The 10 Best Flare Jeans of 2024

Flare jeans come in many variations — from skinnier bootcut styles for an elegant day-to-day look to statement bell bottoms that can help you make a bit of an entrance. Depending on the style, the denim silhouette can serve as an amazing basic or make a show-stopping outfit, and yet, they’re always very versatile.

To find the best pairs, we scoured the internet, consulted experts, and tried a bunch ourselves. Our top picks flatter the body without being too tight; hit the perfect length so they neither drag on the floor nor look cropped unintentionally; and come in a range of washes and sizes. Read on for the full list, plus advice on how to find the perfect pair yourself.

Best Overall

Spanx Flare Jeans

What We Love: They offer shaping technology and a comfy stretch fit.

What We Don’t Love: The dye bleeds if you don’t wash them before wear.

We couldn’t believe how sleek these Spanx jeans looked. You get all of the features you expect from a Spanx product here, too: “From hidden core-shaping technology to premium stretch denim, they’ll make you look and feel your best,” says model Allison Weiss Brady. After trying them myself, I can attest that they complement my curves beautifully, hugging just the right places without being too constricting. They’re designed to be worn with heels, so they’re long; however, Spanx does offer a petite length, which you might want to opt for if the length intimidates you. The jeans also come in plus sizes as well as tall lengths, so they can fit a wide variety of body types.

Weiss Brady especially appreciates the wash of these jeans. She thinks the Vintage Indigo color gives them a “worn-in, well-loved vibe.” (But they come in three others, too, including dark blue, white, and black.) They don’t come pre-washed, though, and the blue dye bled onto my skin the first time I wore them, so make sure to throw them in the laundry alone before wearing them.

Size: XS–3X in Regular, Petite, and Tall | Washes: 4 | Material: Cotton, polyester, Lycra elastane | Closure: Pull-on

Best Budget

Old Navy High-Waisted Wow Flare Jeans

What We Love: The jeans are made partly from recycled materials.

What We Don’t Love: There isn’t a white wash.

You can always count on Old Navy to carry tons of different styles in a great range of sizes and lengths while keeping prices down. Fit-wise, these flares are as classic as they come — tight on top and gradually flaring out starting above the knee — with just a touch of stretch for added comfort. Bottom line: They feel and look great, and you can’t really go wrong.

Size: 0–30 Regular; 4–18 Tall; 2–18 Petite l | Washes: 5 | Material: Cotton, recycled polyester, recycled cotton, spandex | Closure: Zipper

Best Size Range

Halara High Waisted Flare Pants

What We Love: They’re as comfy as sweats but as cute as jeans.

What We Don’t Love: There are no back pockets.

Are they yoga pants? Are they jeans? Does it matter? Just asking the hard questions over here. In the meantime, content creator Emerald Elitou can’t get enough of these size-inclusive, stretchy flares. She wears them everywhere from the grocery store to outings with friends, skating, dancing, or bowling. “All you need to complete the look is a fitted tee and a pair of nice sneakers.”

Given the synthetic fabric composition and lack of back pockets, these aren’t your typical jeans, but they imitate the look of true denim while offering all the comfort and body-molding benefits of yoga pants.

Size: XS–4X in Regular, Petite, and Tall l | Washes: 6 | Material: Viscose, polyester, elastane | Closure: Pull-on

Best Petite

Abercrombie & Fitch Curve Love Ultra High Rise Stretch Flare Jean

What We Love: They’re so comfy and flattering.

What We Don’t Love: Certain wash/size/length combinations sell out fast.

We always get so excited when jeans come in different lengths, because hello! So do women! If you’ve never thought of shopping for jeans at Abercrombie & Fitch, this is your sign to start, because not only do they make them in Extra Short, Short, Regular, and Long, but they’re also so flattering (and comfy, thanks to the stretchy material) that you’ll never want to wear anything else.

Petite customers even have a choice of lengths here depending on how they intend to style the jeans: You may find a Regular does the job if you’re looking for an elongating look and want to pair them with heels, while depending on your proportions, the Extra Short could give you a bit of a cropped look. The one issue is that some of the washes sell out in certain sizes, so you may not be able to get your hands on the exact combination you’re after.

Size: 23–37 l | Washes: 4 | Material: Cotton, polyester, elastane | Closure: Zipper

Best High Rise

Banana Republic The Relaxed Flare Jean

What We Love: They’re a fabulous and more streamlined alternative to bell bottoms.

