Two Fashionable Mothers Weigh In on the Best Mom Jeans

The mom jean—a familiar high-waisted, tapered-leg jean with no stretch—is having a moment. A fad jean of the ’90s (think Cindy Crawford’s airport style or Olivia Newton John’s iconic all-denim looks), the mom jean has been making its return quietly over the last few years as heritage denim brands like Levi’s and Wrangler embraced the once cringeworthy, now runway-worthy style.

Thanks to Heidi Slimane and his vision for Celine, the mom jean was the hero of his most recent spring 2021 show. The models wore them with oversized blazers or sports jackets, embodying our post-quarantine mood board: a hybrid, work from office/work from home scenario where we have traded our casual knits for blazers and leggings for this tried-and-true denim staple.

The mom jean silhouette is a specific one. Its defining features include a high-waist, which helps to streamline the figure, as well as a slightly baggy leg. Most purists will say that mom jeans fall straight on the legs, but the truth is that there are already an infinity of silhouettes that can fall within the category of these pants, as long as they keep the high rise: Flared, baggy, and balloon are some of the most popular variations.

But which mom jeans are preferred by actual moms? I consult Karla Martinez, editor in chief of Vogue Mexico and Vogue Latin America on her preferred pairs—Slvrlake’s Beatnik style and Khaite’s the Kyle jean. “I secretly wanted to spend the day in leggings before the pandemic began, but once it started the last thing I wanted to wear were exercise clothes unless I was exercising.” she says. “I spent the last year living in my Slvrlake jeans paired with T-shirts and sweaters. With the world opening back up again, I am in the mood to pair my favorite cropped Khaite mom jeans with boots and blazers.”

As for myself, despite the fact that I’m a couple of years into motherhood, I’m a recent convert to the school of mom jeans—I don’t think I’ll ever wear low-rise jeans again! The high waist is so much more flattering and has allowed me to explore wearing more colors than my usual rotation of black and navy-hued denim, darker washes which I gravitated to for their slimming capabilities. These days, I’m wearing lighter-colored denim, like the Frame Le High cropped white jeans.

In celebration of Mother’s Day, and all denim-wearing mothers out there, here is our edit of the best mom jeans to embrace now and forever.