change.

Also note that there’s not one particular style for each body shape. This is a common misconception that should be thrown out. It’s about finding the brand that has the right fit for you. Fits vary and so do fabrics. Every body is different, so what might be a wide-leg for one, could be a straight-leg for another. I definitely found that some styles were more form-fitting than their labels suggested, while others were deceptively loose. Wear what feels comfortable, not what you think should fit – that’s how to find perfectly-fitting jeans.

To find out which styles have our hearts, see British Vogue’s breakdown of the best jeans to try now. Each pair makes up an all-star cast of jeans you’ll want to wear day in, day out.

Arket Poplar mid relaxed jeans in tinted blue.

Arket denim deserves all the acclaim it gets. I tried on a few pairs of straight-leg jeans, which were all strong contenders, however it was the Poplar style that won me over. The tinted wash gives them an edgy, aged look and the medium-soft fabric magically hugs you in at all of the right places without ever feeling too restricted. Arket describes The Poplar as having a loose fit, however, I’d say they are better described as having a slim upper-leg with a relaxed calf. I wore my usual size which worked well for both the waist and the length, giving the desired straight-leg look. Remember, if you’d prefer them to fit with more room around the legs, go up a couple of sizes and wear them with a belt.

Arket

Shore Low Relaxed Jeans

Arket

Similar to Arket Poplar jeans

COS

Straight Column Jeans

Cos

Totême

High-Rise Straight-Leg Jeans

My Theresa

KHAITE

Danielle High-Rise Straight-Leg Jeans

MyTheresa

Uniqlo wide straight-leg jeans in navy.

I actually already own a pair of these Uniqlo jeans and receive compliments every time I wear them, (which is very often). Unlike some baggy jeans that can be very exaggerated, Uniqlo’s wide, straight-leg denim has a flattering, tailored cut that doesn’t trail on the floor. They are loose throughout the entire leg with a mid to high-rise waistline depending on which size you go for. I opted for a size up which meant that I had a little extra leg room and the waistband sat just above my hips. The best things about these is they still offer some shape around the hips even though they’re loose everywhere else.

Uniqlo

Wide Straight-Leg Jeans

Uniqlo

Pictured above in Navy

Frame

The 1978 Jeans

Free People

Levi’s

Baggy Dad Jeans

Levi's

Agolde

Clara Baggy Low-Rise Flared Organic Jeans

Net-a-Porter

Agolde Criss-Cross boyfriend jeans in wired.

Ignoring my inner monologue telling me that the criss-cross fastening on these wouldn’t work, I pulled my legs into the fabric and before even looking in the mirror, I could tell they were a winner. The cotton is soft and so moves easily with your body, but it is still thick enough to hold its shape. While the irregular fastening might not be everyone’s taste, I felt it added a cool and playful edge to an otherwise classic style. For reference, I’m 5ft 4in so can sometimes struggle with the length of jeans, finding that the cuffs often pool on the floor around my ankles. However, with a low silver kitten heel, these were the perfect length for my height, skimming just above the floor. Top tip: don’t be afraid to size up if, like me, you’re partial to a lower rise.

Agolde

Criss-Cross Boyfriend Jeans

Net-a-Porter

Pictured above

COS

Wide Tide Jeans

Cos

Citizens of Humanity

Loli Mid-Rise Wide-Leg Jeans

Harvey Nichols

Eytys

Benz Jeans

Eytys

Le Crop Mini Boot mid-rise flared jeans in cabana.

This simple, ankle-baring style pairs well with all of your favourite basics, making it a welcome addition to any spring capsule wardrobe. Le Crop Mini Boot (above) has a mid-to-high waistband and a form-fitting silhouette up to the knee, where they have a slight flare that finishes at exactly ankle height. Frame’s jeans tend to be on the softer side, making it hard to fault them on comfort. Plus, I found the softer cottons were much more flattering in this cut as they hug and move with your body. Although I tried these in a size up, there was still plenty of wiggle room, so they should fit true to size.

