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Men’s Denim Guide: Find Your Favorite Fit

Expert Advice

Men’s Denim Guide: Find Your Favorite Fit

Sep 5, 2024

Your jeans are a fashion choice that’s as personal as your kicks, so you want to find a denim style that fits both your body and your personality. Here’s the thing: Denim sizes can be a little more complicated than shoe sizes, and it’s important to know which of the different cuts of denim you’re looking for. Fortunately, our jeans fit guide can break it down in just a few minutes.

The Denim Fit Guide

The Denim Fit Guide

Discover the right style for you with the Hibbett jeans fit guide.

Regular Fit Denim

  • Fall straight from hip to thigh and from knee to ankle without compression.
  • Mid-rise waist band and large leg openings.
  • Great for guys with an average build and slim-to-athletic legs.
  • Fit Pick: Levi's Men's 501 1999 Surf Prem Regular Fit Jeans

Straight Fit Denim

Tapered Fit Denim

Slim Fit Denim

Slim Fit Denim

Skinny Fit Denim

  • Narrow all the way from the thigh to the ankle, with slim ankle openings.
  • Skinniest style of jeans — can restrict mobility sometimes.
  • Most commonly worn by tall, slim, and/or athletic guys.
  • Fit Pick: Smoke Rise Men's Santorini Slim Fit Denim Jeans

Relaxed Fit Denim

Jeans Size Guides and FAQs

What is denim “rise”?


“Rise” refers to the distance between the crotch of a pair of jeans and the top of the waistband. Basically, it determines where your jeans will sit on your body. The different rise levels break down as follows:

  • High-rise denim sits just above the belly button and rests high on the waist. It’s a slimming look that’s ideal for more heavyset guys.
  • Mid-rise denim sits right at the belly button, comfortably resting on the waist. Mid-rise is a versatile silhouette that’s hard to go wrong with.
  • Low-rise denim sits below the belly button and rests on the hips. Low-rise are loose around the waist and seat, offering a casual look that’s especially good on slim and athletic builds.

Do you have a jeans size guide for men?

Understanding men’s jeans sizing isn’t too hard once you understand what’s going on. Here’s how it works:

  • Unlike most other types of clothes, which use the traditional S/M/L sizing, men’s pants use numbers to measure the waist and inseam.
  • The first number is the circumference of the waist in inches. The second number is the length of the inseam (the seam on the inside of the jeans leg) in inches.
  • Not sure what your waist and inseam measurements are? Grab a soft measuring tape and find out:
    • Inseam: Measure the length of your leg from the crotch of your pants to your ankle.
    • Waist: Decide where you like the waistband of your pants to sit (i.e. the rise). Then, wrap the tape measure around that part of your body (such as your waist or hips). 
  • The best part: Once you have your waist and inseam measurements, you’ll be able to use them for most types of men’s pants, not just jeans.

What is denim material made of?

Traditional men’s denim is crafted from 100% cotton. This type of denim is called “rigid denim” because it doesn’t stretch or give as easily as alternative fabrics. Increasingly, however, stretchier fibers are being woven into modern denim to give it more play and flexibility. The fibers in question are often spun cotton yarn, wrapped around an elastomeric material (such as Spandex) to offer a final product that’s soft and flexible, but maintains the definition of classic denim.

What does “fly” refer to on denim?

The fly is the flap sewn into the front of every pair of men’s jeans. Typically, a fly will have either a zipper or a series of metal buttons that are used to open and close the fly. When you see the terms “zipper fly” and “button fly” listed on a pair of jeans, this is what they mean. Some guys prefer one or the other, so it’s worth trying both and deciding which one works better for you.

What denim styles are hot right now?

What denim styles are hot right now?

These days, there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all fashion — so it all depends on what look you’re going for. 

Going for rock-star skinny? Crysp Denim Men's Atlantic Skinny Fit Denim Jeans - Jet Black are the look.

In search of styling ideas? See our denim styling do’s and don’ts, or learn about how to match your jeans to your favorite pair of Air Jordans.

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