I still love my bootcuts, but my problem is I can't wear jeans to work so I have limited opportunities to wear ANY of them! These days I'm more likely to reach for my BFs or my khakis, but I will have to bring my bootcuts out to play!

This really applies to me, Angie. Straight leg denim IS my skinny denim. I wear Paige straight legs with a 14" leg opening, and they work just fine for tucking into boots, etc. I've just never felt comfortable in actual skinny denim, although I readily wear my GAP really skinny black trousers. I think it's related to my age. At 51 I feel too "teenager" in actual skinny jeans. I was a latecomer to skinny/straight legs, and I think the reason I resisted for so long was that I identified it as a young person's trend.

I still wear boot cuts occasionally, and I own one pair of GAP sexy boyfriend jeans.

Speaking of laterally, there are two kinds of flared hem. One kind has the flare from side
to side, seen frontward or backward. I hate these. The other kind is from front to back and has a more elegant movement.

Good point Vildy...I think my issue has been with the side to side that make me look like a log (being so wide at hip)...but I tried ones that I liked and could not figure out why they were different...I guess you nailed it

The last time I wore boot cuts was for work, probably about a year ago. I continued to wear boot cuts for work, thinking they were more suitable since they do a better job of hiding my work shoes (orthopedic looking clogs). Then I got sick of wet hems so last winter I switched to straights or skinnies and haven't looked back.

I did wear my super-duper flares and wide legged jeans last year though. To me they are more extreme than boot cuts and feel more stylish. Also I think they are more flattering on me than boot cuts.

Vildy I like what you said about true boot cuts. I think those kind of jeans are now called straight legs. Like the True Religion Billy.

Mostly this year it's been skinnies and boyfriend jeans. I don't usually wear my bfs to work because mine are so distressed.

Vildy and Angie helped me understand why I still love bootcuts: they balance out my shoulders AND make me look curvy when I definitely am not.

I prefer skinny, straight or tapered to bootcuts. The flare at the bottom never feels right. I believe straight cut is he most flattering for me, as I'm widest at my hips.

I still love bootcuts because to me they go with sneakers and any no nonsense footwear the easiest. So when I want to be comfy, bootcuts are it! Angie, I think you look great in those bootcuts in your pic.

I love having variety in jeans silhouettes too - I have one pair each: wide leg, boot cut and skinny. I'm on the lookout for a boyfriend cut one, so far haven't found one - I think I'd like them though.

I have one pair of bootcuts that I love and still wear occasionally, but it is usually skinnies or boyfriend jeans lately. I am not interested in finding any more bootcuts, but am very interested in more bf's or straights if that says anything.

I still cannot let go of my bootcuts, even if I wear them less than before. Also they feel way more like a summer cut to me these days. The loose shins don't keep my feet as warm, and since I like a slim knee break they are tough to wear over tall boots. I fully intend to wear my engineer stripe jeans, tiger jeans, black, and ripped jeans for a long time yet!

I love my bootcuts! I do have skinny, straight and flares but I feel bootcuts look the best on me by far. I love how they make me look curvy. I just don't feel as fab in other cuts.

Like Denise, my bootcuts get worn to work. I have worn them elsewhere, but 90% of the time, that's their venue. I only have 5 pair of blue denim anymore, which amazes and shocks me, lol. I do have quite skinny calves, and so even skinnies are not snug on my leg, so I guess they fit me as straights would on the average lady. I like 'em all, but favor skinnies for my going out looks these days. Mind you, being in FL for most of the last 2.5 years, I have not gotten much jeans wearing in at all in the grand scheme of things. I would love to find the right skinny BF's for this season.

Yes, for me and my fat thighs and muscular calves, straight legs function as skinnies. Skin tight jeans just make me look like a stuffed sausage and ten pounds heavier. I don't wear jeans inside tall boots, however.

I have two pairs of bootcuts and another pair of bootcut/flares. I don't wear them very often as they don't feel quite as edgy as my straight legs, and I have only two choices of footwear with them so they don't drag. I DO have a pair of narrow bootcuts on my Nordies wishlist, however, but probably won't end up buying them as I don't really need more jeans.

To my eye, some tops and toppers look better with my bootcuts, and others look better with my straight leg jeans. And of course some look equally good with both, but it's a matter of what vibe I want to project.

I am one of those who wear straight cuts as skinnies and they are my boot cuts too. I like skinny jeans to fit more like narrow straights that don't hug the leg. Boot cuts make me feel short and stumpy unless they are almost straight. I hope this makes sense.

I wear boot cuts occasionally. Especially if I wear cowboy boots!

I don't have any bootcuts, not sure why but I think it's the no-nonsense, getting around factor that Angie talks about. I seem to feel freer in straight or skinny jeans.

Oh, I love my bootcuts and still wear them all the time - I find that they really help to balance my curves. I must confess that I finally fell in love with skinnies a couple of years after all of you. (Please don't tell me they are on the outer - I can't bear the thought of giving up the look just yet!)

Actually, can someone tell me whether the boyfriend jean trend caught on as significantly here in Aus as it did in the US last winter? I can't seem to recall it being quite as mainstream as other styles? (I vaguely recall it seeming like coloured skinnies were the style to be really promoted here last winter.)

Or did I just miss a season? Hmmmmmm - would love to know how behind the US we are!

