11 Different Types of Jeans Every Woman Should Own

Jeans are a basic and essential piece of clothing in every woman’s wardrobe. But, the type of jeans you wear can uplift your entire look based on simple things such as fit, flare, rise and wash. Read on and learn about the different types of denim you must own to ace every look in a professional and casual setting.

11 Types of Jeans You Must Own

I have enough clothes – said no girl ever! From everything I wear daily, denim is undoubtedly the most versatile piece of clothing I own. Whether it is a casual day out, a formal dinner, or even a business lunch, I always reach out for my favourite denim.

But have you ever wondered how different types of jeans can change a look? That’s right – a simple high-rise/low-rise design or the width of the leg can make a world of difference to how you look and feel. This is why it is so important to know about the different types of denim and how you can dress them appropriately!

Read on to discover 11 different types of jeans that must be a part of your wardrobe to ace every look on the fashion spectrum. From baggy jeans to skinny fit and even the quirky muncel jeans, we have all the information on denim must-haves!

1. Slouchy Boyfriend Jeans

For days when the boss babe in you needs to get things done, slip into a pair of boyfriend jeans so comfort is not a hindrance. This ultimate casual yet chic ensemble can be paired with sneakers, block heels, loafers or any footwear!

From Jessica Alba and Rihanna to Deepika Padukone closer home, celebs love stepping out in boyfriend jeans for the sheer comfort and style it offers. This denim can be paired with t-shirts, blazers, blouses, fitted spaghetti tops and even loose sweaters! Throw on a belt or a hat to complete your effortlessly stylish look.

These jeans are between straight-leg and wide-leg, usually slightly folded at the hem for a boxy look. It’s meant to give the impression that you are wearing your boyfriend’s jeans, which is never wrong!

The good thing about boyfriend jeans is that they suit almost all body types. These jeans are forgiving of all shapes, from inverted triangle-shaped bodies to athletic and even mid-heavy bodies!

For great-fitting boyfriend jeans on a budget, I recommend Sassafras. The colour options available with this brand are hardly matched by even the best global fashion brands, giving you a unique choice to decorate your wardrobe. What’s more? Sassafras also offers cotton trousers in a similar fit for times when it is too hot to wear denim! This way, your summer wardrobe is also on point.

2. 90’s Straight Leg Jeans

You must own one pair of jeans that goes with literally everything! Dress it up for a Saturday night, throw it on for business lunch or slip into it for your errands. That pair is the evergreen classic straight-leg jeans!

This denim can be glamorized or dressed down to suit the occasion. An ode to the classic 90’s style of sneakers and denim, straight-leg jeans have made a comeback and how!

These jeans score full points on comfort. They hug you around your waist and fork for a perfect fit and give you an easy fit around your thighs and legs. So, they are a worthy investment for any pear-shaped body!

Straight-leg jeans can be paired with blouses, shirts, camisoles and t-shirts. Heck, they even go excellently with Blazers for a casual business meeting. A classic denim blue colour is a must-have in your wardrobe that you can use for both professional and casual wear. In addition to that, you can play with several colours, including bright pink, turquoise blue or even taupe. The options are endless, as straight-leg jeans are so versatile and sought-after!

If you want to invest in a pair of these classic pants, head to American Eagle for some classic denim fabrics and designs. This American clothing brand gets the vibe of straight-leg jeans on point, offering options in several colours, fades and washes and even prints!

3. High-Rise Flared Jeans

We still have bell-bottom blues, do you? Popularized in the 70s, bell bottoms have never really left the runway since then! This denim has been idolized by generations since then, and with good reason!

High-rise flare jeans were sported by the greatest rock stars of the day. From Diana Ross to Cher Dolly Parton, high-rise flare jeans soon symbolized the hippie culture. Even today, if you aim to ace the bohemian look, there’s no better way to do that than with high-rise flare denim. These jeans are similar to the classic boot cut, except the flair is more exaggerated. So you should avoid them during the monsoons!

