Trust Me: Cuffed Jeans Are Going to Be the Hero Denim Trend of 2026
Happy cuffing season.
Lately, I've become captivated by the simplicity of cuffed jeans.
There are buzzier denim trends I could be fixated on—the baggy jean brigade and skinny denim defenders are still going round and round, debating which silhouette is cooler and more of the moment, and I'm still being served endless TikToks on how to style barrel jeans without looking like a bow-legged cowboy. Yet jeans with a straightforward fold-up hem have taken up my mental real estate.
Allow me to explain. I've spent upwards of 1,000 hours studying denim trends. I know what the trajectory of a soon-to-be-everywhere silhouette looks like. It starts on the fashion runways, trickles over into the street style set, and then catches on with the affordable retailers. Cuffed jeans have followed the formula to a T: They appeared in the Fall 2025 collections, peppered the sidewalks at Paris Fashion Week, and now are popping up in new-in edits at J.Crew, Madewell, and Zara. That means now is the opportune time to pick up a pair before the style becomes ubiquitous in mere months.
Ahead, you'll find my favorite cuffed jeans from reliable denim brands like Citizens of Humanity and Frame, in an assortment of shapes (the bonus of a denim trend that's not limited to one specific silhouette), plus context for the trend and outfit ideas for how to style it this fall and winter. Keep scrolling for a comprehensive guide to cuffing season, curated by someone who knows soon-to-be-everywhere denim when she sees it.
My Favorite Cuffed Jeans at a Glance
- Best Cuffed Jeans Overall: J.Crew Cuffed Lower-Rise Wide-Leg Jean, $168
- Best Affordable Cuffed Jeans: Wit & Wisdom 'Ab'solution Skyrise Wide Leg Jeans, $88
- Best Designer Cuffed Jeans: Veronica Beard Taylor High-Rise Wide-Leg Jeans, $348
- Best Wide-Leg Cuffed Jeans: Favorite Daughter The Masha Shortie Cuffed High Waist Wide Leg Jeans, $228
- Best Straight-Leg Cuffed Jeans: Free People We the Free Slim Shade Selvedge Jeans, $148
- Best Low-Rise Cuffed Jeans: Madewell Low-Slung Baggy Jeans, $148
The Best Cuffed Jeans of 2025
You might love J.Crew for its cashmere sweaters and preppy essentials, like button-downs and trench coats—here's why you should also add its denim to your cart. The retailer uses 100-percent regenerative cotton, meaning it's grown with a farming approach that improves biodiversity and reduces environmental impact.
The denim on this pair is zero-stretch, so you'll have to break them in, but eventually they'll mold to your body, as all the best jeans should. I love that J.Crew's take on cuffed jeans masters the balance of relaxed and refined; they're cut in a looser, slouchier silhouette and sit low on the hips, but definitely don't fall into Y2K bumster territory.
Customer Review: "I bought these to update my denim look for the office for casual days, and I get more compliments on them than any other clothing item. They are comfortable, and stylish and look great with a heel or boot."
Sizes: 23 to 37, also available in Petite and Tall Sizing
It's difficult to find high-quality, comfortable denim in a range of sizes and at an affordable price, but Wit & Wisdom manages to tick all three boxes. These $88 cuffed jeans feature a wider leg—a nod to the silhouette that has defined fashion in recent years—and mesh panels to mold and secure your waist comfortably. They're also blended with a small percentage of spandex, meaning they'll stretch and offer much more give than a stiffer denim fabrication.
Customer Review: "Impressed is an understatement. These jeans are exactly what I was looking for! The fit is perfect, and versatile enough to mix up the look with various trends. I would recommend these over and over again. I love the details, quality and even better…the price. The wide belt loops, larger button and elastic inside waistband all allow for comfort while looking amazing."
Sizes: 00 to 18, also available in Petite sizing
I always remember the tip an executive stylist gave me when I was researching how to dress the part as a woman in the C-suite: Do not sleep on Veronica Beard's pants. I've turned to the American brand for smart, well-tailored bottoms that aren't overly stuffy or corporate ever since.
