Barrel, wide leg, straight or flare: which jean is which (and who makes the best one)

Denim names have gotten confusing on purpose. "Bowed straight," "barrel," "relaxed flare," "90s crop" — half of them describe the same idea from different brands. Here's what each fit does, where it should sit, and the jean we'd actually hand you from our wall of about 100 pairs.

The barrel leg

Room through the hip and thigh, a curve at the knee, a taper back in at the ankle — a cocoon shape that reads as fashion rather than basic. It looks best cropped at or just above the ankle bone with a low shoe: a Samba, a loafer, a ballet flat. The purest version is the Pistola Wes (high rise) and its sister the Eli; Joe's Stellie is the same idea with more stretch; ASKK NY's Twisted Barrel is the designer version with a rotated seam; and Free People's Good Luck barrel is the easy, low-commitment one. Pistola's Lexi "bowed straight" is a barrel for people who think they don't want a barrel — subtler curve, mid rise, the pair we sell most.

Fit note: barrels are cut with room where you need it, so stay true to size or go down one if you're between — sizing up turns the shape into a bag. Rise matters more than usual: the high-rise versions (Wes, Eli, Stellie) hold the waist; the mid-rise Lexi sits on the hip.

The wide leg

Straight down from the hip, wide from the thigh to the hem, meant to be worn long — the hem should nearly touch the floor in the shoe you'll wear with it. This is the fit that has quietly replaced the skinny as the everyday jean. Joe's Mia is the one we reorder most (full length, ankle, cuffed and petite versions); Agolde's Ren is the rigid, premium take with a 32-inch inseam; Paige's Anessa comes in a 31-inch inseam for anyone under 5'6"; Citizens of Humanity's Lyra Long is the one in black; and Pistola's Lana is the ultra-wide, double-button version.

Fit note: buy wide legs by inseam first. The product page lists it; 31 inches wears full-length on a 5'4" frame in a flat, 32 on 5'7". Rigid denim (Agolde, Citizens) is cut to fit at the waist and give slightly with wear — don't size up. Stretch versions (Joe's, Paige) run true.

The straight leg

The same width from knee to hem, no taper and no flare — the fit that goes with every shoe you own. Agolde's Harper is the classic mid-rise straight in rigid cotton; Citizens of Humanity's Palma is the same shape in a softer, stretchier denim; Agolde's 90s Crop is the shorter, slightly looser take; Pistola's Aleks is the accessible one at $188; and for a low rise, Citizens' Anissa or 7 For All Mankind's low-rise straight.

Fit note: straight legs are where rise decides everything. High rise (Joe's Raine, Pistola Charlie) sits at the natural waist and tucks; mid rise (Harper, Palma, Aleks) sits an inch below and works untucked; low rise (Anissa, Dana) sits on the hip and is sized by the hip, not the waist. Rigid straights: true to size, they'll loosen a half inch. Stretch straights: true.

The flare and the bootcut

Fitted through the thigh, opening below the knee — the flare opens more, the bootcut just enough to cover a boot. Both are meant to be worn long with a heel. Citizens of Humanity's Kimberly is the true 70s flare; Joe's Molly is the high-rise flare trouser that passes for a dress pant; Joe's Naomi is the 90s bootcut; Pistola's Larsen is a relaxed flare that works with a flat; and the Evie slim boot in coated mocha is the one for a night out.

Fit note: decide the shoe before the jean. A flare hem should sit a half inch off the floor in that shoe; the product page inseam plus your heel height gets you there. Flares run true at the waist across all four brands.

The baggy and the boyfriend

Low-slung, loose through the whole leg, worn with the hem stacked or rolled. Joe's Ryan is a low-slung baggy; Pistola's Harlowe and Hendrix are the high-rise baggies; the Donny is the rolled-hem boyfriend. These are the one fit where you can size down for a slouchier-but-not-sloppy look — the waist is cut loose on purpose.

If you only buy one

A mid-rise straight in a medium wash — the Agolde Harper or the Pistola Aleks — goes with the Samba, the loafer, the boot and the heel. Add a wide leg when you want to look like you tried. The barrel is for the third pair.

All of it is on women's jeans, sorted by brand on Pistola, Joe's Jeans, Agolde, Citizens of Humanity and Paige. Only in-stock sizes show; if yours is missing, Notify me on the product page sends one email when it's back.