Recently I’ve been intrigued by the whole publicity and media attention that unisex clothing is getting. John Lewis recently took away the gender on their children’s clothes and H&M have launched a unisex denim line, while designers like Louis Vuitton created last years women’s campaign with Jaden Smith modelling the female clothes, and others have featured women in the men’s clothes and males in the women’s clothes. While this is all really good and exciting for making waves in the gender stigma area, I’ve personally never really understood why it’s even a big deal in the first place.
A lot of the guys here love the super skinny spray on jeans (as you know) and will often resort to wearing women’s jeans for that reason – they want a closer, tighter fit. My fiance Adam (our male reviewer) always wears women’s jeans, in fact, 99% of his denim collection is women’s. I know a lot of you here will definitely understand as you love that fit too and enjoy his reviews, but in the bigger picture or the outside world, a lot of people can’t accept it or think it’s ridiculous, even though they can’t tell they’re women’s.
With this in mind, I really don’t understand the stigma behind clothes being worn by both genders, regardless of who they were made for. My motto has always been ‘if it looks good and you feel confident in it – wear it’ and I stand by that. I’ve been wearing men’s clothing since I was a child, mixed in with my women’s clothing, and I’ve never had an issue with it. I know it’s not quite the same as women wearing men’s clothing as it’s somewhat become sexualised (shirts or overalls spring to mind) or has to be accepted by everyone because of the female gender equality, but where does that leave the guys? I’m not sure why it’s ok for women to wear men’s clothing, but it’s more frowned upon for men to wear women’s clothing.
One issue that springs to mind is personality though, as I know to a lot of people seeing a masculine guy in a floral dress is quite striking, where as if you saw a more feminine guy in a floral dress, it’s not as striking, but to me that’s because of fashion being about your personality and matching who you are as a person, so if there’s a stark contrast between the two, I think that’s where the shock comes in. I do understand most people’s points of view on it and can see the argument from both sides, however I feel like fashion and denim is such a personal thing, it really showcases your personality and who you are, so wearing what you want to wear and feeling comfortable in it is important. I think it’s awful that people feel restricted because of social pressure and end up getting upset or down because they don’t feel like they can be themselves.
So, all in all, I am really happy that other brands and designers are conquering this issue and bridging the gap between the gender divide. Of course we still need women’s and men’s clothing though because our body shapes are different. Us ladies have boobs and hips, guys have broader shoulders and smaller hips, so we still need that, I just don’t think it should be an issue for anyone to wear the other genders clothing if they want to. Especially when it comes to jeans. Us ladies wear boyfriend and men’s jeans comfortably and without any prejudice, so men should be allowed to wear women’s jeans without any stigma too. I know The Jeans Blog is a completely open and accepting place of that as we always recommend the best women’s jeans for you guys to wear, so hopefully it catches on more. I’ve been saying for years that in the future there shouldn’t be any issues and clothes should be gender neutral with the correct fits, so as long as what you’re wearing fits you perfectly and looks really good, you should go for it, despite the gender.
The point of this blog post though was to bring it to light a bit more and ask what all of your opinions are on it? Levi’s have been making the 501 unisex jean for decades now and there’s been no issue with those as it’s just accepted. Granted, the jeans are more of a masculine fit as they’re loose, so they’re more geared towards the men’s fits, but the fact they’re accepted as a unisex jean without any problems or discrimination is perfect. I just hope it will all continue! The male celebs like Zac Efron, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Joey Essex, Jared Leto, even Mick Jagger etc that wear women’s skinny jeans are definitely helping the case as so many more men now are rocking the super skinny fit and heading to the women’s department for it, but men’s brands are catching onto that as you know and have created the super spray on styles so they fit like women’s.
As we know, men’s denim trends always follow on from the women’s a few seasons after, so why not be one of the first to jump on the trend instead and wear the women’s versions before the men’s come out? Definitely share your opinions on it all! Ladies, would you mind if your husband/boyfriend wanted to wear women’s jeans? And guys, how do you feel about wearing women’s jeans?
Shop Women’s Skinny Jeans at Shopbop.com & Revolve.com
Main image above of Adam in GRLFRND Candice Jeans – review here.
