The 18 Best High-Waisted Jeans of 2023

Best Overall

Madewell The Curvy Perfect Vintage Straight Jean

View On Madewell.com

The InStyle team can’t get enough of these magical Madewell jeans. Fashion editor Lindy Segal claims she needs to force herself to take them off at night. Others gravitate towards their effortless silhouette and all-day comfort. There was no debate, therefore, that these iconic jeans would be crowned our “best overall” piece. They’re the closest thing to the sisterhood of the traveling pants, as they can be tailored to fit petite, plus, standard, and tall bodies, on top of coming in a wide range of sizes. For everyone who doesn’t need as much room around the hips, they’re offered in non-curvy styles as well. They come in various colors, but you have to tediously surf through their web to find them. To make things a little easy, here they are in white, light wash, fitzgerald wash, and ferman wash. 

Style-wise, we love how they have the perfect laid-back fit without looking too baggy. The rough-cut hem also made it easy to pair with just about any shoe. We didn’t find that they squeezed or pinched anywhere at any time of the day. And thanks to their incredible stretch, it was easy to run or lounge around all the same, while feeling perfectly comfortable. This only leads us to one con: it only comes in one color. 

Price at time of publish: $128

Size Range: 23-33 | Rise: 11.25 inches | Material: Cotton, spandex | Washes: 1

Best Budget

Zara TRF High Rise Wide Leg Jeans

View On Zara.com

Despite being fashion editors with ample amounts of jeans at our disposal, we still find ourselves sauntering into Zara to pick up some affordable jeans. There’s no denying that the popular retailer offers a wide range of trendy styles with ample amounts of comfort and stretch. And to not have to spend over $50 for them? A win. We’ve owned a fair amount of Zara jeans in the past, and we have to say, we’ve never seen them deteriorate any faster than those with a higher price point. Perhaps they’re not as sturdy or as thick, but they definitely hold up nicely considering their price. These baggy options make for great comfort jeans — the type you don’t mind lounging around the house in. Just be careful as they are very long, and you’ll most likely step on the hem a few times, which can get annoying and dirty very fast. If you’re on the petite side, perhaps getting them tailored would suit you better. 

Price at time of publish: $50

Size range: 25-32 | Rise: 11.5 inches | Material: Cotton, lyocell | Washes: 3

Best Splurge

RE/DONE High Rise Loose Jeans

View On Nordstrom View On Saks Fifth Avenue View On Shopbop.com

Ask any editor here, and they’ll tell you that the Re/Done jeans are one of the best investment pieces they’ve made where jeans are concerned. Senior commerce editor Chloe Anello finds these to fit her wider hip and long leg combo unlike any other brand. And while they do come at a higher price point, they somehow cracked the code to make flattering pieces that suit a wide range of body types in quality materials. You won’t find any stretch with this pair as they are made fro 100 percent cotton and no elastane. But the loose cut however makes up for it, and like most rigid denim jeans, they mold to your body with time. Plus, we find the fabric still feels very soft on our skin. If you frequently find yourself complaining that jeans simply don’t fit you right, then it’s time to try the ones from Re/Done. 

Price at time of publish: $275

Size Range: 23-32 | Rise: 11.25 inches | Material: Cotton | Washes: 4

Best Sustainable

Reformation Liza Ultra High Rise Jeans

View On Shopbop.com View On Reformation

Those of you familiar with Reformation are no strangers to their extensive commitment to sustainability. Not only are their jeans made of quality materials, like organic cotton, tencel, and eco-lycra, but they’re 100 percent recyclable through Reformation’s RefRecycling program. You can purchase, return, and repurchase, giving more life to the jeans you love. We tested this pair and adored the fit and quality of the denim. The material feels substantial — thick and quality without being too rigid. They do however run a bit small, so we recommend sizing one size up. We also noticed that the 30-inch inseam was a bit short for women five-foot-eight and taller and wished they had a tall version to accommodate this body type. Otherwise, we think these will last for years to come, and if we ever do return them to their recycling program, it will be because we wanted to change up our style, not because they deteriorated. 

Price at time of publish: $148

Size Range: 23-31 | Rise: 12 inches | Material: Organic cotton, tencel, eco-lycra | Washes: 4

Best Curvy

Everlane The Curvy ’90s Cheeky Jean

View On Everlane.com

High-waisted jeans flatter hourglass figures unlike any other style because they hit at the smallest part of the waist, hugging all of your curves properly. These jeans from Everlane further enhance the effect with an adjusted hip-to-waist ratio to create a form-hugging fit through the hip and thigh. Sustainably made from Japanese cotton, this pair gives you that retro rigid feel. The ankle length fits shorter folks who constantly have to hem their pants well, but you can also shop the straight leg in a regular inseam (two inches longer than the petite). They do run a little small, however, so take that into account as you shop.

