The 14 Very Best High-Waisted Jeans

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Sizes:23–39 (plus-sizes 14-26here) with 26-, 28-, and 30-inch inseams |Rise:10.85 inches |Stretch:Stretchy |Style:Tapered straight-leg |Price:$

I’ve heard about the Wedgies from Levi’s over and over again. Named for their cheekier backside, these don’t have thehighesthigh-rise on this list. But because of their high-enough rise, good fit, and affordable price, I’ve named them the best high-waisted jeans. Though they initially felt a bit snug due to the stiffness of the denim, they became more comfortable on the second wear. The hint of stretch (in the form of one percent elastane) really helped. These are described as “curve highlighting,” and they hug just right everywhere, especially from behind. They haven’t overstretched in the slightest, becoming a pair I can always reach for. The 10.85-inch rise hits me right at my belly button.

I also appreciate that the Wedgies come in a large size range and have the distinction of working forpetitesandtallsbecause they are available in three different inseams (26, 28, and 30 inches). I’m around five-two and didn’t have to cuff the shortest version, something that almost never happens (even when I buy a pair branded as petite). The jeans also have an ever-growing following that includesBirdfounder Jennifer Mankins;Dianna Cohen, founder of hair-care lineCrown Affair; Sara Zucker, director of social media atKorres; and Madewell’s former head of design,Joyce Lee.

Sizes:23–37, with 26.5-, 28.5-, 30.5-, 32.5-inch inseams |Rise:11 inches |Stretch:Stretchy |Style:Straight-leg |Price:$

At five-feet-two, I often have a hard time finding petite jeans that areactuallypetite. But in the sea of petite-branded jeans, Abercrombie’s 90s Ultra High Rise are a standout for its two petite-specific lengths: “extra-short,” made for those who are under five feet, and “short,” designed for those between five-feet to five-feet-three. (If you’re on the taller side, the jeans also come in “long” with a 32.5-inch inseam, and “extra-long,” though the inseam for that length isn’t listed.) One caveat is that the “extra-short” is limited to sizes 23 through 30, while the “short” is available in all sizes (23 to 37), but I still think the jeans are worthy of this title. These have been repeatedly praised bypetiteswe’ve talked to: PhotographerLizbeth Hernandezlikes how they fit her “curvy body,” and content creatorAmy Serranodescribes them as the best kind of butt-hugging. She says they’re so comfortable, she could wear them while doing “a round of high kicks with the Radio City Rockettes.”

Sizes:00–15 (equivalent to 22- to 32-inch waists) with 30-, 32-, 34-, 36-, and 38-inch inseams |Rise:11.75 inches |Stretch:Not stretchy |Style:Slimmer straight-leg |Price:$

If you’re five-foot-eight andtaller, Wrangler’s Cowboy Cut Slim Jean comes in 30-, 32-, 34-, 36-, and 38-inch inseams. That range beats out mall brands likeMadewelland premium-denim lines like Re/Done alike in the sheer amount of lengths offered. Strategist senior editorSimone Kitchens, who’s five-foot-eleven, went for the 30-inch inseam. Beyond being long enough, the fit is “incredible and doing good things all around for my butt and my waist,” she says. The Wrangler’s waist sizes are odd-numbered, so Kitchens recommends rounding up a size from your usual even-numbered size (a size three if you’re a size two, and so on).

ArtistMelly Wirtes(who’s six-foot-two) is a fan, too, and describes the jeans as “fairly stiff,” which helps with “holding their shape and keeping everything in place,” she tells me. Just how stiff the jeans feel will depend on the wash: They’re 100 percent cotton in the Prewashed Indigo and Distressed Vintage washes, and they’re 98 percent cotton and 2 percent spandex in the Antique and Bleach washes.

Just note: If you’renottall, you can hem them. Strategist senior editorWinnie Yang, who’s five-foot-two, hemmed the shortest inseam. She sized up based on Kitchens’s suggestion, and “that’s probably why they’re so comfortable.”

Sizes:14W–24W with a 29.5-inch inseam |Rise:11.75 inches |Stretch:Stretchy |Style:Wide-leg |Price:$$

Madewell not only offers a large range of plus-size sizes (between 14W and 28W), it makes many core styles in plus sizes. That’s why it’s been repeatedly recommended to me over the years by plus-size sources. In a recent update to ourplus-size-jeansroundup, Madewell’s Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Jean rose above the rest to become our “best overall.” Keep in mind: As with all extended sizes at Madewell — especially tall lengths — its plus-size pairs sell out speedily. But stock of this style has remained steady so far.

This is the wide-leg version of Madewell’s very popularPerfect Vintage.It’s the first style stylistSahra Brandtputs on clients searching for new jeans. She’s recommended the jeans to over 150 clients of all different shapes and sizes. They’re made from 99 percent cotton and one percent elastane, which is “the right amount of stretch so that the jeans aren’t stretching out,” she says. Importantly, “you don’t feel like you’re stuck into them, either.” (Note that Madewell jeans can be generous in sizing, so you could size down in many styles, as Dacy Gillespie ofMindful Closettells me. Brandt adds, “I’ll sometimes size down from the size someone tells me. That’s not a Madewell fit thing, though. I find that most of my clients are wearing the wrong size.”)

