Difference between boyfriends and slouchy ask skinnies

April

The lines between all of these things are definitely blurring, PA. The way I understand it, the first BF jeans were just huge and baggy, whereas now what seems to define "boyfriend" is a rolled hem, often a little distressing, and more or less any degree of slimness or bagginess.

11 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Boyfriends tend to be looser and baggier all over.

Slouchy skinnies have some room in the thigh and calf and may have a bit of crotch drop. But not a lot.

Also, these days, BF's tend to be rolled at the cuff (though not necessarily); slouchy skinnies could be rolled or full length.

In the end, maybe they are indistinguishable if you're talking about a slim BF jean vs. a looser one.

But I have a pair each, and the fit feels quite different on them to me.

#1 BF worn full length.

#2 Slouchy skinnies at full length

#3 BF worn rolled

#4 Slouchy skinnies worn rolled.

Obviously they are a different wash, one has distressing, etc. but that isn't relevant.

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11 years ago

shiny

Veteran

I'd call both boyfriend jeans. The look is as if you borrowed your boyfriend's jeans and then cuffed them up because they were too long. Most men wear wider leg jeans to begin with, but some do wear skinnies or more tapered leg. At least they do around here.

Men's jeans no matter what the leg style all have dropped crotches, because, you know, necessity. Dropped crotch to me equals boyfriend jeans. And this is what I would mean when I say "slouchy" too. Was at a hip hop show recently and this is very much a hip hop look -- allows for greater movement.

That said, I don't think it's ever been unfashionable to wear your jeans just ever so slightly loose, rather than painted on. This is what I think Angie means when she talks about "fluid" fit. I don't know if I'd use the term "relaxed" for that, because "relaxed" seems to mean something entirely different in jeans terminology, doesn't it? It means more like... shapeless. Whereas a fluid fit jean is not shapeless at all, nor is it baggy or saggy either -- it just isn't skin tight. It's an effortless look and very slimming. And one I've never been able to achieve in jeans. Unfortunately just do not have a body built for jeans. Maybe in the next life!

11 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

I have to think there is some marketing thing going on, as well as just the nature of style shifts, and certainly hard to define exactly now.

The "original" ( I guess it depends on what decade!) seemed to me to be an intentional "wrong size" look, and legs were straight, or too wide for gals, that is, so the idea was, they weren't your jeans and would not fit you--had to tie up the waist, they were droopy, and too long so had to be rolled.

The good news is that with all the items out there, I'm hopeful I'll find some that fit in a way I like, with some ease but not exaggerated.

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

Thanks for this thread, PA. I've been wondering the difference myself. Since I don't have a lot of meat on my bones, a regular boyfriend look is going to have me swimming in fabric. I like the slimmer fits that Angie has posted. I wonder too if for the boyfriend fit as opposed to the slouchy skinny fit, the cut will be a little bit bigger in the hips and thighs and have maybe a straighter cut up and down than a slouchy skinny. The slim boyfriends (or were they skinny boyfriends?) that I tried on at Old Navy the other day had probably the usual size of waist I would expect for any pair of jeans but were cut more generously in the hip and thigh. If you simply size up in skinnies, you would have a bigger waistband as well, which wasn't the case with at least these boyfriends. Maybe you will need to go to a place that sells both skinnies and boyfriends and see what the difference is for that retailer? I imagine it will differ from store to store.

11 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

My True Religion BFs are tapered at the bottom. But overall, they are wider than my slouchy skinnies (which also taper).

Also -- both these jeans have a slightly dropped waist and crotch point. That is, the waist is a bit looser than on my regular jeans. It's quite a bit looser in the case of the slouchy skinnies and a bit less so with the BFs since I sized DOWN in those and UP in the slouchy skinnies. (Do you feel as if you are on a crazy Escher-like staircase now? Sheesh!)

But the slouchy skinnies are not just a "one size up from my normal" skinny jean -- they were sold explicitly as slouchy jeans and although they are a size up, I didn't know it at the time I bought them. (I had just lost a pile of weight and had no idea what size I should be in.)

11 years ago

Adelfa

Veteran

DD has a pair of premium denim BF jeans that have the tiniest sliver of space between her legs and the fabric. I was with her when she was trying them on and I asked the SA what distinguished BF jeans. She said the slouchy fit. Sigh.

11 years ago

viva

Veteran

I do think it can be like splitting hairs, and I will bet brand has a lot to do with it, too.

But in my personal experience, there is a huge difference. I have a pair of BFs that are my actual size (Gap, 28). They are quite big all over and have a low crotch point and indeed look like I am wearing my larger BF's pants. I need a belt to keep these babies on. I love them.

I also have a pair of slouchy skinnies, which are also my actual size (AG, 28). These are slimmer cut through the leg but have slight slouch everywhere. Slim but with give, and tapered for a skinnier leg, again with give. Could wear with a belt or not. Completely different fit.

11 years ago

Marley

Veteran

BFs: slouchy, baggy all over, the first ones that came out around 4 - 5 years ago were pretty much wide legged all the way down to the ankle - the current silhouette has them tapered at the ankle, but wide/baggy everywhere else. They can be worn unrolled as well as rolled. Do not have to be distressed. You can decide how much bagginess you want. For many women the BF jean has to be belted in order to keep it from falling down to their ankles. I have one pair that is 4 sizes bigger than my standard size and several pairs that are either 2 or 3 sizes bigger.

Slouchy Skinnies: a much more slender fit with just a bit of slouch in the crotch/butt and a little more room in the legs - but they are cut like a skinny jean. I am a rectangle body-type and I bought a pair of GAP curvy skinnies in my standard size and that gave me the slouchy skinny silhouette. I also bought a regular skinny jean from A.E. but sized up 2 sizes and that gave me the slouchy skinny silhouette. I have a pair of J. Brand slouchy skinnies (that were advertised as a slouchy skinny) in my standard size and they are just like a skinny, but hang down in the crotch area and have just a titch more room in the butt and legs.

To me there is a huge difference between the 2 cuts - but then, that may be because I am a member of the Queen Jean Clan and am very picky about my jeans and how I style them!

11 years ago

SarahTheWhite

Veteran

Thank you so much for asking this! When all of the the different styles and cuts of jeans are talked about, my eyes start glazing over and my brain goes numb. I want to understand it, but there are just so many words... Plus, my brain is hard wired to panic any time the topic of pants or jeans comes up. I appreciated the pictorial demonstration from Suz - it helped to focus the warning alarms going off in my head...

11 years ago

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