Best Jeans for Apple Shapes [2024 Review]

What Is an Apple Body Shape?

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An apple body shape, also known as an inverted triangle body shape, is characterized by broad shoulders, fuller bust, a wide back and more weight around the abdomen and waist area. An apple shaped woman might also have a flat butt, narrow hips and slimmer legs. 

Apple shaped women tend to gain weight in the abdomen, waist, and upper body, rather than in the lower body. However, this does not mean that all apples are plus size, as some can be middle sized or even slim.

Read through my reviews of the best jeans for apple shape to help you choose the perfect pair for their figure.

My #1 pick is the Lee Women’s Sculpting Fit Pull-on Jeans. Unlike mother denim, these pull-on jeans feature an elastic band (flattering on the tummy) and do not have a huge stretch if you don’t normally wear high waisted jeans. And while they are straight legged (not boot cut), they won me over when I wore them.

My #1 pick is the Lee Women’s Sculpting Fit Pull-on Jeans. These pull-on jeans feature an elastic band (flattering on the tummy). They are not a huge stretch if you don’t normally wear high rise jeans. And while they are straight legged (not boot cut), they won me over when I wore them.

My Top Apple Shape Jeans Recommendations

Because an apple shape holds most of its weight in its stomach, it’s best to look for the best jeans that will hide or conceal this area. The Wrangler Retro High-Rise Trumpet Flare Jeans won me with their fit, sculpting fabric, and contouring back pockets.

I also have more options for finding jeans that dramatically elevate your apple body shape.

Best Jeans for Apple Shaped Women Overall: Wrangler Retro High-Rise Trumpet Flared Jeans

The Wrangler Retro High-Rise Trumpet Flared Jeans are the absolute best jeans for an apple body shape because the cut balances out the bottom half. The wide leg instantly makes the legs look much longer, removing attention away from your big stomach.

Being high-waisted pants, the band sits higher on the torso compared to the other jeans. In effect, the pants reduce the appearance of bulging fats.

The others mainly consist of polyester. While this synthetic material repels water, it is less breathable and sustainable than Wrangler’s cotton fabric. With a slightly loose fit and cotton material, you can make sure your body doesn’t get sweaty that much.

The versatile fit suits an apple shaped body type, including those with an inverted triangle or hourglass shape. However, the floppy bottom can be pretty big for some ladies, depending on how you style them.

Pros

  • The wide-leg hemline stretches the body visually to balance the roundness of the midsection
  • It gives apple-shaped women a dramatic flair with a high-waist silhouette
  • It mainly uses natural fibers for a more relaxed fit

Cons

  • It can be pretty challenging to find the right inseam size
  • It may be too wide on the bottoms for apple-shaped women shorter than 5 five feet

Best Straight Leg Jeans for an Apple Body Shape: Lee Women’s Sculpting Fit Slim Leg Pull-on Jeans

The Lee Women’s Sculpting Fit Slim Leg Pull-on Jeans are another great pick for an apple-shaped body, especially if you have extra weight on the belly. Even if you don’t have excess fat, these pants can sculpt your figure by making your waist appear smaller.

The pull-on waistband is thick enough for this body shape since they tuck in lower abdominal weight and love handles. The waistband also conceals back fat, enhancing the look of your butt.

The NYDJs seek to slim your entire figure without necessarily wearing skinny jean. Whereas, Lee sculpts and slims your waist by adding curves and enhancing your lower half.

The fabric is relatively thick and bulky for summer and fall. However, these jeans sit right under your belly button, giving your waist a flattering shape with enough tummy control.

These straight-leg jeans may not be as stretchy as that of Wrangler or mother denim. Nonetheless, they still give you a comfortable fit with strong enough material to sculpt your apple shape figures. 

Pros

  • Pull-on waistband tucks in excess weight while enhancing hips and butt
  • Whisker detail widens the look of your hips
  • Smaller back pockets can make your backside look fuller, thus creating a slimmer look to your waist

Cons

  • The straight leg may be too narrow for your preference 
  • The fabric tends to bunch around the knees

Best Boyfriend Jeans for Apple Shape: Signature by Levi’s Strauss and co. Women’s Slim Boyfriend Jeans

The Slim Boyfriend Jeans by Levi Strauss and co are the perfect pair of relaxed-fit denim pants. These apple body shape jeans can fit tightly and still have a relaxed look due to the loose-fitting legs. 

This style looks good on any shape, especially if you pair it with a loose-fitting shirt and low-heeled ankle boots. The inseam is 26 inches while folded and 28 inches unfolded. They are fairly short pants that you can convert into an ankle length to show off some slim legs.

Unlike Lee Women’s and Wrangler, these jeans do not have a slimming waistband. Instead, the 3% elastane gives these jeans quite a lot of stretch. These jeans hug your stomach comfortably while tucking it in to hide a muffin top.

It has a slim-cut fit like NYDJ. The difference is that they are folded up at the bottom, which is common in most boyfriend jeans. You can fold these down for a short, straight-leg look. 

