Fit 101: J Brand Jeans

Q- First off, I absolutely love your site! I’ve been following your site for a few years now and I know that you are a huge fan of J Brand jeans. I’ve never worn them before, but I am interested in getting a pair. I was wondering if you could help me determine which fit would work best for my body type?

I am 5’6″ and weigh about 140 lbs. My length is mostly in my torso so my legs are not as long. I am interested in getting either the skinny, pencil, cigarette, or straight leg fit. Could you please explain the differences in these fits? Which style do you recommend for my body type? Your advice is much appreciated!!!

A- Thank you for being a longtime reader! I really appreciate the support. So, the breakdown on the different cuts basically boils down to an inch (or two). The skinny jean has the smallest opening at the bottom with 11 inches. The pencil jeans have a 12 inch opening. The cigarette jean has a 14 inch opening. And finally the straight leg has a 16 inch opening.

All of these jeans are cut on the slim side, so you are going to get the “skinny” effect with any of those cuts (to a degree).  I like to determine which cut fits with which body type based on the size of a gals hips. The smaller your hips, the smaller the leg opening at the bottom because when it comes to jeans its all about balance. If you have huge hips, you probably (but maybe not) want to minimize the emphasis on them. More fabric on the bottom will help minimize whats on top.

Based on the information you sent me, I have no idea what your hips are like. I would suggest trying all of the cuts on to see which one best suits you. Me, I have a big ass but slim hips — so all of my J Brands are the skinny cut. Whatever cut you choose, I am sure you are going to love them. I got my J Brands 4+ years ago and they really do look brand new. Great quality jeans … you just can’t beat em.