The Icons - Mens Straight Leg Jeans
STRAIGHT-LEG JEANS
Finding the right pair of jeans is an art form that we all want to perfect. We’re talking about styles that will look as good in a few years as they do now, the versatile kind that can be styled different ways to different occasions. Relaxed and quietly rugged, straight-leg styles will work harder than perhaps any other piece in your wardrobe. London-based stylist, consultant and Editor of CircleZeroEight Gary Armstrong writes about why, of his impressive denim collection, his trusty straight legs have the most staying power.
If I was to write a fashion memoir it would be entitled “My Life in Jeans”. In my opinion, blue denim should be considered a neutral. Over my years as a stylist, I have been fortunate enough to amass a large amount of clothing, and jeans occupy the top department in my archive. At last count, I had collected a gold mine of over 50 pairs, mainly vintage styles sourced on trips but also a few much-loved staples picked up from brands like FRAME, Acne Studios and Saint Laurent. Imagine a shade of denim and I can probably find a matching version in my closet. I invest in varying fits, but of those I wear the most on an everyday basis, it’s the classic straight silhouette that wins out.
To me, they are the type of garment that says so much while saying so little. Humble yet confident, cool but understated, a straight-leg jean makes me feel like I’m a boss. There’s also something comfortable and supportive about a pair that sits on the waist. I personally steer away from denim with any type of stretch, preferring them to act as a structured, maybe even corset-like fit, think Spanx for cowboys. Stylistically speaking, I feel equal parts Princess Diana and River Phoenix in a pair of straight-fit jeans and an oversized blazer. And who wouldn’t want that?
I cannot think of any item of clothing more universally loved than the straight-shaped jean. Easy to love but hard to perfect, this simple seeming garment is a low-key staple that anchors any wardrobe. There are few things more impressive to a fashion eye than someone eschewing the trend of the day and finding a sensible style that works no matter what, like classic, practical, higher rise styles. Not that you asked, but next in line are vintage T-shirts, followed by a great tailored coat, but I digress. We are here to discuss jeans of the straight variety.
To look forward, we must always acknowledge our origins. In 1873, Levi Strauss brought the straightforward fit to the masses making it an immediate staple for workwear and casualwear, cementing it as the most popular apparel on earth. There’s something undeniably rugged, nostalgic, and ultimately sexy about this denim cut. It’s an item of clothing that evokes cowboys exploring open frontiers as easily as images of Tony Ward in Bruce LaBruce’s 1996 movie Hustler White, wearing the straight pair with a shrunken white T-shirt.
I definitely wanted to grow up and grow into a pair of Calvins — although admittedly my fantasy was more Brooke Shields than Marky Mark. I’ve always been drawn to the obvious simplicity and unashamed ‘square’-ness of a pair of straight-leg jeans, not as flashy as a flare, or cringe as a skinny. My earliest memory of wearing a pair was during the holidays aged eight, when I insisted on color blocking my looks. I opted for a mock turtleneck, check flannel shirt and my favorite style of jean entirely in festive green — a combination I also had in mustard (it was the ‘90s, after all).
So, where does one find the perfect fit? For a worn-in, carefree, fresh-from-the-ranch look, consider distressed and disheveled styles. Amiri does a good game in rough, tough and ready versions. Versatility is the calling card of a great straight-fit jean, allowing us to think outside the box when it comes to outfitting. Bold knitwear (this N.Peal number is a worthy choice), worn with a mid-blue wash and a white sneaker feels cool, easy and classic.
Straight pairs in a black wash offer a devil-may-care approach to evening attire — not as stiff as formal pants and more acceptable than blue denim. These black Helmut Lang jeans are the perfect combination of formality and irreverence. It’s also a style that enables you to experiment in the print department — I’m a fan of loud and proud versions from Off White.
I feel confident enough to write that straight-leg jeans are the type of item in which everyone should invest. They are the sort of garment you can truly wear with anything, to any occasion (bar perhaps a funeral or court appearance). The runways may have played with denim proportions of late, preferring instead to maximize or minimize the fit, but why mess with perfection? There’s a straight-shaped icon for all; you just have to decide if you’re more of James Dean or a Kurt Cobain, an Andy Warhol or Danny Zuko. But no matter who you are, a straight leg is a jean for all seasons and reasons.
