Madewell strikes a lovely balance between variety and selection with six categories of fits, including Wide, Straight, Barrel, Baggy and Relaxed, Flare and Bootcut and Slim and Skinny in a slew of size ranges and inseam lengths. My rule of thumb for finding a bespoke-fitting pair that looks like it came straight from the tailor: Always find the right inseam—the measurement from the crotch to the bottom of the pant hem. Finding a jean that just grazes the top of your foot in a boot or a sneaker is key…but don’t forget to make sure the waist fits, too.
Within the Regular denim category, many of Madewell’s styles can come in various sizes and fits to suit nearly every body type and height, which I’ll break down here:
- Standard: best for people between 5’4” and 5’8” with a 30-inch to 32-inch inseam
- Petite: has a Standard fit but a proportional rise and shorter inseam
- Short: has a Standard fit but a shorter inseam
- Tall: has a Standard fit but the inseam is 3 inches longer
- Plus: from 14W to 28W
Then there’s Madewell’s Curvy denim, designed for a larger waist-to-hip difference (up to 10 inches) to prevent gaping at the waist or an ill fit.
For materials and fabric blends, Madewell often uses high percentages of cotton (for that true-denim stiff feel), with a small mix of recycled fabrics or elastane for stretch and softness. The company sometimes uses Regenagri cotton, which is regenerative-certified, so production uses sustainable techniques.