Frame

Le Crop Mini Boot Mid-Rise Flared Jeans

Selfridges

Pictured above

Paige

Colette Cropped Mid-Rise Flared Jeans

Selfridges

Frame

Le Crop Mini Boot Flared Mid-Rise Jeans

Selfridges

R13

Kick Jeans

Ssense

Citizens Of Humanity Ayla wide-leg mid-rise jeans in voila.

I have owned the same pair of Citizens Of Humanity jeans for six years and can attest to their longevity. The fabric ages beautifully, moulding to your body over the first few wears, but retaining its shape for years to come. The Ayla wide-leg silhouette is softer than some other styles from the brand, but is still thick enough to maintain its structure. I love how these are cut with the perfect amount of extra leg room, allowing legs to breath without entirely drowning your figure. The fit around the hips is on the looser side (which I’m a big fan of) and the turn-up cuffs give it a relaxed, vintage feel. These were the most comfortable and versatile of the lot and I’ll be adding them to my shopping basket imminently. Note: I sized up for a more relaxed look, sitting lower on the hips.

Citizens of Humanity

Ayla Wide-Leg Mid-Rise Jeans

Free People

Pictured Above

Agolde

Fran Cropped Mid-Rise Straight-Leg Jeans

Fenwick

LOEWE

High-Rise Cropped Jeans

MyTheresa

COS

Facade Turn-Up Straight-Leg Jeans

Cos

Rag And Bone Peyton bootcut jeans in Huntley.

Close to giving up on finding a bootcut style with the right proportions, I tentatively approached Rag And Bone’s iteration, the Peyton. Here was a style I could get on board with. Although these are made from 99 per cent cotton, they still have a bit of stretch, which comfortably moulds around the hips and thighs. In my usual size, the mid-rise waist fit like a glove, while the elongated bootcut flare helped to give the illusion of longer legs – this was a surprising bonus from the bootcut jean. The rest of Rag And Bone’s denim offering includes an array of classic cuts, as well as a jewel-emblazoned style and a perfectly on-trend long denim skirt, each as high quality as the next.

RAG & BONE

Peyton Bootcut Huntley Jeans

Selfridges

Pictured above

Marks & Spencer

Eva Bootcut Jeans

Marks & Spencer

Levi’s

Super-Low Bootcut Jeans

Levi’s

Citizens of Humanity

Vidia Mid-Rise Bootcut Jeans

Farfetch

7 For All Mankind Kimmie mid-rise stretch-denim jeans.

A slim-fit jean isn’t something I thought I’d be wearing in 2024, but with the likes of Miu Miu and Balenciaga backing the close-cut silhouette, there is no denying the return of this divisive style. Admittedly, this is the style I struggled the most with, trying on countless iterations in rigid cotton, soft cotton, with a crop and without a crop. But it was this pair from 7 For All Mankind that worked best, even though off the body they looked worryingly like leggings (please, nobody bring back jeggings). With the help of a heeled boot, this soft, jet-black pair made me feel sleek and sculpted. I tried a size up which fit well, but I’d advise going with your usual size as these are likely to stretch with wear.

7 For All Mankind

Kimmie Mid-Rise Stretch-Denim Jeans

Selfridges

Pictured Above

Agolde

Freya High-Rise Slim-Leg Organic Jeans

Net-a-Porter

Arket

Azalea High Slim Stretch Jeans

Arket

Paige

Sarah Slim Jean

Harrods

Ganni Angi two-tone high-rise organic jeans.

Leave it to Ganni to revive my cargo obsession – these Noughties inspired skater jeans were definitely one of my favourites. The two-toned pattern gives them an upcycled feel, while the high waistline and rigid denim cuts a flattering, longline silhouette. I wore my usual size but they were slightly on the tight side, so a size up would also have also worked. An important thing to note is that the ends of these did trail on the floor slightly. One option would be to take them up, however, I loved the look of them rolled up as it gave them more of a skater-inspired edge.

GANNI

Angi Two-Tone High-Rise Organic Jeans

Ssense

Pictured above

Everlane

The Way-High® Gardener Cropped Jean

Everlane

Diesel

1996 D-Sire Straight-Leg Jeans

Farfetch

Acne Studios

Mid-rise Wide-Leg Cargo Jeans

MyTheresa