We’re All Wearing Summer Jeans

I first wrote about these in my denim-centeredStrategist Brainand most recently wore them in photosfor my story on mules I could walk in— and it turns out our readers were more interested in the pants than the mules; multiple people commented or emailed asking where they’re from. They’re an 87 percent cotton, 13 percent linen blend pair from DL1961. I wear stiff white denim twice a week year-round, and these have quickly replaced my belovedCitizens of Humanity Aylasfor the season, scratching my white-jean itch without the heft. I realized how truly lightweight they are after spending a scorcher of a weekend in my Aylas (made of a rigid 100 percent cotton that I typically adore, but in 95 degrees, not so much). Wearing the Taylors again a few days later highlighted their loose, breezy fit and feel, helped by the fact I’m wearing a size up. They feel more like a linen pant but with the effortless cool of a carpenter jean. They don’t cling uncomfortably to my thighs or hips, and while they’re paper-thin and airy, they’re not sheer or unsubstantial. I also like that I can wear them fairly low on my hips, which I find to be more comfortable in warm weather. The only drawback is needing to regularly iron them after they’ve been machine-washed so that they don’t look sloppy.

Managing editorKelsie Schradergot this cotton-lyocell version of vintage-inspiredLevi’s501s a few months ago and has already named them her go-to vacation jeans — the one pair she can toss in her bag (or wear during travel), pair with everything, and still feel super-comfortable in. They’re 79 percent cotton and nonstretch, so they still look like a jean, but they’re far lighter and more comfortable. They have a very relaxed, loose fit that keeps them from being suffocating in the summer, and while Schrader says she’d still opt for shorts or linen bottoms on a super-hot day spent mostly outdoors, these are perfect for summer commutes and evenings. They’re fitted just enough to not look sloppy but are comfy enough to wear for hours, even in warmer weather.

Senior editorHilary Reidhas been testing these “flyweight” jeans from Agolde for the last few weeks and loves them. “The fabric is so fluid that when I wore the jeans on a windy day, I noticed that the material was flapping like a sail as I waited to cross the street (and I mean that as a good thing).” They’re as comfortable as sweatpants — likely thanks to their 100 percent lyocell combined with an elastic drawstring waist — and extremely soft, with a drape that keeps the oversize style from becoming overwhelming. She’s planning on keeping these in her rotation for plane trips and long drives and has already worn them on a nearly three-hour drive to the Berkshires.

WriterTembe Denton-Hursthas had a hit-or-miss experience withAbercrombie, so she was “cautiously optimistic about these wide-leg jeans. But when I slipped them on, I knew they were an immediate keep,” she says. They’re so breezy that Denton-Hurst packed them for her trip to Antigua earlier this year, and while she wouldn’t normally wear jeans during warmer months (she prefers hers thick and rigid, like I do) she had no issue wearing these in humid, 80-plus-degree island weather.

Senior writerLiza Corsillosaw these while shopping atJ.Crewin person, and while she was drawn in by how they look — especially the double-knee detail — she“did not expect them to fit or look nearly as nice as they do.” The 100 percent cotton chambray is very soft and feels like air,with a weight that’s slightly heavier than poplin and a nice drape that never feels jean-y. Corsillo likes that she can wear them at her hips or higher up at her true waist thanks to the adjustable drawstring. Plus, they feature deep pockets (and, in a pull-on-pant rarity, back pockets too), and the elastic waistband is stretchy enough that it doesn’t dig into her skin.

From the makers of our favoritesweatpant jeans. This time they’ve spun up track pants that look like jeans but are neither. They’re 35 percent lyocell and described as “featherweight.” I’m especially intrigued bythe thickness of the elastic waistband coupled with the slouchy, straight drape on these. The brown stripes and creamy wash stand out in a sea of blue-washed denim, too.

I suspect these are as soft and breezy as the DL1961 pair I’ve been enjoying — but for about $100 less. They have a 30 percent linen-to-cotton makeup, which makes them even more drapey, but expectmuchironing in your future.

These are closest in composition to Rag & Bone’s pair with a 39 percent lyocell and 61 percent cotton makeup. High-waisted and wide-legged in an easy-to-style light wash, these are a great replacement for your heavier day-to-day pair. Slight fraying around the pockets adds to their lived-in feel.

Instead of lyocell or linen, these have 13 percent ramie, a lightweight and breathable linenlike plant fiber. They’re moreLevi’s-esque in their fitted-hip, relaxed-leg fit, but their 30.5-inch inseam means they’ll hit below the ankle for an especially easy summery look.