My Hunt for the Perfect Pair of Leopard-Print Jeans
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A friend recently asked if I knew my entire personality was leopard print. (I did not.) Yet I felt seen almost instantly. I can regularly be found wearing aleopard jacketfrom AllSaints and tortoiseshell sunglasses or scouring Reformationfor any accessorythat will bring a healthy dose ofwildto a night out. Not to mention, on a tropical vacation, my go-to one-piece isleopard beachwearfrom French brand Make My Lemonade. But my most beloved item — the one I once relied on to add character to any look — was a pair of just-above-the-ankle, stretch leopard-print pants from Madewell. For under $100, these jeans were a steal and lasted almost five seasons, until I wore them, quite literally, to shreds. After I was forced to retire them, the animalistic side of my wardrobe was thus incomplete. Which led me to a hunt for a perfect replacement pair — this time, ones that I could not outwear.
In general, I prefer patterneddenim(cameo or cowboy) over neutral denim (blue or black). I find it easy and versatile to build almost any outfit around. Leopard-print jeans, in specific, have an aura of their own. I love pairing them simply with ablackorwhitetee and with any style of shoe, whether aloaferorankle boot, then layering with a leather coat. Voilà — instantly fun, informal, and edgy.
On my hunt, I found that there’s a lot of variation in the leopard-jeans world — baggy, barrel-leg, boyfriend, stretch, light wash, black wash, celery wash, big spots, small spots. My skinny Madewell pair (RIP) were my most comfortable jeans — they were just longer than capris, and I loved to wear them with tall black socks. But for my replacement, I was looking for something a touch more sophisticated (I find leopard print has the potential to look a tad gimmicky) and a little slouchy. More tomboy, less femme fatale. Still, I was open to being swayed by a formfitting waistline. I wanted the pants to speak for themselves, versus bringing too many preconceived notions of how “perfect” should look and feel.
Not to get distracted by styling, I tried on each pair with a black shirt — some tight and some loose — so I could focus on the fit of the jeans themselves. I found more options than I could try on, so the shortlist was limited to seven pairs across five brands, although there were a few more that caught my attention including:Ciara trousers from Sézane,Originals Wide Leg Satin from Adidas, andCharlee Low Rise from Reformation. Here’s everything I tried and what I loved best.
My Top Picks
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The darkest print and most relaxed fit I tried on. I cuffed the ankles for a less tapered fit.
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I knew I found something good when I couldn’t walk far without receiving a compliment.
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High-waisted and wide-legged with the perfect amount of baggy. They stand out without trying hard.
TheOnesThatDidn’tCutIt
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These were a no from the get-go; the print was far too light and the fit far too baggy, even at the correct waist size. The leg is designed to be loose, coming off like a bell-bottom best suited for a ’90s rom-com. Unfortunately for Gap, I am not a huge rom-com fan. I imagine any solid color (versus patterned) would work better here, such as theblack hawk,brown denim, orblack wash.
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There are so many things I love about Sézane, but unfortunately, these jeans aren’t one of them. I found them to be much more stylish on the hanger than they are functional for my height. The print is chocolatey with brown spots (versus black spots), which was unique to every other pair I tried. At first glance, I initially imagined styling these as part of a daily uniform — from the office straight to a happy hour, for instance — but the fit said otherwise. Sitting about an inch above my belly button, they are super high-waisted with too much fabric everywhere else. I imagine taking them in about an inch on both the legs and hem would help here, but that wouldn’t solve how tight they felt when I tried to sit down.
TheOnesThatWereTooBaggy
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At first glance, these wide-leg jeans from Zara took me by surprise, mostly because anything with a $45 price tag in this economy has my immediate attention. The print, on the lighter side, looked tasteful, and the material (100 percent cotton) looked higher quality than its cost. Trying them on told a different story than what I saw on the surface, unfortunately. Too wide, too baggy, too much material for my petite (five-foot-five) frame. Much of me wanted to embrace the boyfriend-ness of the fit but ultimately had to concede that I was swimming in them. That said, if oversize is your thing, you can’t really go wrong here.
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Ganni Lari Jeans in Leopard Print
I wanted to try a pair that was extra baggy and liked the print of this high-rise pair. In general, the brand does leopard really well, even deeming it its “most-loved print” across all categories, from skirts to scarves to totes. This pair faded from a darker print on the outside to a lighter on the inseam, a bit like an ombré, with gold buttons. This much I liked. However, being non-stretch, wide-leg, and loose-fit sat wrong all the way from my waist to my heel. If I were to wear these out, I’d need a tall pair of boots so the hem doesn’t drag. (If you love an extra-baggy look, I’d recommend trying one size down.)
TheWinner’sCircle:TheOnesThatFitPerfectly
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This was the first time I’d come across this Copenhagen-based fashion house known for its “bold colors and striking prints,” and I have to say I’m hooked. On its website, the brand describes itself as “standing out without trying too hard,” which I also think is an apt descriptor of these jeans. In person, these were far and away the most unique design of everything I tried on, with a five-inch carpenter-jean-esque pocket in the front. They also have a visible seam that runs along the front and back, stitched with the same light-brown as the “B” and “P” letters on the back pockets. High-waisted and wide-legged with the perfect amount of baggy, these jeans instantly made me want to get dressed up and roam the streets in search of fun.
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When it comes to a good pair of jeans, I’ve never been one to favor a higher price or designer name. For me, brands like Gap, Levi’s, and Madewell are classics for a reason; I can typically always find a pair that are comfortable and reliable. I was pleasantly surprised by these high-rise barrel jeans, which were the darkest print and most relaxed fit I tried on. Made from 100 percent cotton and non-stretch (meaning they’re made to break in over time), they sat comfortably just above my hips from the first wear. I didn’t love the tapered ankle against the curved leg, however, so I cuffed them two inches on the bottom. This slight edit instantly changed my mind from “maybe” to “winner’s circle.”
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I’ve always been drawn to Ganni, and these jeans are just about perfect, or as we say in Paris …c’est parfait. Short and boot-cut with a mid-rise waist, these slid on effortlessly and felt instantly wearable. They’re made from a comfortable stretch denim and sit about six inches below the knee, similar to my once-beloved Madewell pair, with a cute white Ganni logo
patch on the back pocket. They’re feminine, sexy, and fun for every season. Black shirt aside, these also paired great with a graphic tee or a crop top. Plus, I knew I found something good when I couldn’t walk far without receiving a compliment. (For those who favor colored denim, theseceleryones also give showstopper vibes.)
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