True! I wear my skinnies as skinnies (mostly tucked into boots). I wear my straights with sneakers and casual shoes, just like I would the flares (never worn flares with heels since it would mean having different pants for different shoes).

This is was really interesting

Quite the varied responses.

I find skinnies and straights almost interchangeable, until you get to my truly stretchy, snug-at-the-ankle skinnies. I love how PPL is not such a consideration with straights and skinnies, since I often find it so challenging to find pants and jeans that I like that are also long enough for any shoe higher than a ballet flat!

Still, I enjoy my infrequent bootcut days since I know they make my legs look really long, which helps them look a little slimmer.

Angie, I wore bootcuts almost exclusively through the late 90s/early 2000s. My first pair of skinnies felt ridiculously narrow and weird. But it's funny what you get used to. I now own only one pair of bootcuts, and they get worn rarely. I put them on a couple of weeks ago and the material felt all flappy around my ankles. I was a little uncomfortable all day!

You can put me down as one of the women who wears straight legs as bootcuts. If I feel the outfit needs a little volume at the bottom to balance things, I'll wear straight leg jeans. I find they work as well to that end as bootcuts, but involve less flapping and wet hem issues (don't you just hate it when your bootcuts brush a puddle and they're wet for the rest of the day?). My skinnies are true skinnies -- narrow all the way down -- and I even have two pairs of jeggings, which under certain circumstances (i.e. backside covered by shirt) can also work.

I suspect some of this is tied to body type. I have quite a narrow shape, so narrow pants work well for me. Bootcuts do work, but can add a lot of volume.

I really love both skinnies and straight leg jeans. They seem to remove PPL from the equation to a degree, making them far more versatile than other shapes. Skinnies are by far the most practical invention for our long winters.

Bootcut jeans are tricky for me. With a substantial heel, I think they make me look quite fabulous. But with a flat, ugh total dowdy on me. So I will only wear them when I know I won't have to remove my shoes (which seems to be a frequent occurrence here). There is nothing worse than dragging hems, especially if they are sodden. And I've never met a flare that flattered my shape. Same with BFs and I've tried many a pair.

Somehow, I missed this post! I have 2 pairs of bootcuts, and I still wear them. I find that they work well for me in a work environment for Friday casual. However, I don't like it when they are too flared, and I usually have them narrowed a bit. All that said I don't always feel fabulous in them. I feel much more modern and on-trend when I wear skinnies, straight legs, or BFs. And when I wear skinnies, I don'l like for them to be too body conscious.

Angie - what do you mean by a tailored skinny? I think I understand, but I'm not sure. Thanks!

I forgot to add that skinnies are my leggings. I like woven leggings better than knit.

Such interesting responses! I didn't think there were so many bootcut wearers left. I wear a lot of denim silhouettes, but primarily I like very skinny and baggy flared I do not wear "proper" bootcuts any more, and officially purged them all from my closet about 1.5 years ago after realizing I wasn't really wearing them.

I have come to the realization that I do not like slim straight legs on me. Primarily because they look like a baby bootcut, and I like my flared hems FLARED I have one pair of "straight" jeans (i.e. baby boots on me, #1) that I always think "skinnies would be better", but they were my only slim blue jean until this weekend (I don't wear traditional blue skinnies). I have two pairs of baggy flared jeans (#2 faded BF flares, #3 darker baggy flares); I think these hems are too wide to be considered boot cuts, and because they are so baggy certainly do NOT give the same vibe as proper bootcuts, though the darker pair is still very leg lengthening. And of course I have my VERY wide leg flared jeans (#4).

I like my skinnies to be very tapered (#5, #6), and generally on the body-con side (few of them are right now, though). For BF jeans, I did struggle with the authenticity aspect and as you know stole a pair of my husband's jeans (#7). Which I love, but he hates them on me so I can't wear them on the weekend! So I just bought a relaxed slim jean (#8) to be worn BF style in the outfits I'd have wanted straights, and my "baby boot" straights will probably be demoted to gear. In the future I plan to either avoid or taper any straight leg jeans or pants I acquire!

(EDIT: Not sure why I was thinking only of denim! I seem to like my trousers to fit the same way: no straights, very skinny skinnies or relaxed skinny with tapered hems, and wiiiiide if they're wide. I do not seem to like flared or bootcut trousers though. And of course my pleated slouchy pants I couldn't wear in denim fabrications )

Just wanted to chime back in with a thought and discovery that came to me yesterday.

I just bought a pair of Jessica Simpson's skinny jeans in grey. I'm not wearing skinnies at all these days. BUT...these aren't really skinny on me, they are closer to straight legs. Because I have a wider midsection and take a larger size, the legs are not as skinny since the legs are made in proportion to the waist.

It's actually a strange benefit of being plumper!

Aida, I love love love your slouchy looks! And you've totally articulated why I have never owned a pair of straight leg jeans (and why I don't wear my baby boots). If I'm going flare at the bottom, I'm going all the way! Although my flares are tight in the thigh and flare out at the ankle

Cciele, my darker flares used to fit more like that way I am on the lookout for a fitted-on-the-thigh flared pair, just can't decide on the color or wash! Actually, I think a charcoal with tonal black arabesque pattern would be suuuuper fun... but probably doesn't exist heh. I can't believe it took me so long to figure the straight leg thing out, almost two years! Just kept trying and trying to make them work, and getting annoyed with 'em. Glad I'm not the only one, I know many people really like straight legs. (Also, thanks on the slouchy looks ^^)