What We Don’t Love: They’re really long, even in petite sizing.

Why cosplay retro when you could have the real thing? Banana Republic had the inspired idea to re-issue a jean design from 1978, the era of flare jeans. These are an antidote to bell bottoms, in that they’re a lot more discreet and streamlined in case that’s more your speed: They’re designed to hug your waist and butt, relax around the thigh, and flare out softly below the knee — perfect if you're looking for jeans to fit wide hips.

Style a work-ready outfit with heeled booties and a long coat or tailored blazer. Just note that these jeans run long, even without the longer inseam option, so those who typically wear a regular size may need petite sizing. Tall fashion mavens who intend to wear their flares with high heels will be good to go.

Size: 24–35 in Regular; 24-30 in Petite | Washes: 1 | Material: Organic cotton, elastane | Closure: Zipper

Best Mid Rise

Gap Mid Rise Baby Boot Jeans

What We Love: They work just as well with flats as with heels.

What We Don’t Love: Some people find them a bit short.

For those who prefer a mid-rise fit, these bootcut jeans from Gap are as good as it gets. The waist hits right below the belly button, giving you that perfect in-between rise. As with many Gap pieces, these are available in regular, tall, and petite versions, which is lucky because some reviewers find the regular option a bit short for their taste. That does mean these will be great with sneakers and other flats, though, which isn’t the case with some of the other picks on this list.

They're partially made from recycled materials using water-saving methods. But that doesn't prevent the brand from creating these jeans in multiple washes. We love the medium wash, which would look just as good with a white button-down as it would with your favorite bright-colored statement top, but you can also find them in a classic dark wash and black, too. Regardless of which shade you pick, they’re super easy to wear thanks to the smaller flare and classic jean details.

Size: 24–35 in Regular, Tall, and Petite l | Washes: 6 | Material: Cotton, recycled cotton, elasterrell, elastane | Closure: Zipper

Best Bootcut

Rag & Bone Peyton Bootcut Jeans

What We Love: The whiskering, fading, and distressing give them a well-loved, retro feel.

What We Don’t Love: They’re not the best fit for everyone.

Flares are so cool, but if you’re looking to tone it down slightly, a bootcut is exactly what you need. These raw-hemmed, vintage-style jeans from Rag & Bone absolutely perfect the style, with a tight fit around the butt and thighs, and a slightly flared leg below the knee for fitting your favorite boots and booties under. Like many of the other jeans on our list, these have a long inseam that will work better over heels — though ultimately, this depends on your proportions. Like with many jeans generally, the sizing can be hit and miss for different body types, though the stretch factor definitely helps on that front. They also feel really soft on, which is a bonus, and are finished with fabulous whiskering, fading, and distressing for that well-loved look fresh off the rack.

Size: 23–32 | Washes: 1 | Material: Cotton, elastane | Closure: Zipper

Best Bell Bottom

Free People Just Float On Flare Jeans

What We Love: They’re a fabulous statement piece.

What We Don’t Love: You may need to try a couple of sizes to find the right fit.

Free People is basically synonymous with hippie-chic, retro fashion updated for the 21st century, so of course this is the first place we looked when we started researching the best flare jeans. These bell bottoms make a statement. Pair them with a simple crop top to keep the focus on the flares and minimize the risk of looking too costumey. These come in classic blue jean shades as well as gray.

However, the sizing is a little all over the place. Some discuss needing to size down, while more curvy figures felt they had to size up. It might take one or two purchases before you find the correct fit. We suggest trying them on in your nearest store if you can before purchasing.

Size: 24–33 | Washes: 7 | Material: Cotton, polyester, viscose, spandex | Closure: Zipper

Best Stretch

Free People Jayde Flare Jeans

What We Love: They’re stretchy and come in a ton of colorways.

What We Don’t Love: With no back pockets and statement stitching, these aren’t the right style for everyone.

It’s no coincidence most of the jeans on our list of the best flares contain a little elastane or spandex: As much as we love our 100 percent cotton 501s, a lot of the time we just want to be able to move freely in our pants and not feel restricted — especially after they’ve just been washed, or after a big meal. These by Free People were created for comfy everyday wear and the best part? If you find you love them, you can literally collect them in a choice of 16 washes, from classic blue jeans to adorable apricot or tan.

