The 2024 Men’s Denim Directory

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My mother likes to remind me that men are blessed with many things in life, including “great legs.” But while it’s good to show off what you’ve got, few men I know today would be excited about skinny jeans. “Skinny has had its moment, but that moment isn’t now,” says designer and self-proclaimed “denim expert” Benjamin Talley Smith. Instead, like others, he relies on straight and even wider cut models.

Straight leg

Re/Done, the vintage reconstruction specialist, offers a desirable straight cut with its 1401 styles, available in a range of distressed blue shades (£350). For a darker, dressier wash, Community Clothing’s Loose Arran jeans (£99.50) are made from locally recycled cotton and feature a chain stitch hem. Cult denim brand Agolde has recently expanded into menswear. The ’90s Jeans (from £280) are one of the top mid-rise jeans and come in 11 washes.

Raw denim

Shawn Joswick tuxedo jeans, $450

For a more upscale pair of work jeans, wear something stiff. Brooklyn-based denim designer Shawn Joswick has worked exclusively with Japanese raw materials since 2000. “NOT STRETCH DENIM. Wooffffffff,” he wrote via email. “I like jeans that are cut on the selvage (the finished edge of the fabric). Current favorites include the Tuxedo Jeans ($450), with a twisted seam and subtle scalloped leg, and the J001 Full Cut Straight Jean ($400). Dollar) with leather patch branding. “Think of Sidney Poitier The defiant ones“, he says. APC’s raw food selection is another classic. Try the Aaron (£210) for a wide leg or the Standard (£215) for straight and classic lines. APC’s Butler program allows you to return your used jeans and exchange them for a new pair in raw indigo at half price.

Bootcut

Brad Pitt has been wearing bootcuts since his appearance as stunt double Cliff Booth in Quentin Tarantino’s “2019.” Once upon a time… in Hollywood (He wore vintage Levis). Find your ’70s vibe elsewhere with Jeanerica’s ‘Odeon’ mid-rise trousers (£190). London-based stylist and bootcut connoisseur Eddie Wailes also swears by Acne’s “true to measure” studio cuts.

Baggy

Axel Arigato’s Zine Relaxed Fit Jeans (£185) are the perfect ‘baggy’ transition as they don’t stretch for a semi-structured fit. London-based YMC has also made a loose-fitting version in organic cotton (£195, farfetch.com); The brand’s new creative director, Sage Toda-Nation, is particularly interested in a “wider, slightly curved leg.”

Baggier

Acne Studios loose fit jeans, £370

For those who like extra baggy jeans, there’s Acne Studios’ loose and baggy fit jeans (from £300), which include a variety of prints and color combinations from indigo to pink. “All the young people are going so far as to wear JNCO (from £104) again,” says Talley Smith. “Super baggy jeans that cover your shoe and have huge pockets.”

Slim fit

J Crew 484 slim fit jeans, from £143

Still longing for a “thin” solution? Then try J Crew’s slim-fit option (from £132) for a good compromise. Or try the classic (£165) for a slightly higher rise and fuller leg.

Something else

In Japan’s Okayama Prefecture, capital thrives on embellishments, from expressive patchwork to silver studs. These bejeweled jeans from Monkey Cisco (£695, mrporter.com) are perfect party wear. For a more artisanal approach, Wales Bonner’s AW24 offering includes an indigo pleated front and back style with a crocheted side stripe, best worn over boots (£695); Meanwhile, Junya Watanabe has collaborated with Levi’s on a pair of straight-leg jeans that feature a dark wash, khaki patch pockets and belt loop details (£508, mytheresa.com).

White jeans for winter?

Rag & Bone Fit 4 straight fit jeans, £195

Vintage collector Alessandro Squarzi is a big proponent of winter whites, as is actor Jeff Goldblum. Rag & Bone makes an elegantly tailored straight-fit pair in stretchy ecru (£195). Also check out Levi’s 568 Stay Loose (£100) for a more relaxed fit.