Me personally, my problem has been design and fit.
As far as pants go, women’s pants are cut differently in the crotch area, if they have solved this problem,then that’s great.
If they have decided to make them without the girly designs, then great.
Now there are some people who want the girly designs, that’s fine too.
Point blank: I think there should be three genders; men’s, women’s, and neutral.
Neutral in clothing sense means sizing, and deco are taken into consideration.
With that said, I know there are those who are going to want more. Such as men’s with feminine designs, or women’s with masculine designs, but hey, you can’t please everybody.
Here in the States of America, I don’t think women or men are accepting of the fact that man can wear “SOME” women’s article of clothing and still be masculine. Myself for example: my new found appreciation for skinnies. I used to have a problem because they would not fit right. In part because of my small frame, but muscular build. Example: small waist 29-30 in waist , but muscular legs. Men’s wide leg pants look ridiculous. Recently, I’ve started seeing athletic cut, which is by the way, the clothing manufactures way of saying that we now recognize there is another masculine body build out there; introduced me to the new skinniest, which now stretch.
Where as in pre 2016 or 2015, stretch was unheard of in men’s jeans.
So now that we have stretch in men’s jeans, it acknowledges the fact that clothes can move with you, i.e. Muscles, when you “FLEX” which most men have the capability of doing much easier than women, then the clothes can flex with you; as muscles too can change shape at any given moment throughout the day.
If men and women would get over their ignorance of what defines a man, we can all move on.
Yeah, I can now wear skinnies, but I still do manly things i.e. Fix cars, athletic activities, and love women, etc. but here in the States of America, clothes dictate who or what I am.
Author
It’s such a shame that it’s still like that where you are. I’m not sure if it’s because I am in the UK and close to Europe, which is more accepting, especially in Italy, but maybe it’s still going to take a while for it to become mainstream. It’s good you managed to find some stretchy jeans to fit your muscles though, that’s brilliant! Stretch should always be in men’s clothing in my opinion, it makes things fit better and is so comfortable! Sweat pants are stretchy, so jeans should be too. I do love the idea of a male, female, and neutral though. What a good idea. Would it be enough to get rid of the stigma though as men’s and women’s would still exist? Would people be too afraid to go for the neutral clothes?
I believe that as long as people are still weak minded, then yes, it would be difficult for people to understand the jest behind neutral. Plain and simply put, here in the States of America, we are just to dumb and ignorant.
Yes, insecure men would be too afraid to wear gender neutral clothes, and women are too strong of an influence. Luckily, I won’t be falling in that category, for I am secure in who I am.
There does seem to be a double standard about crossdressing in the U.S. It is perfectly acceptable, even normal, for women to wear an article of men’s clothing. However, if a man were to wear an article of women’s clothing, it would considered weird. I don’t know why this double standard exists, but I think it is ridiculous. I like my jeans to be tight because feel that loose denim drags me down. I would love to wear women’s jeans because of their tightness against the skin. I have not been able to bring myself to do it, yet, because I live in a part of the country where this double standard is particularly strong. The tightest jeans I wear are some “super skinny” (that’s what is sewn on the inside of the waistband) jeans from American Eagle. Even though they are men’s jeans, I am still teased, & ridiculed by some of my coworkers because of how tight they are. They would have a field day if showed up to work in an even tighter pair of women’s jeans. I agree with what you said about needing men’s, & women’s clothes because of different body shapes, & that it should not be an issue for anyone to where the clothes of the other gender.
Author
Hi Nicholas! That’s so sad! I’ve never really understood why this kind of ridicule happens, I mean there’s 7 billion people in the world and each of us has 37 trillion cells, which turnover around every 30 days. That means, no single one person is the same as another, so I don’t understand where bullying for differences comes from. Each of us is completely different. I don’t see anything wrong with tighter jeans on men, they look better than baggy jeans 100%! You can actually see the male shape (I mean legs, bum etc) with skinny jeans and that’s great! I just hope in time that it becomes more acceptable for you all. It’s such a shame!
