Boot-cut, relaxed, skinny, slim, regular, tapered – there are so many styles of jeans today that shopping for the right fit gets confusing. This is especially the case when looking for something comfortable for work. What are slim tapered jeans?
Slim tapered jeans are slim through the hips and thighs, then taper in width below the knee, and fit even tighter near the ankle. They are a sort of hybrid between slim jeans and skinny jeans.
Taper is defined as “a gradual narrowing”, which helps us understand what is happening to a pair of slim-taper jeans. They start as a slim fit above the knee, but then gradually narrow as they near the ankle.
This unique design allows for fitted comfort around the waist and a tighter fit where the jean hits the shoe. In this article let’s take a closer look at slim taper jeans, and how they fit.
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What Are Slim Tapered Jeans?
If you imagine the shape of your leg, it naturally gets narrower as it nears your ankle. Taper fit jeans, in general, attempt to mimic this natural leg shape.
Tapered jeans gradually narrow as they near the ankle, just like your leg does. Wearing tapered jeans can keep you from having baggy, excess fabric below the knee, and can help show off leg shape.
But tapered jeans can come in several different fits. For example, you can find jeans that have a loose-tapered fit, and jeans that have a slim-tapered fit.
Both styles will gradually narrow as they near the ankle, but as the name might suggest, slim jeans start at the top with a very fitted, slim cut. So, as you can imagine, when you gradually narrow a fit that was already slim, it becomes a borderline skinny fit down near the ankle.
Here’s a pair of slim tapered jeans that I own (Levi 512):
These jeans taper and naturally mimic the shape of my leg. When we look at the ankle itself, we see these jeans fit almost like skinny jeans near the leg opening:
As you can see, there is barely any loose material down near the ankle. Now, remember, a loose-tapered fit will not be this tight around the ankle.
But because these are slim-tapered, we already started with a fitted cut above the knee, so once we gradually narrow that fit, we end with a skinny leg opening.
We can actually see this gradual narrowing of the tapered fit when we compare these slim-tapered jeans to another pair of regular slim jeans that I own. Notice how the slim-tapered jeans on top narrow below the knee:
Through the hips and upper thighs, both styles are slim fit, and look very similar. But once we reach the knee area, we see the slim-tapered jeans begin to narrow, mimicking the natural shape of a leg. The result is a style that is a sort of hybrid between slim and skinny.
Of course, every brand may shape their jeans slightly different, but this is a good example of what you can expect from a pair of slim tapered jeans.
Who Should Wear Slim Tapered Jeans?
With their tailored fit and tapered ankle, slim tapered jeans might seem suited to those with thin or shapely legs. But, the truth is anyone who doesn’t like baggy, roomy jeans can wear them.
That said, while the slim tapered fit can be worn by anyone, it may be especially attractive to those who want to draw attention to their leg shape. People who are confident in the look of their legs and thighs will appreciate that a slim, tapered fit can accentuate these body parts.
For those who need a lot of flexibility and range of motion while moving in their jeans, the slim tapered cut may be too confining. Some slim-tapered jeans may have a stretch-fabric blend to increase comfort. To read more about stretch, visit our article: What are 4 way stretch jeans?
Benefits of Wearing Slim Tapered Jeans
There are a few different benefits that you might come across after wearing a pair of slim tapered jeans.
- Slim tapered jeans are snug and stylish. One of the first things that you will notice while wearing slim tapered jeans is that they are extremely snug, and have almost a tailored appearance. This design can be clean and stylish.
- Their cut makes you look slim. Many different people that like to wear slim tapered jeans will proudly tell you that they like how the jeans make their legs appear longer and slimmer. This seems to be the most common reason people like the look of slim tapered jeans.
- They are versatile. The neat, tailored look of a slim tapered jean can be dressed up for the office with a sports coat or blazer, and still looks like something you can wear out at night, with a dress shirt or blouse.
It is unclear whether the popularity of slim tapered jeans is just a temporary trend, but it certainly seems like this is a fashion style appeals to a wide range of people.
Who Should Avoid Slim Tapered Jeans?
Some people are not a big fan of slim tapered jeans because it simply doesn’t fit their fashion style. Others might prefer more room in the leg of their jeans than a slim tapered style allows.
Here are some of the drawbacks:
Negatives of Wearing Slim Tapered Jeans
- Slim tapered jeans might not be comfortable for every body size. A lot of people might find themselves to be uncomfortable while wearing slim tapered jeans if they have wider or thicker legs. If the slim leg and ankle are too tight, the wearer might not be able to move as freely as they’d like, and sitting down can be slightly uncomfortable as well.
- These jeans will not fit around a boot. If your work requires you to wear a boot, slim-tapered jeans might not work for you. The skinny leg opening won’t pair with all types of boots.
- They are more difficult to roll up. If you’re in a situation where you need to roll up the legs of your jeans, it’s going to be a little tough. There is generally not a lot of give around the ankle of a slim tapered jean.
- Prefer traditional slim – Some people like slim fit, but don’t like their jeans to narrow below the ankle. The taper fit may feel odd, or just make you feel like you’re wearing skinny jeans instead of slim jeans. For those people, a regular slim fit that doesn’t taper may be a better option than slim tapered jeans.
“I want a fit tighter than slim-taper…”
If you want something tighter than slim-tapered jeans, you’ll likely need to go to a skinny fit. For an idea on how those fits might compare, visit my article about Levi 510 vs 512.
“I want a fit looser than slim-taper…”
If you want something a bit looser than slim-tapered jeans, you’ll likely need to go to a regular slim fit, or a slim-straight fit. For how slim compares to slim taper, visit my article about Levi 511 vs 512. For slim-straight vs slim tapered jeans, visit my article Levi 512 vs 513.