highwaisted

The beauty of jeans that “come up to here” is that they’re essentially two pairs in one. Go casual with a fronttucked sweater and ballet lats, or add a great pair of heels and a button-up for what’s basically the informal look of the season. (Red lipstick optional, but very much encouraged.)

TO BUY: Mainstay Cotton Catalina Pop Over, $115; buckmason.com. Sheri Slim Jeans, $119; nydj.com. Nouveaux Puf Earrings, $118; jenny-bird.com. Christian Dior vintage silk scarf, stylist’s own. Emaline Heeled Sandals, $140; vionicshoes.com.

Multicolored

Why choose one wash when you can have three? Paneling and patchwork turn basic jeans into “wow” moments—which means you can throw on the same jacket and T-shirt you always wear, and look like a totally new you.

TO BUY: J.Crew vintage leather moto jacket, stylist’s own. Fine Line Jeans, $59; revicedenim.com. Arlo Ring, $80; jenny-bird.com. Kam Leather Sneakers, $99; kennethcole.com.

Tucked In

Cropped, straight-leg jeans are a favorite of Hollywood stylists because they go with pretty much anything. Try a statement heel, or tuck them into high boots (a stylish look that will keep you warm and dry in inclement weather). Get a pair with a bit of stretch, and they’ll be your go-to bottoms for early mornings, late nights, and everything in between.

low-rise

OK, hear us out. If you have a short torso, a lower rise is your secret BFF— and yes, you can wear it without looking like Britney in the ‘90s (or now). Choose a wide leg for balance, and pair the jeans with a polished piece of knitwear that grazes the waist, so only a hint of skin shows. Prefer to go more modest? Add a blazer, and reach things on a shelf without your midsection making an appearance.

TO BUY: Sequin Boxy Shaker Vest, $176; autumncashmere .com for similar. In Awe Stonewash Frayed Jeans, $89; mistressrocks.com. Levi’s SecondHand Ex-Boyfriend Trucker Jacket, $59; secondhand .levi.com. French Twist Ring, $78; katespade.com. Arlo Ring, $80; jenny-bird.com. Suede Classic XXI Women’s Sneakers, $70; us.puma.com.

Baggy

Surprise! The baggy jeans you rocked during your TLC-listening days are back, and this time, you don’t have to steal them from your big brother. Grab a pair cut for your body (we like the Abercrombie & Fitch ones here),or try your local vintage store. Add a itted tee or tank for an adult upgrade (but, you know, a cool adult).

CAN I STILL WEAR MY SKINNIES?

You may have heard about the skinny jeans debate that raged online last year. Women of a certain age (read: college sophomores) took to TikTok to swear the style was “dead” (i.e., something only their moms would wear). National media outlets glommed on to the intergenerational controversy, as they tend to. Gen Z eventually declared victory, as it tends to. So where does that leave us? Still standing, deiantly, in our skinnies, which are neat, slimming, and comfortable.

“Why would you stop wearing something you love?” says designer Stacey Bendet, founder of the clothing company Alice + Olivia. “Jeans are a sophisticated staple, and if the slim cut works for you, keep it up.”

InStyle senior fashion editor Samantha Sutton says her skinnies have become “more of a dressed-up bottom than something super casual,” great with a beautifully tailored jacket and a fab pair of shoes, or with an oversize oxford for a fresh, preppy rif. “Plus, as a petite person, I use them to create an unbroken line that elongates my legs.”

Even Snapchat’s global head of fashion and beauty, street-style savant Rajni Jacques, makes no apologies for her skinnies. “I like to wear them with a big sweatshirt to ofset the tightness,” she says.

Other ways to make them feel current? A trench coat and rubber boots with high-waisted skinnies is your chic, pulled-together armor on a rainy day. (Imagine dragging a wet, wide-legged hem down the street as you run errands. Pass.) Or you can DIY a distressed crop: Measure one to three inches up from the hem and slice the jeans with your sharpest pair of scissors. Fray out the bottoms with your ingers or a piece of sandpaper. The result is a rock-and-roll look that goes well with black pumps and a polished blouse, a motorcycle jacket, or even a band tee from your Lilith Fair era. Because it is now cool to have had a Lilith Fair era! Take that, sophomores.