I agree
I agree with you 100 % and have witness this double standard against males within historical menswear all of my long life; i.e. pants; especially denim jeans. We should be talking about female transvestism not males to be truthful and accurate ! Leather cowboy boots or riding/ military tall boots is another big issue of anti-maleness/ masculine and the way it is perceived in Western culture.
Hi Lorna,
I’ve gotten to the point where I’ll buy and try any type of women’s jeans that look nice to me, but I wear different styles for what I consider to be the appropriate place. For example, I’ll wear straight and slim jeans to work. Because these women’s varieties still have the stretch, they are comfortable and nice to wear. As for the skinny and jegging styles, I save them mostly for outside of work activities, partially for reason another user pointed out regarding coworkers. Besides, I feel that those tighter jeans are less “business appropriate” anyway and look more playful than what I would typically wear to work.
I noticed that no one in any of these discussions mention cropped/capri length jeans such as girlfriend, boyfriend, etc. I would also group them into this category as I’ve grown to like those as well even though it’s rare to see men wearing those in this country unless they are huge and baggy.
Stores should just combine all the jeans in one big section if you ask me. That would make it way more comfortable for both sexes to try what looks good to them.
Author
Hi Jon,
I think there is coming a point where that will happen. Unisex clothing is a lot more popular now and here in the UK a lot of stores don’t really worry if a guy shops the women’s or vice versa. Urban Outfitters and Topshop/Topman are very free with regards to that. It’s quite common for guys here to go for the women’s skinny jeans or the spray on men’s. The only time I see them cropped though is if they’re cuffed or rolled at the hem. It depends on the look the guy is going for. If it’s a masculine look where they don’t want anyone to know the jeans are women’s, they keep them full length or of a stylish length, but if they don’t mind a more feminine look, that’s up to the guy what length he chooses. All personal preference!
as Far as cuffs go, I’m really not to crazy about them.
I like a nice clean run down the leg. With the hem stopping right at, slightly above, or below the ankle. Some of mine I cuff, because I don’t like the slouch look, stacking look, or the bunching, or wrinkling at the ankles. Call it what you want, but I like a nice clean cut appearance.
Author
I think a normal length to the ankle or just above is fine. I see a lot of guys wearing jeans that way with brogues or boat shoes, it looks cool! Especially the Italians. I thought he meant cropped as in mid calf or higher, like the 90’s trend of ‘peddle pushers’ lol.
I wear my track tights full length, mid calf, or short. But not my jeans, that’s just not my style. But I did hear someone mention that earlier in this post.
Hello,
I work sitting thru whole day also I have some some blood circulation problems. Because of that I started wearing pantyhose for my legs. I like them because they feel very nice, warm and comfortable. After that the search has begun. I realized some women’s clothing actually cheaper, especially pants. When there is a discount, the prices are like ridiculous. So I decided to try women’s jean at first. I bought a few pairs then it all got snowballed. Now, I mostly wear women’s pants, panthyose, even underware (not those with laces etc..) which I got for dirty cheap. If they are on sale and they fit, I go for them.
Let me remind you, I’m not gay or crossdresser etc. I’m totally normal straight guy. One of my pants was so cheap like steal and they are spray on, thight as f*ck. I combined those pants with boots and leather jacket and viola!! I got many compliments from ladies, thumbs up :).
Guys! – I can recommend Topshop Joni for a super-sexy skinny jean, you can find a few pics on here… it’s not for everyone but I am loving them
http://forum.thejeansblog.com/forum/women-s-jeans-for-men/24-the-best-women-s-skinny-jeans-for-men/page2
I also have a pair of Dr Denim Lexy – super-skinny …
Matt
I’m a straight man and I’ve always been tempted to try on a pair of American Eagle jeggings but somehow I get the feeling that normal folks will call me gay and barbaric. Then I also get the fear of the store manager calling the police on me and treating me like a slave as well as having the cops throwing me in jail.
Author
Sorry you feel that way, Chaz. I think it depends where you live. Nobody bats an eyelid here. Perhaps you could order online and try them in your own home?
Just man up.
If you want to try them, try them. Whether in store, or online. People will always have something negative to say, or have a dirty look to give, but fact of the matter is, men are supposed to be brave, and trailblazers.
