The short answer
- Straight and slim are about width. Tapered is about shape: how much the leg narrows from thigh to hem.
- You can have a slim tapered, a straight tapered, or a roomy tapered. That's why the words clash.
- In our men's cuts: straight 24/17/16, slim 22.5/15.5/14, athletic taper 25/16/13.5 (thigh/knee/opening).
- The athletic taper has the roomiest thigh of the three and the narrowest hem. That's what a taper does.
- Judge a pair by its three numbers, not its name.
Search for "straight vs slim" and you'll find one question. Search for "tapered vs straight" and you'll find a different one. They're the same confusion: two words describe width and one describes shape, and shops mix them freely. Untangle that and the choice gets simple.
Width words and shape words
- Straight, slim, skinny, relaxed describe how wide the leg is overall.
- Tapered describes the change: the leg narrows from thigh to hem more than a straight leg does.
- Bootcut and flare describe the opposite change: the leg widens below the knee.
So "tapered" can sit on top of any width. Roomy at the thigh and narrow at the hem is the athletic taper. Trim at the thigh and narrower at the hem is a slim taper. Many shops sell both under the same word.
The numbers, in inches
Our finished-garment figures for a men's 32" waist, measured around. They apply to our cuts only.
| Measured around | Slim | Straight | Athletic taper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thigh | 22.5 | 24 | 25 |
| Knee | 15.5 | 17 | 16 |
| Leg opening | 14 | 16 | 13.5 |
| Thigh to knee | 7 narrower | 7 narrower | 9 narrower |
| Knee to opening | 1.5 narrower | 1 narrower | 2.5 narrower |
| Thigh to opening, total | 8.5 narrower | 8 narrower | 11.5 narrower |
The last three rows are arithmetic on the three figures above them.
What the numbers say that the names don't
Slim and straight narrow by nearly the same amount. The slim loses 8.5 inches from thigh to hem and the straight loses 8. The slim is simply 1.5 to 2 inches narrower at every point. In that sense a slim is a straight leg cut smaller, not a different shape.
The athletic taper is the only real taper here. It loses 11.5 inches from thigh to hem, and 9 of them by the knee. That's what it means to fit big thighs without a baggy leg. It isn't "slimmer"; at the hem it's about the same as the slim.
Straight keeps a hem you can see. At 16 inches around it clears most shoes, including boots, with no bunching.
Which to choose
| If this describes you | Start with |
|---|---|
| Average thighs, want a tidy leg for sneakers and Chelsea boots | Slim |
| Average thighs, wear boots or want a classic line | Straight |
| Thighs or seat are the problem; you size up and the waist gaps | Athletic taper |
| Want the leg to hang with no narrowing at all | Straight, or a relaxed fit |
A tape measure beats memory. Lay your best-fitting pair flat and measure the thigh, knee and hem, then match them against the table. Our leg opening explained shows where each is taken, and what shoes to wear with jeans matches hems to footwear.
When none of these is right
- You want a leg that gets wider, not narrower: that's a bootcut.
- You want a lot of room everywhere: look at a relaxed fit.
- You wear very chunky boots daily: straight is the safer hem.
Next step: choose one
Each has its own page with the options and measuring steps: straight, slim and athletic taper. For the slim-versus-skinny question, see slim vs skinny jeans.
Questions
Is tapered the same as slim?
No. Tapered describes the leg narrowing toward the hem. Slim describes the overall width. A jean can be slim and tapered, or roomy and tapered.
What's the difference between straight and tapered?
A straight leg narrows very little. A tapered leg narrows noticeably from the knee. In our cuts, the straight loses 1 inch from knee to opening and the athletic taper 2.5.
Is straight or slim better?
Slim for a trimmer leg and low shoes, straight for a classic line and boots. If your thighs are large, neither might be the answer; try an athletic taper.
Do tapered jeans suit big thighs?
They can, if the taper starts after the thigh. A tapered cut that is trim at the thigh will just be tight.
Which fit works with boots?
Straight has the widest hem of the three, at 16 inches in our cut, so it sits best over most boots.