Wide Leg or Barrel Jeans After 60? How I Wear Both

I admit it I do love my jeans. Every fall I pull my jeans out of hiding, line them up, and decide which ones earn a spot for the season. This year the vote wasn’t remotely close. Two shapes won: wide leg and barrel. I’ll admit the barrel took some convincing (a lot of convincing). When they first showed up, that curve at the knee looked like a lot of denim to manage. But the right pair, styled the right way, turns out to be one of the most stylish things a woman our age can wear. Today I’m sharing how I wear both, with statement jackets, cashmere, a leather trench, my favorite blazer, and even a holiday look, plus the shoes that make each shape work. And if you’re still building your denim foundation, start with my guide to the best ways to look stylish in jeans after 60. Grab a cup of coffee this is a long one packed with inspiration.

Wide-Leg vs. Barrel Jeans: What’s the Difference?

Wide-leg jeans are exactly what they sound like. They fit through the hip and fall straight and full to the hem, giving you long, clean lines from waist to floor.

Barrel-leg jeans are the more interesting shape. They curve out through the knee and narrow again to a tapered hem, so the leg looks a little like, well, a barrel. You’ll also see them called horseshoe or balloon jeans, and the curve ranges from subtle to dramatic depending on the brand. I personally steer clear of the dramatic.

If you spent years in skinny jeans and then made the leap to straight-leg jeans, both of these will feel like a lot of fabric at first. Give it a week. The comfort alone will win you over.

Which Shape Works for Your Body Type?

Wide-leg jeans are the most forgiving denim silhouette I know. The extra fabric skims over the hips and upper thighs instead of clinging, and a high rise defines the waist. They work on almost every body type, and if you want to look taller, a hem that just grazes the floor over a block heel is the closest thing to magic.

Barrels take a bit more thought because they add volume at the knee. If you have a pear shape, look for a softer curve rather than an exaggerated one, and keep the top half fitted so the outfit doesn’t read as volume on volume.

I have a long torso and shortish legs, and I’ve found a cropped barrel that ends right at the ankle is the most flattering version for me. No hemming required.

The Pairs I’m Wearing

These are the jeans that made the cut this fall.

Wide Legs

Rag & Bone Miramar. I brag about these so often you are probably sick to death. They look like wide-leg jeans and feel like sweatpants, because they’re actually printed terry. I am wearing a 27 in the jeans and a Small in the jacket.

The leg drapes instead of dragging, and I can wear them on a long travel day without counting the hours until I can change. Rag & Bone set the bar for sweatpant jeans, and no one has cleared it yet in my opinion. I like the Sophie in the venice wash, or the nolita if you like a darker wash. The the track version is a fun option on casual days just as well. The Farm Rio sweatercoat is still avaiable from last year. I constantly get compliments on this. I am wearing a small.

Frame Le Slim Palazzo

If the Miramar is my comfort pair, the Le Slim Palazzo is my polished one. The rise is high, it’s slim through the hip so there’s no extra fabric bunching at the top, and then the leg falls wide and long all the way to the floor. That combination is what makes these so flattering.

You get all the drama of a wide-leg jean without the bulk, and there’s just enough stretch. Add a low block-heeled boot and they make your legs look a mile long, which I will take every time. It comes in numerous washes and colors and you can often find them on Nordstrom Rack for less. I am wearing a 27 and a small in the jacket below.

Barrel

I am wearing a small in the Frank and Eileen jacket (which I love). It is pricey but timeless and super comfy.

Ruti. Ruti was making barrel jeans long before they were everywhere, and it shows. They wear like iron. The curve is there, but it’s soft and sculpted rather than balloon-sized, so the jeans add shape without adding bulk. I am wearing a 6 petite. This jean is so well made and fits beautifully.

They come in petite, which means the barrel actually lands where it should on a shorter leg instead of swallowing me. If you’ve been curious about barrels but afraid of looking like you’re wearing a costume, start here. I am wearing the petite 6. And they are currently 20% off!

Frank and Eileen Brennan-99% vintage denim-gentle curve, the cropped ankle length with a finished hem and a waistband that sits just below your natural waistline, runs small size up. These are another great option. I am wearing a 27. The Tommy Bahama sweater jacket is to die for. Very roomy. I am wearing a small.