I get the feeling, you have let Fem-a-Nazis put fear in your heart and mind. If you let them do that then you allow them to control you, and that’s what they want to do. Don’t let it happen.
Dude if I can give you any advice get the American eagle women’s jeggings
I’m a straight guy and I started wearing them last yr
They are really fun to wear and the fit is AMAZING
I get compliments all the time …..
What’s weird is when I first started wearing them I got the more conservative ones , no rips etc
Now I rock them all
I have over 20 pairs
Try them you won’t regret it
I purchased a vintage ripped style skinny jean from American eagle at TJ Maxx. Other than the fact the back pocket looks different compared to guy’s ae jeans, it really looks like a nice pair of skinny jeans, fitting the way it should fit. Nice and tight in the backside, since it’s a regular skinny, it still offers enough leg room, stretchy, and decent sized back pockets (which most ae seem to deliver well). I’m almost considering these jeans better in some ways compared to Levi’s.
https://www.ae.com/women-ae-denim-x-hi-rise-jegging-mad-mess/web/s-prod/0433_1056_416?cm=sUS-cUSD&catId=cat20116
https://www.ae.com/women-jeans-ae-denim-x-jegging-sapphire-mist/web/s-prod/0431_1020_476?cm=sUS-cUSD&catId=cat20116
https://www.ae.com/women-ae-denim-x-hi-rise-jegging-deep-sea-blue/web/s-prod/0433_1132_911?cm=sUS-cUSD&catId=cat7010084
I’ve tried the Levi’s and they are OK nothing special
I think they are too basic and aren’t flattering in the butt…. at least mine lol
I like American eagle pockets bc they are larger and I think the design is cute on the back where it’s flattering but not flashy or too feminine
I used to wear a lot of 7 for all mankind women’s bootcuts back in the day (the Kimmie Bootcut) and I thought sevens had the more feminine back pockets bc of the stitching even though they use the same one on male and female
I like American eagles design better ….
I sent my three most favorite AE jeans above
The first ones are the best
So comfy, destroyed yet you don’t have to show skin and they look cool just wearing sneakers and a T or sweat shirt
The color on the 2nd one is so nice and flashy , I get a ton of comments
The last ones I wear for more casual dress, they go well with anything really
Fit I’d really good
While posting this I saw they have the new “dream jean “ on the website
I’ll need to check those out and prolly buy them all lol
When I wear women’s jeans I only wear American Eagle jeans because they’re do comfortable. And since a few years ago they started to make most of their women’s jeans with big enough front pockets to carry a phone and a wallet. I’m mostly a size 6 short skinny. As long as they have deep front pockets and that the back pattern is about the same color of the jeans I buy them.
I see plenty of interesting comments here, beats me how I missed this article. Yes I have women’s jeans and dress pants, but I have also recently worn leggings that look like a tighter pair of sweat pants. I have them in black, green, grey, etc. With a longer shirt, people can’t really tell what you’re wearing. I have actually gotten brave and purchased holiday leggings just now. The color is very neutral and from far they look like tight pants with some nice prints. However, despite my best efforts, I still over think in times, so like one step at a time! Yes I know leggings, especially the ones with prints might seem pretty much ‘what the girls wear’ since it’s popular for the ladies, but why can’t men have some of the fun? lol!
Damn what crazy comments. I love women jeans, the fit the feel. I’m wearing a pair of Diane Gilman right now. As far as cut goes they fit snugly, I was blessed in the tool department and I am comfortable. I tend to like that 80s and 90s rock n roll look. Not all Guys can sport this look and not all guys should wear these kind of jeans.
This thread almost had what I was looking for. Mens jeans are a scam. Us men look so ridiculous in jeans (and pants) that are below our waist. I have a nice body and since you humans want me to wear clothes then i’d like to do it with as little material as possible. Im looking for a pair of jeans, that a high waisted, sit above my belly button, show my great ass, not too tight in the thighs, or knees, come all the way down to my ankles, with little to no extra material at the bottom. Imagine, from the crotch up, womens high waisted pants, and thighs below, straight fit mens cuts. Impossible to find.
Author
We have numerous other threads about women’s jeans and the best ones to choose for men. So many of the guys here wear them. So what length inseam would that be as you didn’t specify? And what rise in inches? There’s quite a few cuts you can look at.
