When creating a size chart for jeans, keep in mind the size tends to refer to two measurements: waist circumference and leg length (this corresponds to the inseam, which is the measurement of the inner leg taken from the crotch to the ankle).
Within the fashion industry, the main types of sizing conventions used for both jeans and casual trousers are the following:
Alpha sizing: expressed in letters, usually from XS to XL
Waist/Length: expressed through a combination of waist circumference and inseam (length of the inner leg). This is always defined in inches, even in countries that use the metric system.
Since there is no fixed ratio between waist and leg length of the shopper, you can create two size charts with Sizefox, one main one for the waist measurements and a secondary one for the length of the jeans.
Women’s jeans size chart
The measurements used to create a women’s size chart are straightforward and usually limited to waist circumference and leg length. In the case of low rise or high rise jeans, you might need to specify the length of the front rise as well.
Waist: this measurement refers to the circumference of the waist, which is taken at the narrowest point of the trunk. Most of the time, this point is situated just above the belly button.
Length: the length of a pair of jeans corresponds to the inseam, which is the length of the inner leg.
Here is an example of a women’s jeans size chart with the conversion from Alpha measurements to Waist/Length.
Women jeans cut and fit
As previously mentioned, jeans sizes are usually defined just using waist and length measurements. So it’s important to provide your shoppers with clear indications on the jeans cut and fit. Here is an overview of the most common women’s jeans cuts and fits.
Straight: straight leg jeans, where the width of the leg remains the same from the crotch to the ankle. Think of a regular fit but with a slightly wider leg. The difference between the two models can be seen especially in men’s clothing, in women’s fashion are often used as synonyms.
Slim fit: slim fit jeans have a tight fit, follow the shape of the leg up to the calf, but remain slightly straighter in the last part of the leg without adhering perfectly to it. They are the perfect middle ground between skinny and straight jeans.
Skinny: definitely the tightest of all models on the market. They follow the body shape perfectly and wrap around legs and buttocks as if they were a second skin. Some brands also offer the Super Skinny version, more like jeggings than jeans.
Boyfriend fit: this fit is wide on the hips and wide on the leg, with a high waist and a low crotch. They are almost always worn by turning up the bottom hem.
Loose fit: also known as baggy fit, they became popular in 2019. Wide from the waist till the ankles, they then tighten slightly. They always have a low crotch and rather high waist.
Flared: these are the most bell-shaped fit. The leg widens from the knee, forming a sort of “bell” shape. The so-called “bell-bottoms” of the ’60s, in the lower part, were wider than the “bell-bottom” jeans that came back into fashion in the ’90s. Over time, the end of the leg narrowed slightly while maintaining the original shape.
Bootcut: halfway between Flare and Straight, they are less wide than the former and less straight than the latter. Bootcuts tighten slightly at the knee and then widen again to accommodate the boot (hence their name), but the opening in the lower part of the leg is less wide than that of the Flare.
Wide: this fit is wide from the buttocks to the bottom hem. These pants always reach the ground.
Distressed: this is not a fit per se, more of a style of denim. Distressed jeans can have different fits, but have cuts and slashes in them and are often open at the knees, leaving a part of the leg uncovered.
Mom fit: Soft shape, with a wide leg and high-waisted. Slimmer than the Boyfriend fit, the Mom fit jeans also have a higher inseam and a less masculine cut.
Men jeans size chart
The measurements of men’s size charts are the same as women’s size charts:
Waist: circumference of the waist, taken at the narrowest point of the trunk.
Length: the length of the inner leg.
Men jeans cut and fit
Normally we are led to think that men own two garments for each season and that the only difference that distinguishes them is the color. That is of course not the case, and also men’s jeans have different cut and fit, even though the choice is usually less wide as in women jeans.
Here is an overview of the most common ones.
Boot cut: these are the flared models, actually a bit overseen by fashion in recent years.
Regular: the jeans fit par excellence, the one that immediately comes to mind when you think of jeans: classic model, neither too loose nor too tight, does not adhere to the leg and has a straight and regular cut. Among the best fits for men’s jeans, a regular cut is very versatile and can be used both for a casual look “pants + polo”, or in more elegant outfits in combination with jacket and shirt.
Baggy: the most comfortable ones! They are characterized by soft cuts, a relaxed fit, wide waist and lower crotch than traditional fits.
Relaxed: just slightly more large on the hips and wider on the legs than the regular fit, but enough to make them more comfortable to wear.
Drop crotch: tight on the lower part of the legs, but very, very comfortable in the hip and crotch area.
Slim fit: It is a fit that sits tight on the leg, (but not too tight) and that falls straight on the shoe, without covering it.
Skinny: mostly manufactured with a stretch fabric that wraps around the leg to the ankle.
The difference between slim fit jeans and skinny jeans is in the fact that in the first the fabric is slightly tight on the leg, but then falls straight on the ankle. In the case of skinny jeans the leg is very tight and continues to be tight even on the ankle.
Loose fit: this jeans fit is characterized by soft cuts, loose fit, very wide waist and leg and crotch lower than other models. This comfortable fit has become a trend amongst the female audience, that defines this type of pants as “boyfriend jeans”.
Tips for creating Jeans size charts
- Make sure you specify not only the waist and length of the jeans, but also their cut and fit.
- If you sell on different markets, make sure you use a conversion unit size chart.
- Provide your shoppers with a main size chart for the waist measurements of the jeans, and a secondary chart for the length of the item.
- If you need to add more measurements, refer to our measurement guides.
Building Jeans size charts with Sizefox
With Sizefox you can easily build sleek Shopify size charts for your ecommerce and add a size recommender to support your shoppers with their sizing choice.
Sizefox has a 15-minutes integration, an intuitive interface and is distributed free of charge.
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