The finest denims on your physique form revealed by Britain’s prime style editors within the definitive denim listing: What fashion to purchase, the place to get them and learn how to put on the 15 kinds each girl must know

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Gone are the simple days when your jeans were either skinny or straight. The numerous denim styles available now come with outlandish names, as ballooning silhouettes, tapered legs and ultra-baggy cuts have been categorised and each designated an industry-approved moniker. If it leaves you feeling a little confused, read on for the Mail’s no-nonsense guide to the new denim, the cuts to know – and the all-important shoe shapes to wear with them.

CIGARETTE

The polished alternative to skinny jeans, the 90s-cut cigarette leg has a lovely lifting effect on the buns. It’s slim, cut straight around the hips and thighs, relaxed from the knee down but doesn’t taper at the calf.

Body shape: This cut is universally flattering.

Shoe style: Work with the cut’s elongating effect and opt for almond or pointed-toe loafers, ballet pumps and boots, or try sleek trainers.

CARROT

With the same slender taper as, yes, the orange vegetable, carrot jeans feature high waists, a roomy fit around the hips and thighs, a subtle slimming effect on the leg and a cropped ankle. Styling note: not for the allotment.

Body shape: Pear and rectangle.

Shoe style: Ankle-flashing flats, including streamlined loafers, pointed ballet flats and slim-fitting sock boots.

BOYFRIEND

Relaxed, slouchy and comfy, these jeans mimic the pair you’d borrow from a beau. They feature a mid-to-low-rise waist, a loose cut through the hips and thighs, and often a rolled ankle to accentuate the laid-back look.

Body shape: Rectangle, apple and inverted triangle.

Shoe style: Lean into the slightly oversized unisex vibe and opt for classic loafers or suede and colourful (not white) trainers.

DAD

It’s a family affair in this particular denim department. A looser fit, without any tapering, this easygoing style is characterised by a relaxed, baggy, straight-leg fit and a comfortable mid-to-high-rise waistline.

Body shape: This style suits all body types.

Shoe style: Enhance the retro feel of this style and pair yours with vintage-look trainers or slouchy, 1980s-inspired boots.

WIDE CROPPED

Perfect for springtime ankle flashing, this high-waisted, wide-leg cut accentuates your middle while supplying wiggle room across the hips. It’s ideal for adding volume to your lower half and pairs best with French-tucked blouses or fitted tops.

Body shape: Tall, hourglass and rectangle.

Shoe style: Sleek (rather than chunky) ankle boots, almond or pointed-toe ballet flats and mules.

BARREL

Aka horseshoe or balloon-leg (keep up!), this silhouette debuted in Pieter Mulier’s A/W 23 Alaïa collection. Then Sienna Miller launched a £49.50 version with M&S that sold out in minutes. Once thought a Marmite style, it is now a high-street staple.

Body shape: Taller, rectangle and inverted triangle.

Shoe style: Balance the cut with a narrow toe. Add height with pointed-toe ankle boots or dainty slingbacks.

BOOTCUT

No longer the preserve of rugged Montana cowboys, these are seen on the legs of models for the fit rather than function. Fitted through the hips and thighs, the cut flares slightly from the knee to the ankle and is designed to go over calf-skimming boots.

Body shape: Pear, tall and hourglass.

Shoe style: The clue is in the name, but choose a low or Cuban heel – flat boots will look frumpy here.

ULTRA BAGGY

Oversized and billowing, this silhouette is so relaxed it resembles a pair of trousers. And that’s the beauty. With the right shoes and a sharp shirt, it looks sophisticated, but feels oh-so comfortable.

Body shape: Rectangle and pear.

Shoe style: No trainers, please. Balance the extra fabric with sharp styles. The fashion pack favours black kitten-heel, pointed-toe boots.

CAPRI

This knee-skimming, tapered design was invented by the German designer Sonja de Lennart in the late 1940s and named after the Italian island where her family holidayed. Lennart intended them to be a breezier alternative to the wide-legged trousers of the time. Just moisturise those shins!

Body shape: Petite, slim and hourglass.

Shoe style: Stick to dainty strappy sandals or low block or kitten heels.

STOVEPIPE

Leg-lengthening stovepipe jeans are the denim du jour. Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber and Alexa Chung are all fans of this smart cut that verges on tailored. High-waisted, they create a straight line from hip to ankle, are looser than a skinny, but slimmer than a straight leg.

Body shape: Straight, apple and hourglass.

Shoe style: Make like the models in black high-vamp ballet flats or heeled pumps.

MOM

The term ‘Mom’ jeans was coined by Tina Fey in 2003 on a Saturday Night Live sketch, referencing the stretch high-waisted style popular with 80s American ladies – some with a 23cm zip fly cinching over a belly bulge. In 2013, Topshop debuted a high-waist, non-stretch iteration it still stocks today.

Body shape: No one needs such a long zip!

Shoe style: Sleek flat mules or kitten heels. Avoid wearing with trainers full stop.

DRAINPIPE

Popularised by mods in the 1960s, drainpipes, unlike stovepipes, have an ultra-slim, narrow fit from hip to ankle. Tight and unforgiving on curves, these are best left to the Gen Zs who have now discovered them, pairing theirs with riding boots and romantic blouses on TikTok.

Body shape: Straight or petite.

Shoe style: Opt for mules, pointed-toe flats and chunky loafers.

BRANCUSI

Invented by Amy Smilovic’s New York-based label Tibi in 2020, the Brancusi is a low-waisted take on the barrel. It sits on the hips and balloons out to a full, rounded leg that tapers sharply at the hem.

Body shape: Tall, rectangle and inverted triangle.

Shoe style: Again, it’s all about balancing the billowing, bulbous shape by choosing narrow, point-toe flats, heels and boots.

GIRLFRIEND

Slightly more tailored and feminine than the Boyfriend, these jeans are mid to high rise, slimline and feature a subtly tapered leg that grazes the ankle bone. Typically, this style is made with stiffer denim, meaning it has less slouch and stretch than some styles.

Body shape: Apple, petite and straight.

Shoe style: Heeled ankle boots and pointed-toe ballerina flats.

PARACHUTE

A modern denim hybrid of nylon parachute pants and cargo trousers, with a great utilitarian feel. The cut has a baggy, wide-leg silhouette, an elasticated or drawstring waistband and big pockets. Some have toggles at the ankles to make a balloon leg.

Body shape: Adds volume to slimmer frames and balances broader shoulders.

Shoe style: Pick feminine footwear to offset the look: slingbacks, ballerinas and almond-toe loafers.

Hair: Philippe Tholimet using Oribe. 

Make-up: Jesse Walker using Kosas. 

Model: Allana at Wilhelmina