It’s as if society wants us to look like clowns wearing oversized clothes.
Just look at any men’s fashions other than suits, they make us look like clowns.
Take men wearing thongs for example: just to deter men from wearing such articles of clothing, when pictured for advertising, they photographers, or whomever set up the photo shoot, makes the model look like a clown. If they put the effort to sell the product, like they do women’s clothing, then maybe men will take it more seriously.
Yes I hate men suits men have no nice clothes to go out on date with even women clothes look so much better than men’s on us guys men’s clothes are good for work but if want go out for dinner we need some women clothes they look and feel better to all clothes should be gender neutral why have men’s and women clothes
Thanks for this article! I found this searching for help understanding what women’s jeans fit. I have been tempted previously but now that I have read this I want to get out and try some on just to see how great they feel. I always wear skinny style jeans and get a lot of compliments from the ladies and ribbing from the guys side. I think that it is primarily that the coworkers and the like are just unhappy they can’t figure out how to buy clothes that fit or rather they just don’t think about it at all.
One dilemma that I have recently solved has a direct effect on comfort when I wear jeans that actually fit and that is men’s underwear. I have always worn Jockey underwear but recently realized they are thick and always bunching up around my legs so I decided to find something that fit well and was comfortable. I started searching the internet for a solution much as I did to find this article. I ordered a pair of Maidenform Pure Genius Boyshort panties. If every man on the planet tried these panties the companies that make men’s underwear would go out of business. I was hesitant to even try them but placed the Amazon order and it is amazing how much more comfortable I am all day. I was worried what the love of my life would think about her man wearing panties. She is the love of my life for a reason and once I told her she could not wait to see them on my body. Since then I come home to find she has bought me new panties to try. Every man should rush and order a pair of Pure Genius Boyshorts as you don’t need that fly anyway lol.
This country talks all about equality but gets hung up on what label is attached to clothes. I would guarantee 99% of the coworkers that rib me for wearing tight jeans would just decide I am homosexual because I figured out a secret they don’t know. Clothes should look good on you and to do that they should fit. Buying clothes that fit should not mean they are uncomfortable.
I can’t wait to try some jeggings!
I’m in the UK and as a tall (6ft2″) man with a disproportionately long inseam (37″) I had always found buying jeans with sufficient inseam length difficult. Now I buy from Long Tall Sally and they do jeans in bigger sizes with the long legs that are needed for me. As a bonus, the LTS “Powerstretch” super skinnies come in an amazing range of colours and are – put simply – the softest, most comfortable jeans I’ve ever owned.
I used to be very curious and desired women’s pants for their closer, form fitting, sexy looks. However once i bought them i realised why they will never gonna work on any male body.
Reason was that while women jean’s form fitting tapered look, works well on their body by making their legs appear slimmer, taller and more toned but on man their already heavy upper body combined with tapering effect of these jeans give them comical matchstick legs look.
It will works great on women, not only because it compliments their smaller torso but also they have less private parts to hide/protect down there. Camel toe is only uncomfortable to viewers looking at her junk but on man if crotch become too short the pain will make him go dizzy for sure. And if men get erections while wearing these!! well they should never leave home withought a big encyclopedia or holy bible or big bag(extra gay look) to cover it.
Talking about man bags, those small pockets on women jeans are also one of his enemy. While its acceptable of women to carry purses to stuff their belongings but not for man before getting famous with your coworkers as “that man with blue bag”.
Sadly we men are doomed forever for wearing such garment even if some like us really want to. It aint practical at all.
Not all men are built like a brick. I’m very slim and can easily fit a size zero. As for the back pockets, there are women’s jeans that have bigger back pockets that can fit modern sized phone. I have those phone wallets attached to them, so it makes it easier to carry the essentials. I don’t carry shoulder bags, only a slim waist bag at times.
Author
I think it depends entirely on the fit you go for. My partner wears women’s skinny jeans all the time and they look great. Depends on what you’re going for and choosing the right fit for your body shape. You could try sizing up so they’re not as skin tight? Plus, men’s bags are becoming more common. I’m seeing a lot of guys with fanny packs/belt bags these days, as well as holdalls and backpacks, so you can definitely carry a bag around for your items if you can’t find a back pocket big enough.