Price at time of publish: $108

Size range: 23-33 | Rise: 11.5 inches | Material: Organic cotton | Washes: 4

Most Comfortable

Joe’s Jeans The Raine

View On Joesjeans.com

Jeans you want to wear all day (over your favorite leggings) are hard to come by, but not impossible. Meet the Raine jeans from Joe’s Jeans, which, by the way, also happens to be one of Jennifer Garner’s favorite places to shop for denim, on top of countless of InStyle editors including Eva Thomas and Bianca Kratky, who find their jeans extremely comfortable. They’re not quite skinny jeans or exactly mom jeans — they’re what Joe’s calls a “cigarette fit”, and they gave us the appeal of smart-looking pants without the discomfort of one. It fell straight down to our ankles using a comfortable stretch denim that moved with each step we took. We did notice, however, that the color in real life was slightly different than what’s pictured on their website. The version that we got our hands on was slightly more gray, while the pictured image looks to be a very dark gray.

Price at time of publish: $139

Size Range: 23-34 | Rise: 11.5 | Material: Cotton, spandex | Washes: 1

Best Tall

Closed A Better Blue Lizzy

View On Closed.com

On any given day at the office, it’s not uncommon to find our editorial team dressed in jeans from Closed. Editors and writers alike adore them for their quality materials and comfortable fit, but we found this specific pair exceptionally great on our five-foot-eight and taller bodies. These didn’t cut off awkwardly at our ankles, but bunched up ever so slightly instead, accentuating our legs and embracing their lengths. We particularly love that they’re not completely skin-tight, too. Even though we classify them as skinny jeans, there’s some wiggle room, which adds to their comfort and relaxed appeal. On top of that, you can shop consciously as these are part of their sustainable denim line. We didn’t necessarily find them to be buttery soft, however, and after a long day’s wear, we were happy to swap them for our sweatpants. For anyone seeking to be a little more conservative and not show off their full figure, these jeans are fantastic. 

Price at time of publish: $210

Size Range: 23-34 | Rise: 9.8 inches | Material: Cotton, elastane | Washes: 8

Best Plus-Size

Warp and Weft NCE Wide Leg

View On Warpweftworld.com

You could say that we’re a bit obsessed with Warp and Weft’s jeans. Not only can you shop from a size category between 00-14 and 14-24, but the brand doesn’t skimp out on style and comfort across the board. We personally love these wide-leg options, as we found them to have the magical ability to make our five-foot-three selves feel six-foot-two — and mighty powerful. It’s evident that there was a lot of thought put into how these are engineered, as they feel stretchy and supportive with a quality stitch. When it comes to washing them, we found it to be best to lay flat to dry. We tossed them in the dryer once and it altered their structure ever so slightly.

Price at time of publish: $98

Size Range: 00-24 | Rise: 12.75 inches | Material: Cotton, elastane | Washes: 7

Best Skinny

Good American Good Legs Cropped Jeans

View On Bloomingdales View On Evereve.com View On Goodamerican.com

If you’ve been curious how the Good American jeans perform but have been hesitating to commit, consider this our formal invitation to hit add to cart, now. We could tell from the second we pulled these jeans out of their packaging that they were made with substantial materials. Even before putting them on, they felt soft and stretchy in the hand, with just the right thickness to avoid looking like jeggings. When we pulled them over the legs, the elasticity in the pants made them glide over so easily that we never had to do the wiggle and jump dance. Finally, once on, we gasped at how flattering these looked — they hugged our curves appreciatively but blurred out any bumps along the way. And despite being skin-tight, they were surprisingly comfortable, and a quick squat test proved how easy it is to walk and bend around without fearing for the seams in the pants. 

It does come with a bit of a raw distressed hem, however, and while we haven’t owned them long enough to see how they perform with time, we could imagine that they might come undone after a while. 

Price at time of publish: $99

Size Range: 00-30 plus | Rise: 10 inches | Material: Organic cotton | Washes: 1

Best Straight Ankle

Lee Misses Relaxed Straight Leg Jeans

View On Amazon

90s kids probably owned plenty of Lee denim — without needing to discover it on TikTok during the brands resurgence. Even though they’re a super affordable pair of high-waisted jeans, these Lee Riders feel comfortable, wear well, and have been around since the '80s. The straight-leg style is also a timeless look that goes with everything. While there aren’t many colors to choose from — and they all kind of look the same — the three blue washes should suit the majority of people looking for a standard pair of jeans. 

Price at time of publish: $42

Size Range: 0-14 | Rise: 11.5 inches | Material: Cotton, polyester, spandex | Washes: 3

Best Ankle Jeans

TOPSHOP Jamie Jeans

View On Nordstrom View On Nordstromrack.com

Writer Bianca Kratky bought, owned, and wore these Topshop jeans for over half a decade, — only tossing them aside when she outgrew the size. The color, stretch, and quality remained unchanged through those years, however, which for the price was a pleasant surprise. They were great standard black jeans to own, as they could be worn with just about everything. The ankle jeans are offered in regular, petite, tall, and long, so that the inseam may never be too short or too long for any person. There’s no flare at the ankle either, which made them seamlessly fit under boots. As a matter of fact, the entire pants are very skin-tight, not unlike sturdy thick leggings, and might feel a little too much like jeggings, which not everyone likes. 

