Jean Trends for Fall 2019
If you’ve read me for long, you know I love jeans. Dark, light, colored, wide, skinny, faded, you name it…I’m a fan. No matter their shape or color, jeans have a casual vibe that fit my lifestyle so I wear them a lot.
Jean trends evolve slowly but steadily and it’s a good idea to be aware of what’s out there so you can stay on top of new looks. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a trend fanatic, and the classics will always be fashionable but a small touch of trend does help keep you looking modern and current. 
So let’s talk about jean trends and what’s in for fall 2019.
Low Rise
You read that right. They say low-rise jeans are inching their way back. It’ll be a while before they’re mainstream again, so I’m skipping them today…and hopefully for the rest of my life.
Highrise
Hallelujah. Highrise jeans are everywhere this season and a welcome shape. They help to prevent muffin top, make your legs look longer and are very comfy. They’re terrific with cropped jackets and sweaters or anything tucked in. They look awesome belted and are available in all leg widths.
Split Hems
These have a slit, cut or opening at the bottom of the leg. I’m seeing most of these on the side of wider legged jeans, but you’ll find them on all widths.
Released and Frayed Hems
These seem to be a love em or hate em category, much like destroyed jeans. This look will continue into fall. As with all trends, only wear them if you love it. There’s no point in feeling like a fashion victim just to try new trends.
Cropped
Cropped jeans, both wide and narrow legged are continuing into fall. They aren’t just for tall women but may require some finesse to get the proportion right. They’re a modern look and one to consider. They look great paired with mules and taller ankle boots.
Bootcut
They started surfacing several seasons ago and flatter virtually every silhouette. The subtle bell-shaped leg helps to balance wide hips, shoulders or tummy and elongates the look of your legs. If you’re one of the lucky ones who can wear a heel, they help you look even taller when hemmed to cover your shoe or boot. More on looking taller here.
Wide Flare
These are just like they sound and share some of the same benefits as the bootcut. They’re usually fitted through the hips and widen steadily to the hem. If they’re hemmed to cover a heel, they help you look taller and will add balance to a wide shoulder. They’re less flattering with wider hips and tummy, but still a great look.
Skinny
They are fitted through the hips and snug all the way to the ankle. They tuck into a knee-high boot easily but often bind around the calf. They are often in very stretchy denim which makes them thinner than other denim.
Cigarette
My favorite jean and pant shape of all time. It’s fitted through the hips, narrow through the thighs and straight from the knee down. The cigarette jean floats over your calf and ankle, unlike the skinny. It has a slimmer silhouette than straight jeans but is more forgiving than the skinny.
What shape jean is your favorite?
What shape are you curious to try?
Thanks for reading and have a great day.
I actually have a question. I’m an older woman (62), but I like to stay on trend like you. however, I’m only 5’00”, and a little hippy. What do you suggest for a great jean? I love highwaisted for the comfort.
I highly recommend the bootcut. NYDJ makes a high rise bootcut in petite which would be a great proportion for you. Let me know what you think
Yes! Thank you for all the labels, Jennifer. Jeans are my daily pant for most of the year — boot cut or straight because my weight is in my legs. I try to find men’s jeans so they’re available for multiple seasons (theoretically, at least). Mostly dark washes. I’d wear colors if I could find them. Waist high or just a bit below. Love seeing that other women rely on them, too.
I was just sharing this post with some work friends over lunch. We agreed that cigarette is the gateway from skinny to wider leg styles. We all remembered skinny coming in and few of us wore them at first and now we are sad that they are going. We get use to a silhouette. I love jeans all styles and all colours. I think the biggest thing is to have them hemmed to the right length for you and what you plan to wear them with. So happy to see the rise increasing but I am seeing the super high and that doesn’t work for me! I want to be balanced appropriately! Thanks for all your work on this.
It is a great way to describe the cigarette pant. Thanks for sharing my blog with others.
No low-rise for me. I love the diversity of jeans, with that one exception. Dare I imagine that with the low rise, thong underwear will be on display, like last time around? No. Just no.
If I never see mid rise again it will be too soon. They were advertised as universally flattering and they sure weren’t, I am loving high rise skinny or straight leg. Fdj is my jean of choice for black jeans that I wear out. I had 3 pair of Gloria vanderbilts purchased at Costco tailored to take in the legs (the stretch bagged out too much) and they were great.
I love my jeans and have them in several styles and dozens of colors, including dark, medium and light washes. I have skinnies, boot cut and straight leg. I think my next jean purchase will be a true trouser cut jean in a lighter weight denim but in a dark wash. It’s hard to think jeans when the weather is still hitting triple digits at least one or two days a week. Give me two weeks straight of below 90* and I am buying more jeans.
What do you think of “barrel jeans”? I haven’t tried any on so am not sure…
I prefer straight, bootcut, skinny- but not too skinny 🙂
Suz from Vancouver
I was shopping with my daughter and 15 year-old granddaughter last Saturday at Urban Outfitters. I was surprised to learn that “mom jeans” are a thing now. It was a very educational day for me! For myself, I prefer a high-waist skinny, or straight-leg jean.
I prefer skinny & cigarette cuts too. I do have a pair of straight and boot cut. I can’t wear flair or wide because I’m so short they make me look dumpy. I used to wear them when I wore tall heels, but that doesn’t happen anymore. Cropped jeans are OK if they’re straight. As a matter of fact, I cut off an old pair of straight leg jeans that were a weird length (think 10 + years) & turned them into a frayed look crop. I wear them a lot. Thanks for the update.