High-rise flare jeans are best styled by tucking your top into the jeans to flaunt your waist. For this reason, it is most suited to bodies that are curvy/hourglass. Pair your high-rise flare jeans with shirts, t-shirts, off-shoulder tops, blouses or even a tube top, and you are ready!

With every great pair of jeans, styling them becomes just as important. It is best to go with monotone high-rise flare jeans and let the style grab all the attention. Light blues, washed jeans or dark/navy colours for anyone with heavy hips are all great colour options. Pair these with a small handbag and a narrow belt for the ultimate style statement. Stylewe has a great collection of mini handbags and narrow belts that let your jeans take centre stage.

4. High-Rise Pleated Wide-Leg Jeans

A gift from the 80s to a denim connoisseur, pleated jeans are as close to pyjamas as you can get! As the name suggests, pleated jeans have pleats and a seam running along the waistband. It may even have an attached belt as an accessory. Styling these denims can get a bit tricky, but don’t worry! I have you covered.

Have a separate stack of tops and t-shirts with your wide-leg pleated jeans. Of course, you can pair these with other bottoms too. But not every top can be paired with wide-leg pleated jeans. Do you get the drift?

Hence, you may have to add a collection of new tops to your wardrobe that suits pleated jeans. Head to Myntra and look up pleated jeans. Observe all the tops paired with them, and add a few to your shopping cart! Once you style yourself with these jeans, you will soon understand how to make the most of your pleated denim.

Avoid three glaring mistakes with wide-leg jeans. Firstly, never pair these jeans with a loose top. Always go for a fitted silhouette with your upper wear. Fitted corsets, short t-shirts and short blouses are the way to go. Second, never cover the pleats. Always wear tops that reveal and accentuate the pleats and the waistband. That is, after all, the primary feature of your denim. So you ought to flaunt them! And lastly, don’t downplay your waist. This entire look is aimed at focusing on your waist.

One thing is for sure, these unique jeans are a must-have in your wardrobe for more reasons than one.

5. Mid-Rise Skin-Fit Jeggings

Tired of the rigid and stiff feel of jeans? Skin-fit jeggings are your thing! This super-stretch bottom wear offers the comfort of leggings with the look and feel of denim. Jeggings are a great fitted bottom-wear option for the summer with a soft texture that typical jeans do not offer.

These kinds of jeans are usually made with a blend of denim, cotton, lycra or spandex. They’re extremely popular among all age groups due to their ease of styling and ultimate comfort.

Just one word of caution for anyone wearing jeggings – make sure you do not have any panty lines visible! Visible panty lines or sanitary pad lines are a big turn-off and steal away from the smooth finish that jeggings aim to achieve. I rely on Zivame for seamless panties that don’t reveal themselves no matter how fitted my jeggings are!

Skin-fit jeggings can be styled in several ways. Throw an oversized shirt and kitten heels for a comfortable yet chic look. Pair jeggings with a tunic or a desi hip-length kurta and flat footwear. Jeggings also go well with tank tops, loose t-shirts, oversized sweaters, and trench coats. Just play it by the occasion, the weather and how you feel! Jeggings are a great investment even in your travel wardrobe. They offer the versatility of styling them for day or night.

6. Cargo Jeans

Get that boyish badass vibe on point with a pair of stylish cargo pants. Traditionally made in muted colours like khaki or camouflage, cargo jeans are a must-have type of jeans for women who love loose clothing. These slouchy loose pants are a great casual option for the day out.

This Y2K trend has been around for the longest time. But how you style it makes all the difference! Due to their voluminous design, cargo jeans are best paired with sleek and fitted tops. From corsets to bodysuits and even tank tops, anything that hugs your body is a great option to pair with cargo pants.

