Ah, jeans! Versatile and comfortable, jeans are one of our favorite pants to wear and write about.
We have written quite a bit about jeans and compared different styles to each other, too.
Seriously, what’s not to like about jeans?
No matter the look you are going for, from the most casual, cutesy and cozy one, to the sultry, sexy and rebellious looks, you cannot go wrong with jeans.
No matter the top, the style or the shoes you are dying to wear to girls’ night out, jeans are the easiest to match and combine into different outfits.
Lucky for you, we have compiled many selections of different types of jeans for a variety of body types, sizes and preferences.
Today we will be discussing jeans again, by comparing two styles that we absolutely adore, the cozy mom jean vs. the straight leg jean.
Let’s get right into it!
Table of Contents:
1. Mom Jeans
1.1 A Quick Introduction
One of the most unfairly judged jean style, mom jeans have been around for decades now.
In fact, they became popular in the ’70s, when stay-at-home-moms started to wear them when running errands and around the house. As you can tell, it’s precisely because of moms and housewives of the time that the name “mom jeans” was attributed to this style.
Designed to be comfortable and easy to move around in, mom jeans are quite simple in their look and modest, not focusing on emphasizing the hips or thighs, but rather focusing on being practical.
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It was nearly a decade later that younger women started favoring mom jeans and nowadays you will spot them out and about rocking this style.
1.2 What Are Mom Jeans?
Mom jeans got their name because they were worn mainly by moms who needed something comfortable to go about their day.
As for the question of what mom jeans actually are regarding their style, they are high-waist jeans that are cut to fit wide at the hips and crotch area, with straight legs.
Because of this, they fit loosely overall, especially so on the back, which makes it look flatter and does not really enhance the curves, which goes with the modest look these jeans were intended for, as we mentioned above.
Typically, to provide a better and more comfortable fit, mom jeans come with an elasticized waist that makes them easier to wear.
Because of all these features, mom jeans are one of the most versatile type of jeans when it comes to body shapes that they go well with. They go well with curvy women due to their looser cut and high waist, whereas petite women they work well at making the legs appear longer.
Read also: Can You Wear Mom Jeans If You Have Big Thighs?
Their best feature is the comfort, which we have mentioned way too many times by now. Really, though, these jeans are so comfortable and easy to wear that you will not want to take them off.
And while at some point in time they were considered to be unflattering due to their simple and loose fit, in the modern days we have so many designs available that it’s impossible not to find a style that suits you best.
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2. Straight Leg Jeans
2.1 A Quick Introduction
Straight leg jeans, the most popular and the original design of jeans, can be easily spotted out on the street worn by men and women alike.
They were originally created for workers, to provide comfort and practicality for those working in factories and difficult conditions. Their style was inspired by the overalls of the time, which had straight leg pants.
As a fashion trend, it was around the 2000s when these jeans became popular to wear to the office, for casual outings and just as the go-to pants.
While fads and trends have changed of the years, the straight leg jean has remained a constant fashionable clothing piece that has yet to go out of style.
You might also like: Mom Jeans vs Girlfriend Jeans: What’s the Difference? How to Choose?
2.2 What Are Straight Leg Jeans?
As with most types of jeans, the hint is in the name. The straight leg jean is just that, jeans cut with the legs straight, meaning that from the hips and all the way down to the ankles they remain the same in width.
The other styles of jeans we see today have mainly originated from the straight leg jeans, with the most popular ones being the flared or bootcut jeans, which start straight and flare at the bottom.
Nowadays they come in many different styles, which vary in length and waist height, making them suitable for a variety of sizes and body types. Cropped options are also available, as well as distressed or ripped styles.
You might also like: Bootcut vs Straight Jeans: What’s The Difference?
Generally, especially in men’s options, the straight leg jean ends just below the ankle, but most commonly in women’s designs, they end right above the ankle.
This variation in length and their very relaxed look makes straight leg jeans go well with many different types of shoes, especially boots and high heels.
Just like mom jeans, they are very comfortable, mainly due to their looser fit. Also because of their fit, which does not bring out the curves too much, this style of jeans is suitable to be worn in formal settings as well, making them look the most professional and serious out of all styles of jeans.
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3. Mom Jeans vs. Straight Leg Jeans: Differences
There are several differences between these two styles of jeans, but they also share one big similarity, which is their straight cut legs. Aside from that, depending on design, you can find similarities in the height of the rise and waist, or length of the legs.
3.1 The Cut
While both of these styles are made to fit more on the relaxed side, mom jeans fit baggier all over. The back is looser, the front is looser and the legs are loose as well.
Are there other options? Of course. There are mom jeans with skinny legs, as well as those that are form-fitting. However, taking into consideration the classic style, mom jeans are what we described previously.
The straight leg jean, on the other hand, has a slightly slimmer fit overall when compared to the mom jeans, which is why they are more suitable for those who prefer a more shapely style.
You might also like: Girlfriend Jeans vs Boyfriend Jeans: What’s the Difference? How to Choose?
3.2 The Length and Waist
While there can be straight leg jeans that come in different rises and waist heights, the classic look is that of a mid-rise, usually.
The length of straight jeans is all the way down to the ankles and some options ending just above the ankles.
Mom jeans have a high waist, regardless of their style and cut. The high waist is the staple look of mom jeans, and it is more often than not elasticized, too.
Regarding length, mom jeans usually end just above the ankles, therefore making them shorter than straight leg jeans. They also provide more variety in length because the cropped options are numerous.
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3.3 Body Shape
Because the mom jean has a higher waist, the style is suitable for a variety of sizes and body shapes, especially if you are looking to minimize the thighs and enhance the waist.
Cropped lengths, however, are best avoided for those who want to make their legs appear longer because cropped pants in general make the legs look shorter and the thighs look wider.
Straight leg jeans are perfect for petite women or those who want their legs appearing longer, due to the straight cut and unchanging width of the pants from the hips to the ankles.
Women with narrower hips are better suited for this style of jeans, mainly because of the mid-rise that is not the most comfortable for those with curvier hips.
Regardless of these rough guidelines on which body types should wear certain styles of jeans, in our opinion there is no style that is off limits, no matter what your size or body shape is.
With the multitude of options available nowadays, you can easily find flattering designs of both mom and straight jeans.
That is all for today! We will see you in the next one!
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