Thanks for this really helpful review and naming all the styles! You always increase my fashion vocabulary.
Lovely outfits on you, as always.
I wear straight leg, high rise and basic colors most of the time but I would love to own a pair of dark navy striped like my railroad cap but I can’t find them. I still own a pair of what we called bell bottoms when I was in the navy ions ago. I guess boot cut is what they call them now. They are great for boots or rain boots in winter.
Another thing I wish I could find is a shirt exactly like the portifino but not see through.
Jeans are really a staple for me. I love skinny or straight leg, sometimes a small flare. I mostly wear dark wash or black for fall. So glad high-rise is back! The split pair looked interesting.
Hi … first time commenting, although a long time reader. Yours is one of the consistently good blogs Jennifer!
I feel the need to comment as I often read people saying that cropped wide jeans either don’t work at all or just for tall people. Feeling that shorter people look dumpy and consequently not attractive! Lol
I’m just under 5 foot 4 … 60, and not as slim as I used to be , thanks to a menopausal “thicker” waist. However, as much as I love straight and skinny jeans, I have petite fit wide crops from Boden and Jigsaw that feel really stylish. On trend, but not inappropriately so for my age. They just need to be styled with the correct shaped top. I find that looser, boxy or longer shapes work for me. Look at COS online … So please, all of you, not so tall, feeling slightly overweight ladies, don’t dismiss them … you may be surprised ?.
I totally agree Rosie! I have cropped black pants for the fall and love them. I can’t wait to style them.
Trouser jeans! Denim, but the style feels a bit more polished to me. Love them with loafers in a variety of colors and patterns. Plus they balance out my broad shoulders…
As to the return of the high-rise, I’m with you Jennifer. With regards to my current favourite ; I do like skinny or slim cut jeans as find them the most versatile for my footwear. (I can wear them with flats, heels and any type of boot.) As to their length; the longest inseam I can get is best for my body type as ankle length ones are often too short and resemble a hybrid capri on me. (Too much above the ankle but not short enough to be a capri.)
-Brenda-
Please tell us who made the split jeans- they are adorable! Also the belt you are wearing with those jeans and jacket- Those items worked well together! You usually identify products perfectly…
This outfit was from a few years ago. The jeans are by Frame, and the belt is a boutique purchase from 20+ years ago. Very similar here. Budget option is here.
Jeans are my fav! They’re too hot for the summer where I live, but wear them almost daily when the temperature will allow. My favorites are straight jeans. They seem to be the most classic style, but also like boot cut, cropped, and high rise. My preference is to have jeans in different colors. Currently have blue, grey, white, pink, green, and burgundy.
I love it when so many leg types are in style. My favorites are skinny jeans!
I like cropped, boot cut, straight and boyfriend jeans. I’ve tried on skinny jeans and will leave those for young people. Distressed/ripped jeans are not for me either. I have a jean jacket with frayed cuffs and waist hem which I wear almost daily. There are so many options with jeans. Cigarette jeans?
Bootcut jeans with flat shoes—the only thing I can wear. Skinnies, cigarette, slim, and straight are too tight on my thighs, knees, and calves and as a pear they make me look heavier. Bootcuts balance my look. I know the rule is heels with bootcut, but heels hurt my knees so I do what works, not what fashion dictates.
High-rise, slim fit ( think that is the same as cigarette), but not skinny are my favorite style of jeans. In the winter months I prefer a straight leg jean so that I can easily get my boots under them since I wear warm socks with my boots. A boot cut jean can have too much fabric for me and I feel over whelmed. I have seen some mini-boot cuts that might be a possibility for me so I intend to give them a try next time I’m out shopping. I have been tempted to try the wide crops that are popular now however I will have to tuck a top in or I will look frumpy since I am 5’1″.
I love my older Levis 505 jeans – sit at the top of my hip bone, fitted at the hip and have a narrow straight leg. I find them comfortable and flattering on my longer legs. They are a good old-fashioned all cotton denim, so they are fading and softening over time. Look amazing with boots (not tucked in tho). Just very classic and comfortable – but harder to find. I also like a Levis skinny style (714?) for tucking into boots – they are a comfortable mid rise and have a decent amount of stretch so they don’t bind at the knee and calf too much.
I have yet to see anyone styling the cropped wide jeans look anything but frumpy and dumpy, so I will sit that trend out for sure. I love skinny jeans and will look for the cigarette jeans this season. I have a long rise, so am so happy to see higher rise jeans back in the stores.
I love black jeans, but have yet to find a pair that don’t have that strange fishy smell from the dye. Suggestions?
My Talbots Never Fade Black doesn’t have that smell, at least I haven’t noticed it.
I want the slit jeans! Who had those. Also love animal print belt!!
Florence Split-Hem Cropped Jeans @Macys
I love jeans too but I just can’t wear them as most styles put too much pressure on my knees. ?
I’m with Paulette. These are the most flattering for me too. Love my jeans!
I prefer the Cigarette or skinny and MUST try them on to check for a flattering fit. Sizes do vary by brand so for me at least, this is a must. As far as coloring, I like a deeper blue or indigo wash, no light wash. I love a good black jean.
I will revisit slight flare, as the fall proceeds as they generally look nice with a short boot. But other than this Ill stay with the Cigarette or skinny.
You look great in all of these today, Jennifer!