Bootcut jeans never actually went away, they just got abandoned by people who thought skinny was the only answer. Those people have since discovered that a slight flare from the knee is quietly one of the most flattering cuts a pair of jeans can have. It lengthens the leg, balances the hip, and sits beautifully over a low heel or boot without bunching or clinging. The silhouette does real work.

What we have found is that the quality of the cut varies enormously between brands. A bad bootcut looks frumpy. A good one looks intentional and elegant, like you understood something other people missed. The difference is in the degree of the flare, where exactly it starts, and how the waistband sits. We have been genuinely selective here.

These are the bootcut jeans we actually rate. Dark rinse options that work from the office straight into an evening. Mid wash versions that belong at the weekend. Some with a bit of stretch, some in a stiffer denim that holds its shape properly all day. The cut that suits almost everyone, chosen by people who mean it.