Don’t hesitate to get adventurous and have your briefs peep out of low-waist cargo pants. You can also tuck your cargo pants into ankle-length boots or even cowboy boots for a military-inspired look. There are endless ways to style cargo denim. More than anything, your confidence is the biggest accessory in owning this look!

From tops to corsets and boots to sneakers, create fashionable looks with your cargo denim on Ajio. I enjoy shopping on websites or apps for everything from denim pants to accessories, tops, and footwear. It just makes the entire exercise of curating looks so much easier! Ajio also has some leading luxury brands if you want to splurge on cargo jeans that rule the international runways.

7. Boot-Cut Mid-Rise Denims

Among all the different types of jeans for women, there’s a style guaranteed to suit every body type! The beauty of boot-cut jeans is that it flatters all figures! Its forgiving cut and slimming effect make it a jeans style every woman needs in her wardrobe. It also gives the illusion of height. Hence it is an ideal pair of jeans for short women.

Over the last few decades, Boot-cut jeans have stayed in the fashion scene. Skinny jeans can come and go, but you know a classic bootcut will always stay in style!

Moreover, boot jeans are one of the most versatile denim to own. They can be worn in formal and casual settings with sneakers, boots, stilettos – you name it!

Boot-cut jeans embody easy styling. These jeans pair well with all kinds of tops, shoes and looks. If there’s one kind of denim you must carry on a holiday, let it be boot-cut jeans. They can be played up or dressed down to suit the occasion and mood.

I recommend going the extra mile and investing in a top-rated brand for denim as versatile as boot-cut. You will wear these jeans so often, it will be worth every penny spent! Gas Jeans is one of my go-to denim brands with excellent colours and wash options in boot-cut mid-rise jeans. Opt for a classic blue or even a navy blue; I guarantee it will be the pair you wear most often!

8. Muncel Jeans

These unique inside-out jeans are known and identified only by a true die-hard denim fan. Muncel jeans can be worn from both sides, giving your wardrobe the benefit of two pairs of jeans for one. These denims aren’t for the faint-hearted and cannot be worn in any professional setting. But if you’re looking to make a style statement, muncel jeans may be just what you need!

Muncel jeans look reversible, especially on one side. If you intend to wear it either way, it is best to pair it with monotone t-shirts or shirts. This allows your quirky jeans to take centre stage and make a statement.

Muncel jeans aren’t readily available in the Indian market and haven’t caught on domestically. But they’re a big rage globally. So if you are one to identify with the global fashion scene, muncel jeans are certainly one of the best jeans for women in 2023.

9. Distressed Jeans

Flaunt the ultimate style statement with distressed types of denim. For the uninitiated, distressed jeans are manipulated to give a vintage look. Fading, wrinkling, scraping, or taring are ways of processing distressed types of denim.

What started as a punk trend in the 90s has stayed on over the years in the form of distressed jeans. The “worn-in” look is perfectly achieved with loose distressed jeans, t-shirts, blouses, tank tops, sweaters, and more.

With distressed jeans, less is more. Allow your denim to make a statement while keeping the rest of your ensemble low-key and minimalistic. The denim-on-denim look is also best worn with distressed jeans. Nothing rocks a pair of distressed jeans better than chunky sneakers. The classic Adidas sneakers, distressed jeans, and fitted t-shirt are an evergreen statement.

Many women also convert their old straight-fit jeans into distressed jeans by scraping them with sandpaper to give them a worn-out look. Do this rather than invest in a new distressed pair, as the use of distressed jeans is limited. You cannot wear it anywhere except casual day wear. So converting existing denim into distressed jeans is a wise thing to do.

10. High-Waist Skinny Jeans

The skinny jeans rage that started in the 2000s is still going strong. These denims offer a snug fit from waist to ankle, outlining your body shape without compromise.

Contrary to popular belief, skinny jeans can be made comfortably by trying to find the perfect fit. Choose a pair with some stretch so you can be in these jeans all day without feeling the pinch. Head to Nykaa Fashion for a one-stop skinny jeans shop for leading global denim brands that offer different fits, cuts and materials for the ideal fit.

