4 min read
Men's Jeans for Big Thighs and Calves: Skip Slim, Go Relaxed
Slim, athletic and even straight jeans pull on big thighs and calves. Why relaxed and loose cuts like the Levi's 568 fit, and how to buy them with a belly.
I'm 40. I used to be overweight, around 130 kg, and my thighs and calves are still big. For years I bought slim jeans, because that is what the men's wall in every shop looks like. They pinched everywhere. Regular and straight cuts like the Levi's 501 were a step up, but even those pull on my thighs and calves. What worked was a relaxed, loose cut: the Levi's 568.
I'm Geir, and I build Thraed. The drawings are mine. The two photos are real, taken in my bedroom mirror.
TL;DR: buy for your thighs and calves, not your waist. Skip skinny and slim. Regular is better, relaxed or loose is best if your legs are big like mine. Go up in waist size and have it taken in. Mid or high rise.
Why skinny and slim jeans fail big thighs and calves
Denim narrows toward the ankle in a slim cut. A big leg is widest at the thigh and the calf, so the cloth is narrower than the leg exactly where the leg is biggest. It stretches, pulls and creases, and the eye sees the pinch. The narrow hem also rides up the calf, which makes the leg look shorter.
Regular fit is better, and still pulls
A straight cut like the Levi's 501 Original is regular through the thigh. The cloth falls straight down from the widest point, so it is a clear step up from slim. But below the knee a straight leg is still narrow, and with big thighs and calves it still pulls. Here are my regular-fit jeans next to the Levi's 568. Same legs. I cut the backgrounds out of the photos and cropped them below the belt. The jeans are untouched.
My regular-fit jeans: tight across the thighs and calves.
The Levi's 568: room all the way down, and it falls straight.
Athletic fit vs relaxed fit: athletic still pinches the calf
Athletic fit jeans, such as the Levi's 541 Athletic Taper, are made for big thighs. They are roomy through the seat and the thigh, then taper to the ankle. That fixes the thigh, but the taper lands on the calf. If your calves are big too, an athletic fit pulls in the same place as a slim cut. Athletic fit suits big thighs with normal calves. Big thighs and big calves need relaxed or loose.
The fix: relaxed and loose jeans (Levi's 568 vs 555 vs 501)
A relaxed or loose cut leaves room through the seat, the thigh and the calf, so the cloth falls from the widest point and never pulls. Two Levi's cuts to know:
- 555 Relaxed Straight: roomier through the seat and thigh, a straight leg below.
- 568 Loose Straight: loose through the whole leg, and it stacks a little at the ankle. It is a 90s baggy shape in non-stretch denim, and it is the look I am going for. It is easy to go too far, so try a pair before you commit to a size.
| Levi's cut | Thigh | Below the knee | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 501 Original | Regular | Straight | Average legs |
| 541 Athletic Taper | Roomy | Tapers to the ankle | Big thighs, normal calves |
| 555 Relaxed Straight | Roomy | Straight | Big thighs, slightly big calves |
| 568 Loose Straight | Loose | Loose, stacks a little | Big thighs and big calves |
Chinos: slim vs the NN07 Aden
Chinos work the same way. Left: slim chinos, pulled tight over the thighs and the calves. Right: the NN07 Aden, a straight cut with room all the way down to the shoe. Same treatment: background cut out, cropped below the waist, trousers untouched.
Slim chinos: tight across the thighs and calves.
NN07 Aden: straight, with room down to the shoe.
Jeans for overweight men: go up in waist size
Buy for the thighs and the seat, then have the waist taken in. A tailor can take in a waist as a routine alteration, but nobody can add room to a thigh. A jean that fits your legs and gapes at the waist is easy to fix. A jean that fits the waist and strangles your legs is not.
Low, mid or high rise for men with a belly?
On a bigger belly, low rise puts the waistband under the belly. It digs in, pushes the belly over the edge and slides down when you sit. Mid rise sits at the navel. High rise sits above the belly and smooths the line, and a tucked T-shirt looks tidy. Mid to high is the safe choice. It depends on your torso and legs, so try both.
What I wear
- Jeans: the Levi's 568, and the 501 and 555 for something less baggy.
- Chinos: the NN07 Aden, a straight-cut chino. Check the fit label on each colour. Some versions of the Aden are cut slim.
- A more relaxed style, in both jeans and trousers: A Day's March, COS and Asket. COS makes relaxed and wide cuts such as the Dome and the Rider. A Day's March has high-waisted relaxed trousers and a baggier denim. Asket's regular jeans and chinos are straight and mid rise, but its sizes stop at a 38 waist, so check that first.
How to buy
- Measure the thigh and calf, and read the knee and leg opening in the size table. A relaxed cut keeps them wide.
- Size up the waist and tailor it down.
- Stretch denim is more comfortable, but it does not fix a narrow cut.
- Sit and squat in the fitting room. A pinch shows up fast.
- Mind your shoes: slim cuts also make chunky sneakers look huge.
Try a cut before you buy it
That is why I built Thraed. Add the trousers you own or are thinking of buying, and see them on you before you spend anything. Download Thraed free on the App Store.