When it comes to the straight-leg denim life, I’ll be the first to admit it took me a minute to get on board. The relationship I have with my skinny jeans is a long-term situation. We are VERY committed. Nevertheless, it felt time to venture out beyond my basic Millenial wardrobe and discover for myself how to style straight-leg jeans when you have curves.
And of course, I’m here to share the love with you. Today is all about my favorite pair of denim, the brand I can’t stop wearing, why you definitely want straight-leg jeans vs mom jeans and so much more. Let’s dig into it friends. We’ve got some outfits to style!
How To Style Straight Leg Jeans
The Difference Between Straight Leg And Skinny Jeans
If you’re used to styling skinny jeans on yourself, it can feel/look like you’ve gained weight when you put a pair of straight-leg denim on. Obviously, we internally know different but our eyes see the shapes in a way that doesn’t always make us want to reach for a pant that gives the illusion of us being wider. So my first tip for making the occasional denim swap is to really play up your shape in the little ways.
While you can see that I’ve styled the straight leg denim with flats, I truthfully prefer a heel as it brings the look to a point. So rather than seeing everything so compact, there’s the illusion of length happening even with a wider pant leg. Skinny jeans let you naturally play up your slimness by simply pulling in the eye. This means you have to do a little more tweaking to get the same effect with straight-leg jeans.
Mom Jeans Vs Straight Leg Denim
In my efforts to originally step out of my skinny jeans bubble, I went for the mom jeans. I would also recommend them but find the style has a more balloon look than straight leg denim. When I finally made the jump, I realized that my straight-leg jeans were the more natural step between the skinny and mom style. A happy medium if you will.
But let’s talk looks. The magic of how to style straight-leg jeans is all in the details. And a few accessories.
With A Body Suit
I LIVE for a bodysuit. They are a staple in my wardrobe for many reasons. Firstly, it’s easy to dress it up or down. And it gives a lot of flexibility to a look. A bodysuit is perfect for when you’re figuring out how to style your straight-leg denim because it’s naturally going to enhance your curves.
With A Blazer
Given my love of bodysuits as well as my love of staple pieces in my wardrobe, a blazer is one of my favorite ways to add some fun to a look while also honoring my tendency towards carving out my hourglass figure. With a more boxy blazer (think shoulder pads & pointed shoulders), I prefer to style it over the shoulder as to not lose the illusion of my waist with the bodysuit/straight-leg jeans combo. But if you’ve got a more unstructured blazer (full styling tutorial can be found here), then you can easily wear it and still keep the curvy flow.
With A Cropped Sweater
As a petite woman, I find that I naturally gravitate towards high-waisted pants along with cropped sweaters to really play up my curves. However, finding the perfect cropped sweater for every look can be challenging, so a quick tuck under the bra makes most sweaters work for this look.
This trick also works for anything oversized that would look too bulky if you tucked it in. With a sweater, I tend to prefer a simple heel or mule. But a chic heeled sandal would also work for tops on the slimmer side.
With A Slim Cardigan
Truthfully, it’s been a minute since I’ve had any desire to rock a cardigan. But after missing out on the cardigan trend a few years back and with an abundance of new, gorgeous styles, I had to wear this fitted cardigan with my straight-leg jeans. The perks of a slimmer cardigan means that you aren’t left with too much fabric pooling in the center. It tucks more easily. Plus it’s an easy way to elevate a simple look.
With A Tucked Or Cropped Top
These days my wardrobe heavily features cropped shirts and tops that can easily tuck. I’m constantly manipulating clothing to make a look work so when it comes to figuring out how to style straight-leg jeans, I love sticking with the basics. And a razorback tank or crop is the perfect option for really carving out your natural curves.
The Best Straight Leg Jeans
I spent ages testing jeans before landing on what is now my go-to for all denim. And if you’re a WSS regular, it will come as no surprise that I’m obsessed with the Abercrombie Curve Love Straight Leg Denim. I’ve tried a few washes and find that I tend to prefer the lighter wash as well as the ripped denim over the distressed black. As well as, I find the regular option fits better than the short option with these. While a shorter cut works well with skinny jeans, I find that when the leg is a bit wider it just makes your pants look too short. Ps. You can find my full Abercrombie Cure Love review here. Updates will be added as more styles are launched.
Have you tried straight-leg jeans yet? I’d love to know what your favorite look is. Let me know in the comments below. If you want more outfit inspiration, make sure you sign up for my weekly newsletter where I share all the looks I’ve styled throughout the week. And if social media if your thing, you can find me on every platform: Tiktok, Instagram & Youtube. Until next time. Xoxo, Savvy