I wear women’s Levi 711 skinny jeans, I just find they fit me in a way that I prefer over mens jeans. I replied to a question on Quora asking “can men wear women’s jeans” and there are more details and photos of me in my jeans there.
https://www.quora.com/Can-men-wear-womens-jeans-1
I can’t access the forum on the jeans blog, there is some technical issue. i’d love to interact with more people on the subject.
I’ve just discovered women’s super stretchy jeans. It was by accident actually as I bought a pair of men’s stretch work (tradesman) style pants and they were so comfortable I started looking for other stretch pants. I found some women’s super stretch jeans in an op shop and haven’t looked back! My wife was a bit dubious at first but they’re growing on her!
I’ve only just started wearing women’s jeans a lot more than my “men’s jeans” (I usually just wear Levis) and I’ve found that not only are they are lot more comfortable but women also have a lot more choice when it comes to styles and colours.
I’m not daring enough yet to wear pink ones (I have seen a pair that look great but I went for a more neutral colour instead).
The small pockets can be a pain in the butt for carrying stuff (phones have to live in back pockets but that is a price worth paying for when you have jeans that you not only love but look great in as well.
I think it’s kinda cool for guys to wear women’s jeans and I’ve been trying to follow the trend too. I’ve fully got the confidence to wear them in public However the last couple times I put on American eagle Jeggings they seem tight around my crotch. Someone mentioned I need to wear the right kind of underwear and I want to continue having them on me without the pain. Does anyone have any ideas?
I wear thongs at all times.
I wear jeans from Super spray on fit, to slim fit.
Is there an alternative to the thong? I’m not really sure I’m comfortable with my bottom being bare. Maybe perhaps something like panties or boxer briefs?
If you’re wearing pants, nobody is going to see your bare bottom.
But yes, there are briefs, and bikinis.
Wear womens vanity fair illuminations double string satin bikini panties !!!! I do with my American eagle super skinny Jennings !!! They are very comfortable and you can not tell or see you wearing panties with the skinny jeans!!!!
I think it’s kinda cool for guys to wear women’s jeans and I’ve been trying to follow the trend too. I’ve fully got the confidence to wear them in public However the last couple times I put on American eagle Jeggings they seem tight around my crotch. Someone mentioned I need to wear the right kind of underwear and I want to continue having them on me without the pain. Does anyone have any ideas?
A lot of my clothes shopping of late has been in the in what is branded women’s. I wear women’s stretch jeans both slim and straight leg, they have a better fit and are very comfortable. In the main its only you yourself who knows if you are wearing women’s clothes unless its blatantly obvious. I have gone to work dressed totally in women’s branded clothes (apart from underwear may I add), if you choose the right styles no one knows any different.
Have been wearing women’s jeans for 20 years. Just so much more comfortable and better fit, although depending on manufacturer my size ranges from an 8 NYDJ to a 12 Gloria Vanderbilt. Had to memorize my size for the company I am buying from. Why have women put up with this arbitrary sizing since the dawn of clothing.
Hi Lorna,
It was getting really hot this summer and wanted real shorts. So I bought women’s jean shorts with a 3″ inseam. Seems like from the 50’s to the turn of the century, guys wore short shorts, but it is taboo these days to wear shorts with an inseam of less than 5″. 5″ inches is already pushing the limits of shorts for men. Reading the history of shorts, it makes no sense what happened.
Women’s front pockets are small, who cares? I don’t want my pockets hanging out anyway. I can get even my keys and wallet to fit in those little pockets. I love the spandex stretch. Women shorts are so cool!
I wear a size 8 for regular jeans and size 12 for jean shorts. The hip and waist measure the same for size 8 regular jeans and size 12 jean shorts. Has this been you experience in buying shorts (one size for jeans, different size for shorts)?
Author
Hi Eugene! No, actually I am the same size in shorts as I am in jeans, but it will be dependent on the fabric content, the style of short, and how you want them to fit. Sizing up works well as nobody really likes their shorts as skintight as their jeans!