Sizes:23–42 (plus-sizeshere) with 27- and 29-inch inseams |Rise:12 inches |Stretch:Stretchy |Style:Straight-leg |Price:$

Levi’s Ribcage jeans are aGoldilocks-ianwonder: high-waisted, straight-legged, andvintage-looking. These jeans have ahighhigh-rise — tied for the highest on this list — and hit well above my belly button, really cinching in my waist. They took me a little longer to break in, especially as someone with a curvier bottom, despite having the same percentage of stretch as our top-pick Wedgies (one percent elastane). After a few wears, the Ribcages felt a lot more comfortable and formfitting. If you want the most high-waisted pair of jeans you can find, these are one of your best bets: Strategist editorMaxine Builder, an established fan, describes them as “deliriously high,” and Serrano loves how they give her “legs for days.” The straight-leg cut is a little wider than the cut of the Wedgies, with “just the right amount of flare,” according toNew Yorkdeputy editorAlexis Swerdloff— you’re not getting a bell-bottom.

Sizes:23–31 with 29-inch and33-inchinseams|Rise:12 inches |Stretch:Not stretchy or stretchy options |Style:Slightly cropped straight-leg |Price:$$

Strategist managing editorKelsie Schraderhad a “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsmoment” when she first tried out this pair. “Normally, when people call jeans ‘comfortable,’ I want to ask them how much the brand is paying them to say that, but, truly, these are comfortable,” Schrader insists. The straight-leg isn’t too slim or too wide, and the jeans aren’t too long on her five-foot-two frame. But these work fortaller peopleas well — artistMelly Wirtes, who’s six-foot-two, says the33-inch inseam versionfits her like a glove and isn’tsocropped. Katie Schmidt, owner ofPassion Lilie, points out that Reformation’s denim is well suited for leggier body types, and these jeans give the illusion of much longer legs. (Reformation also now offers theCynthiasin different fabric blends, including one made with cotton andTencel, another that featuresrecycled cotton, and one withelastane.)

Sizes:24–34 with a 26-inch inseam |Rise:11.5 inches |Stretch:Not stretchy |Style:Cropped straight-leg |Price:$$

Agolde’s Riley jeans are more of an investment, with a price tag of just under $200 — but they have been commendedmanyatimeon the Strategist. The brand makes a greatmom jean: The Rileys skim over my hips and thighs, with a leg that’s closer cut. They curve around my butt in a way that makes me feel great — exactly how I want to feel in jeans, especially at this price point. And they have a respectable (very high) rise of 11.5 inches — just a half-inch lower than the Levi’s Ribcages — that I find comfortable even though the jeans are made from a non-stretch denim. (Somewashesin theextensivecollectiondo come with stretch.) These loosen a little over a handful of wears, without losing their shape.

Sizes: 24–35 with 24- (petite), 26- (regular) and 28-inch (tall) inseams |Rise:Not listed |Stretch:Stretchy |Cut:Looser straight-leg |Price:$

I’ve been buying Banana Republic Factory’s jeans for years. They’re cheap — often under $100 and regularly marked down for half off. They wear well and last a long time (my oldest pair is almost a decade old). And, probably most important, they make my butt lookfantastic.Of course there’s a catch: Banana Republic Factory, admittedly, has a smaller selection of jeans than Banana Republic proper. And styles can come and go quickly whenever there’s a big sitewide sale. ItsGirlfriend Jeanis reliably stocked, though. I have two of them, and got the first a few years ago and the second just this month. I like the ease of the jeans, which are a looser, cropped-length straight-leg. Like Universal Standard’s boyfriend style, Banana Republic Factory’s Girlfriend has a good fit from the beginning; I could wear them right out of the bag without needing to break them in. The company doesn’t list a rise measurement in inches on the jeans, but they came with a tag marked “low-rise,” which I disagree with: The top of the jeans stop right at my belly button. They’re not as high as, say, Levi’s Ribcages, but I think they’re a good jean for someone who’s hoping to go higher than their usual mid-rise.

Sizes:23–40 (plus sizeshere) with 28-, 30-, and 32-inch inseams |Rise:10.25 inches |Stretch:Very stretchy |Style:Skinny |Price:$$

To me, Levi’s 720s are the platonic ideal of skinny jeans. These have a super-tight-fitting leg — almost jeggings-esque — and a generous amount of stretch (3 percent Lycra), which is needed for the style to fit properly. WriterDiana McCorrysays they feature “enough stretch to avoid that nasty tummy compression but enough shape to create a great silhouette when you stand up.” And while McCorry often feels she has to choose between comfort in the rear and excessive tightness in the midsection, “the 720s are a little loose in the waist, but not quite enough to necessitate a belt, which is nice.” (An honorable mention goes to the slowly selling-outLevi’s Mile Highs,which according to Strategist associate editorJenna Milliner-Waddellare “super stretchy to the point where you can size down and have enough compression to suck everything in.”)