“If you're looking for a true retro style, this is your jean,” says Ashlyn Greer, co-founder of the personal styling service Fashivly. “With the front stitching, stretch fabric, color options, and no back pockets this pair of flare jeans looks straight out of the ’70s.” The style is a bit different, so may not be the right fit for everyone, but if you love how they look online, just wait till you see what they look like on you!

Size: 23–33 in Regular and Short l | Washes: 16 | Material: Cotton, polyester, elastane | Closure: Button fly

Best Color Range

Revice Venus Flares

What We Love: They’re such a fun piece.

What We Don’t Love: There aren’t enough sizes.

I love classic blue jeans as much as the next girl, but sometimes I crave a little variety. Revice’s fun flares come in blue denim washes as well as Barbie pink and poppy red. Elitou says these "provide just the right amount of wow when entering a room," adding that they also fit exceptionally well, "perfectly" hugging the waist "in just the right place." Some colors have a star stitched across the back for extra pizazz, as well. On top of a great fit, though, they’re made by hand in the United States using a stretchy cotton blend and stonewashed in Downtown Los Angeles. We wish they came in more sizes, though.

Size: 23–32 l | Washes: 12 | Material: Cotton, elastane | Closure: Zipper

What to Keep in Mind

Length

Most flare jeans are designed to be long and worn with heels, but if you’re more of a flats type of person, check out the picks from Gap and Halara. You can also opt for a cropped version like the one from Madewell. With that in mind, there’s long and there’s long: While it’s normal for many flare jeans to touch the ground while you’re barefoot, they should definitely not cover the entire shoe when you’re wearing heels. If this is an issue, opt for the petite option where possible, or you might need to get your jeans tailored to fit you better.

Closure

While some jeans come with a button-fly closure, all the flares on this list are either a pull-on style, or they come with a zip-fly and button closure. A pull-on style — like the ones from Spanx — allows for a stretchy and super comfy fit, but it can also mean they’re harder to pull over your butt when you’re putting them on. They also look more casual, though you can definitely still dress them up. More traditional jeans typically come with a zipper, and these will be less stretchy and less casual but can elevate your look a little more — see picks from Alice + Olivia or Banana Republic for example.

Stretch

While traditional denim jeans that are made from 100 percent cotton look lovely, they can also feel pretty heavy and uncomfortable. Enter: stretch denim. If the comfort factor is especially important to you, look for high spandex, elastane, or Lycra content in your jeans’ fabric. This will ensure the pants can move nicely with your body and not make you feel constricted. We love our picks from Abercrombie and Madewell for this.

Your Questions, Answered

What are the best shoes to wear with flare jeans?

If your flares are long, you will probably need to wear them with a heel. “The shoe you choose depends on the length of your flare,” says editorial fashion stylist Lauren Coppen. “I personally wear my flares with a heel, either a knee-high boot, or a strappy sandal depending on the event).” With heels, she recommends a length long enough to only see the toes sticking out the bottom. “This way your legs look much longer,” she says.

Meanwhile, beauty and style influencer Katya Bychkova recommends wearing your flares with a platform sandal, a pointy-toe boot, or a pair of flat mules. That said, you can totally wear yours with sneakers, too, so long as the fabric isn’t dragging all along the floor.

How do you style flare jeans?

Coppen prefers to keep it simple when styling flare jeans, opting for a white tank top, a simple leather belt, and a statement jacket. Bychkova agrees that keeping things on the down-low is a good idea: “A sweater and a shearling jacket will do. Especially if you are into light-wash denim and solid-color looks,” she says. “Nothing is chicer and more fun than a light-toned monochrome outfit on a rainy or snowy day.”

Bychkova also recommends two more winning outfit formulas with flare jeans: “Layer it to perfection,” she suggests. “Add a shirt, a vest, a blazer, a trenchcoat, and maybe a scarf on top of it all. No matter what type of jeans you prefer, layering for fall and winter will always stay in style.”

Finally, she adds, “Reconsider your outerwear: Flare jeans and an oversized coat always work, but why not try a trendy bomber jacket this season? Add a baseball hat and silver necklaces to create a cool-girl look without trying too hard.”

Why Shop With Us

Iris Goldsztajn is a Paris-born, London-based freelance writer with 10 years of experience covering fashion, beauty, wellness, and lifestyle. To write this article, she researched the best flare jeans out there, a process that included trying some out for herself and speaking to various fashion experts who shared their recommendations. Those experts included the following:

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