Madewell Curvy Barrel-Leg Jeans. These are the pair I’d hand to any barrel skeptic, and the first pair I tried thanks to a savvy Madewell employee. They’re not too wide and not too big, just a gentle curve through the leg that reads modern without trying too hard. The curvy fit means no gap at the back of the waist, which anyone who has wrestled with jeans knows is half the battle. Even better, they’re currently $50 off.

If you like a little distressing a new fave of mine and yours are these amazing jeans from Chicos that I am living in and constantly get asked if they are RL. They are more of a boyfriend style but I LOVE them and wear them with everything. You obviously do too as they are constantly in line for a reader’s weekly favorite.

How I Style Them: My Outfit Formulas

Every look below follows one simple rule: balance the volume. A wide or curved leg wants a fitted top, a defined waist, or a shorter layer on top. If you love oversized tops (I do), tuck the front or choose something cropped and boxy so the whole outfit keeps some shape. Here are the outfit formulas I keep coming back to.

With a Statement Jacket

When the jacket is the focal point, everything else gets quiet: a simple tee or a fine-knit sweater, great jeans, and a great shoe. With barrels reach for a jacket that ends at the hip or above so the curve of the leg shows. With wide-leg jeans I can go longer.

I am wearing a small in the beautiful Farm Rio jacket and a 27 in the jeans.

With Cashmere, Merino or Heavy Cotton

This is everyday dressing at that I live in. A cashmere sweater, wide-leg or barrel jeans, and loafers or boots what’s not to like? Add an interesting scarf and a great bag, and I’m out the door in five minutes. With barrels, a slightly cropped sweater or a fuller tuck keeps the proportions right.

I am wearing a small in the BR cashmere sweater. This is absolutely the softest cashmere sweater I have owned at any price.

With an Amped-Up Chore Jacket

I am not totally on board with the chore jacket look on my frame. I love it on others. A chore jacket is the definition of a casual look, which is exactly why I like this amped up version from J Crew.

I am wearing a small in the J Crew jacket.

With a Leather Trench

I found this tie-waist leather trench at Zara, and it’s quickly become a favorite. Tied at the waist, it balances the volume of either shape. With wide-leg jeans, the longer length creates one long, lean line from shoulder to hem. With barrels, the cinched waist echoes the curve of the leg and keeps the look from going boxy. Left open, or tied loosely in back, it’s more relaxed. Easily my favorite leather jacket of the season.

With a Blazer

You know I can’t write a post without a blazer. With wide-leg jeans, a longer boyfriend blazer over a tucked-in button-down is about as polished as denim gets. Barrels are pickier. A blazer that hits at the hip shows off the barrel shape, while a long, oversized one can swallow it. Push up the sleeves, show a little waist, and you’re there. [Link]

A Holiday Denim Look

Who says jeans can’t go to a party? Add a little sparkle and a dressier shoe:: a kitten heeled boot or velvet birdies or even cowboy boots with wide-leg jeans, a statement earring, and a bag with some sparkle or texture.

I am wearing a small in the Johnny Was jacket.

The Best Shoes for Wide-Leg and Barrel Jeans

Shoes can make or break both shapes, barrels especially. Here’s what works.

Ballet flats. My favorite with barrel-leg jeans. A cropped barrel and a pretty flat show a sliver of ankle, which keeps all that volume from overwhelming you. Ballet flats are lovely with ankle-length wide-leg jeans too.

Loafers and low-heeled boots. My everyday picks for both shapes, especially in an interesting texture. With barrels, choose a boot that sits close under the hem. With wide-leg jeans, let the hem cover most of the boot.

Sneaks for a casual option.

Wide-Leg or Barrel? Why Not Both?

Denim trends come and go, and the barrel jean trend may be one of them. But trying a new shape is how a wardrobe stays alive, and how your personal style keeps growing instead of standing still. Pick the shape that makes you feel most like yourself, or do what I did and wear both.

Looking for more denim inspiration? Try my posts on Best Ways to Look Stylish and Chic in Denim After 60. Chic Ways to Style the Double Denim Trend, and The Best Jean Jacket Looks for Stylish Women over 60 and see which Denim Trends Women Over 60 can Actually Pull Off.