Sizes:24–35 with 30-, 31-, and 32-, 34.5-, and 36.5-inch inseams |Rise:11 inches |Stretch:Stretchy |Style:Flare |Price:$

Gap’s High-Rise ’70s Flare Jeans appeared in the first-ever installment of our “I Tried All The …” series, in which Strategist contributorErika Veurinkand Strategist newsletter editorAshley Wolfgangwent toGapto try on the same pairs of jeans “to see how theyreallyfit on a variety of body types.” (For reference, Veurink is six-foot-two and Wolfgang is four-foot-11.) Wolfgang, for her part, believes these are the perfect flares. “They hit me in all the right places from the waist, butt, and through the thigh and knee,” she says. A big part of that has to do with the cut itself: The jeans have a flattering 11-inch rise and are full length (and fitted through the hips and thighs). While the shortest inseam, 30 inches, was the longest length out of all the ones she tried, Wolfgang took Strategist social-media editor Kathy Li’s advice to crop them. “Seeing how these would look cropped felt flattering and complemented my height without overwhelming my leg,” says Wolfgang. “I will be taking these to my tailor!”

Sizes:24–31 with 28.5-inch inseam |Rise:11.75 inches |Stretch:Stretchy |Style:Wide-leg |Price:$$

Digital content creatorCarrie Carrollointroduced me to Australian denim brand Rolla’s Sailor Jeans after discovering them atArticle&in Cobble Hill. Carollo, who’s five-foot-five, was slightly dubious about whether they would work for her — the ultra-high-waisted, dramatically flared jeans seemed more suited for someone taller. But as it turns out, “The waist-to-hip ratio, for my body type, really works,” she says. And the wider wide-leg really does call back to disco-era bell-bottoms: “Paired with a vintage T-shirt, I always feel like they look extra ’70s.”

Sizes:22–34 with 16- to 30 inch-inseam alteration options |Rise:11 inches |Stretch:Not stretchy |Style:Wide-leg |Price:$

These wide-leg jeans fromUniqloare about half the price of Rolla’s Sailors. The jeans were the runner-up when writerMya Gelberwent on thehunt for a pairthat were dark-washed, cuffable, and came with a more flared leg. She ultimately held out for a more heavyweight pair, where these are slightly thinner. But for jeans that are less than $50 and made from 100 percent cotton, you can’t really beat them. (These won out over jeans Gelbert tried from the Gap, Cos, and A.P.C.) Gelber likes the looseness of the leg, and folds the hem into a dramatic cuff (as seenhere). Uniqlo also offers a unique alteration option: You can choose any inseam length between 16 and 30 inches, to the nearest half-inch, as well the type of stitching on the hem. (Alteration feesvary, from free to $10 depending on the stitch.)

Sizes:23–32 with 28.5-inch inseams |Rise:11.5 inches |Stretch:Not stretchy |Style:Wide-leg |Price:$$$

Anecdotally, I’ve heard a lot about Nelle Atelier from fellow Strategist staffers (including writerArielle Avila). Its denim is designed for those who are five-foot-four and under (it’s made an appearance in our guide to thebest jeans for petites), butPrix FixefounderOset Babür-Winter(who’s five-foot-six) recommended the Laura Jean to me. “Most of their styles are ultimately a little too short for me, but the Laura Jean is absolute perfection,” she says. The wide legs are full-length on her, and there’s no gaping at the waist for the right fit. And while they’re made from a rigid 100 percent cotton (that’s part of the premium price point), they don’t really need to be broken in. She thinks they’ve seemingly become softer with each wear. “These are the only jeans I voluntarily wear at home while I’m working,” Babür-Winter adds. Since getting the jeans last May, she has convinced at least three people (who are between five-foot-one and five-foot-four) to get a pair themselves.

Sizes and lengths:23–34 with a 30- or 32-inch inseam |Rise:11.125 inches |Stretch:Not stretchy|Style:Straight-leg|Price:$$

Back in 1873, Levi Strauss invented the jeans now known as the501s. These are as classic as they come. I’ve heard lots of folks describe the 501s as a standard bearer to judge their other jeans, with many owningvintage versionsof the style. They’re made of a sturdy, rigid denim that has nostretch. You don’t have to shop secondhand to get them, though — the company has kept its familiar fitted straight-leg silhouette for more than a century. In comparison to the Wedgies, which have a rise of 10.85 inches, and the Ribcages, with their ultra-high 12-inch rise, the 501s come in at just over 11 inches. So you’re getting a “semi-high waist,” says musicianAly Michalka. She adds that “the more worn they are, the better they look and feel.” Celebrity stylistKarla Welch(who has collaborated with Levi’s in the past) stole her first-ever pair of 501s from her brother — and agrees that they only get better with age. The 501s top our list of the verybest men’s jeans, too — with Drew Westphal, who works in digital marketing, saying, “There’s a reason that modern-day denimcompanies use the fit of the 501to make their own jeans.”

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