Veronica Beard's Taylor jean is a brand signature, and I love how its relaxed, roll-cuff iteration adds a nod to the trend I can't stop thinking about. Customers note these high-rise, wide-leg jeans do run a little small, so size up if you prefer a less-snug, baggier fit.
Customer Review: "The color on these is gorgeous!! VB jeans are such good quality and ethically made in the US which I love!!"
Sizes: 24 to 32
Again, one of the benefits of a cuffed jean is that you're not bound to one specific silhouette. Think of the style as a versatile, universal crowd-pleaser! Those in the "baggier is better" camp will like these from Favorite Daughter, a brand beloved by fashion girls for its elevated basics. They come with a structured button fly, five pockets, and adaptable cuffs you can play with to fit your proportions. A note: These streamlined cuffed jeans are well-suited for taller body types, but Favorite Daughter's Masha Shortie cuffed jeans are designed for more petite frames and just as well-reviewed.
Customer Review: "The chicest wide leg jeans, and so comfortable."
Sizes: 23 to 32
Free People's denim is an open secret among the fashion set, who love the retailer's easy-to-wear jeans as much as its signature bohemian pieces. This pair comes in a straighter-leg silhouette (but not skinny!) and are made of selvedge denim, which is a traditional and tighter weave that won't fray. Because of their more involved and craft-centered design, Free People makes them in smaller batches and limited quantities. However, this cuffed jean also comes in a lighter blue if you'd prefer that over indigo.
Customer Review: "These are it! They’re perfect in every way. They fit me true to size. They’re cute cuffed, but the cuff isn’t sewn, so they’ll be perfect for the colder months too! They’re like your favorite soft-worn-in jeans that took years to break in to perfection, but they’re perfect right out of the bag. Immediately ordered the other color!"
Sizes: 23 to 33
I've yet to encounter a pair of Madewell jeans I didn't like. I currently own two pairs, but might have to make this low-slung cuffed denim my third. They're crafted out of a more structured, harder denim (this is the only time you'll hear me advocating for hard pants) that puts them more in a trouser-like territory. The cuffed hem also creates a sharp visual contrast against its rinsed indigo wash (a top Fall 2025 denim trend, by the way), akin to color blocking.
Customer Review: "These jeans are excellent quality. As someone who doesn’t wear high-waisted jeans, these were perfect!!"
Sizes: 23 to 32
More Great Cuffed Jeans
Are Cuffed Jeans in Style?
The short answer? Yes. For the longer, more specific answer, I direct you to the Fall 2025, Resort 2026, and Spring 2026 runways, which saw an assortment of cuffed jeans in various washes and cuts. At Isabel Marant Fall 2025's show, the Parisian brand leaned into its boho roots, pairing dark-wash, cropped denim with a striped button-down and a maroon knit vest. Fast-forward to the Spring 2026 season, where Givenchy showcased dramatic wide-leg jeans with exaggerated cuffs, and Khaite opted for baggy denim capri pants, showcasing the versatility of this trend within the denim category.




How to Wear Cuffed Jeans
Scroll through the gallery of street style looks from New York City, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks below for a visual guide on styling cuffed jeans. Gather inspiration on what to wear with the up-and-coming denim trend. Spoiler: You'll find they go nicely with everything from crisp white button-down shirts paired with freaky, split-toe Tabi flats to fur-trimmed coats with boho flair.







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Emma Childs is the fashion features editor at Marie Claire, where she explores the intersection of style and human interest storytelling. She covers viral, zeitgeist-y moments—like TikTok's "Olsen Tuck" and Substack's "Shirt Sandwiches"—and has written hundreds of runway-researched trend reports. Above all, Emma enjoys connecting with real people about style, from picking a designer's brain to speaking with athlete stylists, politicians, and C-suite executives.
Emma previously wrote for The Zoe Report, Editorialist, Elite Daily, and Bustle and studied Fashion Studies and New Media at Fordham University Lincoln Center. When Emma isn't writing about niche fashion discourse on the internet, you'll find her stalking eBay for designer vintage, doing hot yoga, and "psspsspssp"-ing at bodega cats.