Skinny jeans are extremely easy to style and can match any type of top, including balloon tops, snug blouses, well-fitted shirts, oversized t-shirts and more! Skinny jeans can also be paired with loafers, stilettoes, sneakers, closed-toe heels or any footwear that complements the look you’re going for.

As versatile as boot-cut jeans, skinny jeans have a separate fan base. However, there are some words of caution with skinny jeans. Ensure these jeans end at your ankle or below to avoid bunching or gathering. This negates the slim silhouette of your denim and gives it a desi churidar look. Another faux-pas is rolling up skinny jeans. This accentuates your hips and thighs, defeating the whole point of skinny jeans in the first place!

11. Cigarette Denim

As the name suggests, cigarette denims are tapered, much like a cigarette. They are usually mid-rise to high-rise slim pants, fitting through the legs but not skin-tight like skinny jeans.

Cigarette jeans typically end around the ankle, offering a straight fit from downwards of the knee. Cigarette jeans are on point for a casual look and usually pair well with almost every top wear. They also go well with sneakers, pencil heels, platform heels, slip-ons and ballerinas. Just don’t make the mistake of wearing them with boots – that is a serious fashion faux pas!

These jeans also suit many body types and have a slimming effect. If you want to invest in a casual pair of jeans, cigarette jeans are a safe bet.

I know that you’re already scanning through shopping apps to find that perfect pair of jeans for yourself! Fashion shopping is always a pleasure, but knowing the clothes that suit your body and sense of style is all the more rewarding! Before you order your new pair of denim, here are some questions you should consider.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can style your jeans well only if you understand the detailing and design of different kinds of jeans. Before you get on a shopping spree and load up on all the denim styles available, here are some frequently asked questions that may have crossed your mind.

1. How many types of jeans should I own?

The types of jeans you own depend on your love for denim and how often you wear them. It also depends on your sense of style and how you enjoy wearing jeans. If you have an experimental sense of style, you can own more types of jeans to mix and match your outfits and create more looks. If your style is more classic or conservative, you may not need several types of jeans. On average, women own 4 to 5 pairs of jeans. Some women also own up to 7 pairs of jeans.

2. What type of jeans should girls wear?

Girls can and must wear any type of jeans that they are comfortable in and can carry off easily. It helps to wear jeans that suit your body type so you feel most confident. Boot-cut jeans and high-rise straight jeans are two of the most flattering types of jeans that fit most body types. In addition to these, girls can also wear slouchy boyfriend jeans, jeggings or any other type of denim that suit their sense of style.

3. How often can you wear jeans without washing them?

Denim is a highly forgiving fabric that looks best when “worn in”. This means the more you wear your jeans, the better they look on you. So, it is safe to wear your jeans 2-3 times before you toss them in the washing machine. Jeans that are stained can wear less than 4 before washing. On the other hand, Jeggings must be cleaned after every wear as they can get baggy on the knees, compromising the entire look and fit.

4. Which are the most attractive denim colours to own?

Dark blue or navy blue jeans are one of the most attractive denim colours to own. This timeless, stylish colour complements all body types. It slims down broader bodies and offers a smart fitted silhouette for slimmer bodies. Dark-coloured denim can also be worn for semi-formal or formal occasions. They can be worn from season to season without worrying if one is out of style.

5. How do I choose my jeans style?

Use two rules of thumb in selecting your jeans style. One, your body type. And two, your sense of style. When it comes to body type, rectangular or athletic bodies look best in low-rise straight-fit jeans. Top-heavy body types are flaunted well in high-rise straight-leg jeans.

Pear-shaped bodies are complimented well in wide-leg, high-rise pleated jeans. It is important to consider your sense of style while choosing the best jeans for you. If you feel most confident in a certain type of jeans, those are the perfect pair of denim for you.