Since their 19th-century origins, jeans have become the world’s most popular style of pants. Characterized by a denim construction, they are soft, comfortable, durable and attractive. Whether you’re getting dressed for work or simply to run errands around town, you can’t go wrong with jeans. When choosing a pair of jeans to wear, though, you should pay attention to the cut.
As you may know, straight leg and skinny are two of the most popular cuts in which jeans are made. They’ve been around for nearly as long as jeans themselves, and during that time, they’ve only become more popular. Unbeknownst to many people, however, straight-leg and skinny aren’t the same. They are two unique cuts that feature their own respective characteristics. To better understand the differences between straight-leg and skinny jeans, keep reading.
What Are Straight-Leg Jeans?
Straight-leg jeans are jeans featuring narrow, non-tapering legs. They are called “straight leg” because the legs are literally straight. Some jeans become wider towards the bottom of the legs, whereas others become narrower. Only straight-leg jeans, however, have a straight fit in which the pant legs retain their width from the top to the bottom.
When wearing straight-leg jeans, you’ll notice that they hug your legs. This is a defining characteristic of straight-leg jeans. As previously mentioned, they run straight through the legs, meaning they don’t become wider nor do they become narrower towards the bottom.
What Are Skinny Jeans?
Skinny jeans, on the other hand, are characterized by a tapering fit in the legs that become narrower towards the bottom. Like straight-leg jeans, skinny jeans also have a form-fitting construction that hugs your body when worn. The difference is that skinny jeans become narrower towards the bottom of the legs.
At the top of the legs, skinny jeans have a little extra “slack.” Towards the bottom, however, they become narrower and, thus, offer a tighter fit. The leg opening of skinny jeans is often just 9 to 20 inches at the bottom, making them significantly narrower than the leg opening of other denim cuts.
Skinny jeans have origins dating back to the 1960s, during which they were worn by famous rock stars, including Bob Dylan as well as members of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. In the 1970s and throughout the 1980s, skinny jeans become more and more popular. It wasn’t long until they became a mainstream fashion trend. Today, you can find skinny jeans available for sale at countless online and local apparel stores. Skinny jeans consistently rank as one of the most popular styles of jeans.
Benefits of Straight-Leg Jeans
Many men prefer wearing straight-leg jeans over skinny because of the additional space offered in the legs. The form-fitting construction of skinny jeans can make it difficult to bend and move your legs. If you’re planning to engage in physical activity, you may want to choose straight-leg jeans for this reason alone. With straight-leg jeans, you’ll be able to bend and move your legs more freely without fear of the narrowing pant legs causing you pain or discomfort.
You can also find straight-leg jeans available in countless colors. You aren’t limited to traditional colors like indigo or light blue. While many people prefer light indigo or light blue straight-leg jeans, you can find this style of jeans in dozens of other colors, some of which include black, white, red, green and shades thereof.
Straight-leg jeans also have a naturally more formal appearance than other styles. Baggy jeans, not surprisingly, offer a casual appearance. As a result, they aren’t recommended for formal or semi-formal occasions. If you’re getting dressed for a formal or semi-formal occasion and want to wear jeans, you’ll need to choose a non-baggy cut, such as straight leg.
Benefits of Skinny Jeans
Of course, there are still reasons to consider skinny jeans. While men typically prefer straight-leg jeans, women often prefer wearing skinny jeans. With their tapered legs that become narrower towards the bottom, skinny jeans create the appearance of a slimmer, taller figure. They won’t necessarily make you taller or thinner. Rather, skinny jeans will create the illusion of a slimmer and taller figure.
You can also find skinny jeans made of stretch denim. Available for sale here at MakeYourOwnJeans, the Skinny Strech Denim Jeans feature a high-quality construction consisting of stretch denim. While most other jeans are made entirely of denim, the Skinny Stretch Denim Jeans are made of stretch denim. What is stretch denim exactly? It’s essentially a combination of regular denim as well as an elastic material like spandex or polyester. The addition of an elastic material makes the jeans more elastic, so they are able to bend and stretch without tearing or otherwise sustaining permanent damage.
Like straight-leg jeans, skinny jeans are available in dozens of colors. Whether you prefer a traditional color like indigo or a more modern color like red or yellow, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a pair of skinny jeans featuring it. Just remember to choose a versatile color that you can easily incorporate into your daily outfits.
In Conclusion
Both straight-leg and skinny jeans offer a stylish alternative to traditional cuts of denim jeans. The primary difference is that the former remains straight through the legs, whereas the latter style become narrower towards the bottom of the legs. Aside from the subtle nuances, straight-leg and skinny jeans are pretty much the same.
Regardless of which style you prefer, remember to choose jeans in the right size for your body. You can’t always rely on generic waist and length measurements. Different manufacturers use different metrics to size their jeans. Therefore, it’s recommended that you order a pair of custom-fitted jeans to ensure you get the right size. Whether they are straight leg, skinny or any other cut, you can rest assured knowing that custom-fitted jeans will fit your body perfectly, resulting in a superior level of aesthetics and comfort.