Price at time of publish: $74

Size Range: 25-30 | Rise: Not listed | Material: Cotton, elastomultiester, elastane | Washes: 1

Best Mom Jeans

Mother High Waisted Rider Skimp

View On Nordstrom View On Bloomingdales View On Fwrd.com

Meghan Markle and Jennifer Lopez have likely caused thousands of pairs of Mother jeans to fly off shelves — and for good reason. Mother's popular high-waist Rider jeans are comfortable with their little bit of stretch, so they're not as stiff as other pairs, and look perfectly worn. With natural-looking rips and a pleasant faded color, they’re less appropriate for certain occasions, like the office or a nice dinner, but as a casual everyday jean they have the perfect amount of laid-back appeal.

Price at time of publish: $268

Size Range: 23-31 | Rise: 11.75 inches | Material: Cotton, elastane | Washes:

Best Flare

Rag & Bone Casey High Rise Flare

View On Rag-bone.com

Everyone from Jennifer Garner to Katie Holmes has been spotted in Rag & Bone jeans, which is quite understandable considering how well-constructed they are. This flared pair comes with a sleek silhouette (AKA no rips or distressed details) and a flare that isn’t too dramatic, so you can easily wear them to a plethora of events. The mature look definitely works to elongate the legs. The inseam is about 34 inches, depending on the size, and could be a little too long on some people — unless you plan to wear them with heels, which we definitely recommend for a sexy, retro look. 

Price at time of publish: $255

Size Range: 23-32 | Rise: 11.5 inches | Material: Cotton, lycra | Washes: 1

Best Light Wash

Abercrombie & Fitch Ultra High Rise 90s Straight Jean

View On Abercrombie.com

This universal style is offered in 21 different colors, and at least eleven of them are a light wash shade. While they’re not all the same exact style (some come with rips and others with slits), they all have the same straight cut. We raved about these in our best jeans for tall women story, as Abercrombie offers five different length options ranging from extra short to extra long. But even on our five-foot-eleven body, we found the regular cut to be a perfect fit, cutting off right under the ankle. For a more slouchy look, however, the long version gives off a relaxed, laid back appeal. 

Price at time of publish: $89

Size Range: 23-37 | Rise: 11.5 inches | Material: Cotton, elastane | Washes: 21

Best Baggy

Ksubi Playback Onyx

View On Ksubi.com

If you’re in the market for oversized jeans, then look no further than Ksubi. The Australian street style label, which has dressed everyone from A$AP Rocky, Kylie Jenner, and The Internet, has perfected the relaxed denim style. We’ve tried some of their jeans, ranging from baggy to form-fitting, and we all agree that their cut, weight, and fabric are all substantial. Despite being made of 100 percent cotton, we still find it to be decently stretchy. The fabric on these pants are also quite thick, and therefore warm during the winter. They also suit taller people very well, which makes wearing heels with them look very elegant. We recommend washing sparingly, however, as the color does fade ever so slightly with each wash.

Price at time of publish: $220

Size Range: 23-34 | Rise: 11.5 inches | Material: Cotton | Washes: 1

Best Wide Leg

J.Crew Denim Trouser

View On Jcrew.com

Despite there being less structure and tailoring, the wide leg denims from J.Crew look dashingly sophisticated. Perhaps it's the dark wash or the high-quality material, but these pants could easily be dressed up for a night out. If you’d rather spend the day indoors, however, the comfort stretch and soft fabric make it inviting to do so. While most denim pieces are dominantly constructed with cotton, these ones have 69 percent Tencel lyocell in them, which is an eco-friendly fiber produced from wood that’s smooth, soft, and kind to sensitive skin. You can look polished and feel relaxed while wearing these, which is a true win in our books. And if you’re worried they might be too long on you, don’t be, as it’s offered in a standard, petite, and tall length. We only wish it came with more color options to choose from as well.

Price at time of publish: $158

Size Range: 23-37 | Rise: 11.87 inches | Material: Tencel lyocell, recycled cotton, elastane | Washes: 1

Best Petite

Wit & Wisdom High Waist Skinny Jeans

View On Nordstrom

Many brands nowadays offer their jeans in various lengths to accommodate petite and tall folks. And while you’ll find plenty of petite options scattered throughout this story, we found these classic skinny jeans to be the best everyday option, inclusive of a wide size range. The petite pants come with an inseam of 26 inches and a 10.25 inch high waist. Five-foot-three women and under should fit these pants like a dream. With a mix of cotton, polyester, and elastane, these jeans are wonderfully stretchy and comfortable — a required trait considering how form-fitting they are. The legging-esque nature of these pants might feel almost too tight on some, which is something worth noting if you are looking for something with a looser cut.

Price at time of publish: $74

Size Range: 00-16 | Rise: 10.25 inches | Material: Cotton, polyester, elastane | Washes: 1