Pros

  • Boyfriend-style jeans that allow both a tight and relaxed fit 
  • Cropped folded design which you can unfold for a different style
  • The waistband tucks in extra weight along your belly

Cons

  • The fabric is relatively thin for winter months
  • You may need to alter the hem if you’re below five feet

Best Boot-Cut Jeans for Apple Bodies: NYDJ Women’s Barbara Jeans

The NYDJ Barbara Bootcut Jeans are among the best because of their shaping properties. These high-rise jeans feature the NYDJ signature lift and tuck technology. This compromises two criss-cross patterns on the inside front of the pants to tuck in excess weight in the stomach.

These mid-waist jeans accentuate your best features while concealing areas you might feel insecure about. This technology also lifts and shapes your butt, making it appear rounder and fuller. 

Similar to Levi’s, NYDJ incorporates strategically-placed back pockets to help enhance the size of your butt.

Compared to the other jeans, this one uses elastomultiester, a cross-linked polyester with fibers that have good elastic properties. In effect, apple shape women get a stretchy, comfortable fit yet strong enough to shape and tuck their big stomach. Lyocell fibers also make the pants breathable and lightweight.

NYDJ makes their jeans larger. Because of this, I recommend getting one size smaller when purchasing any of their jeans.

Pros

  • The stretchy denim shapes the body without making apple shape women feel constricted
  • Embroidered back pockets enhance and draw attention to your backside
  • The slightly wide-leg hem lengthens and slims the legs

Cons

  • Sizes run a little big
  • They may look more like slacks than jeans

Worst Jeans for an Apple Body Shape

Slim fit, boyfriend, and bootcut jeans are among the best styles for an apple body shape. This implies there are styles apple shape women should also avoid.

Skinny Jeans

Skinny jeans can make the top half look bigger. Some skinny jeans fit correctly in the waist yet appear large in the thighs and legs.

Stretch Denim

Thin, stretchy pants tend to cling to the body’s rounder parts. They may only highlight what you’re trying to conceal or shape.

Low-Rise Jeans

Low- rise jeans sit low on the hips, creating a muffin top. This style may emphasize excess fat in the bottom half, and you may constantly pull the pants up.

Features to Consider for the Best Jeans for an Apple Body Shape

Your size will significantly determine which features to look for when searching for the best jeans. Whichever style you’re going after, as you find jeans it’s always better to know which features will make you look the best.

Comparing The Best Jeans for Apple Shape Features

Jeans Leg Style Closure
NYDJ Barbara Boot cutZip fly with button
Lee Sculpting Fit Slim cutFaux fly
Signature by Levi’s Slim fitZipper with button

Rise Style

Pants that sit right below your belly button can tuck in love handles, hiding love handles and belly fat.

Some styles, like high rise, can give you a curvier look by pushing your weight down into your hips.

High-rise jeans can look good depending on the brand and style, although most high-rise jeans can accentuate your stomach and make it look larger than it is.

It is made from stretchy fabrics, has slimming waistband, and a wide legs design are the things you look for in jeans for apple shape

Leg Style

Bootcut jeans are the best to choose for an apple body shape. These can balance your legs with the top of your body, like for an inverted triangle body.

Skinny jeans can make you look bigger by adding a narrow look to your lower half. Meanwhile, flared jeans can balance out your lower half by making it look bigger. 

Similar to flared jeans, straight leg and wide-leg jeans can look good depending on the size of your legs.

Slimming Waistband

The perfect pair must have waistbands that can tuck in and conceal extra weight on your stomach to make you look less large on top. Some options can add curves, while others match your waist size to your hips.

Look for pants that mention tucking characteristics on the waist. Even if skinny jeans don’t have a unique waistband, stretch jeans can give you this slimming effect.

Fabric

A denim fabric with any type of elastane, such as Lycra or Spandex, can give you a comfortable fit at the waist. This is important for apple-shaped figures with extra weight in their midsection.

Stretch fabric can give you a comfortable fit that’s firm enough to sculpt and shape your body. Look for skinny jeans with extra elastic fibers to do this.

Dark Wash Style

Darker colors can create a slimmer appearance on your legs and waist. Dark-colored pants are suitable for women who want to look slimmer throughout their entire apple-shaped bodies. 

Most apple-shaped women want to hide their waist, and dark washes will do that. Just keep in mind most flattering jeans will also make you look like you have skinny legs.

Important Tips When Buying Jeans for an Apple Body Shape

Finding the perfect pair of jeans can be a challenging task, especially if you have an apple shape. Whether dressing up for a special occasion or seeking everyday casual wear, these tips can help you choose a pair of jeans that can bring out the beauty hidden in your unique apple shape.

  • Choose one that adds volume to your bottom half: Choosing a jeans style that adds volume to the bottom half such as wide-leg, helps create the illusion of curves and adds more visual interest to the lower body. 
  • Opt for one with a straight cut: Straight cuts offer a better fit from the waist, hips, and thighs, creating a smooth line that helps visually elongate the legs and flatter the overall silhouette.
  • Go for the right size: Jeans that fit you well make you look and feel your best as they help accentuate your best features and minimize the areas you want to conceal. 
  • Avoid curvy cut jeans: Curvy jeans are cut with extra room at the thighs and butt and also feature a small waist. They are unsuitable for apple shape since they dig into the waist and are baggy at the hip region.
  • Consider the back pockets: Back pockets with flaps and those that sit lower down the butt region help make your bottom appear curvy and more flattering.
  • Go for fading and whiskering jeans: The lighter areas on this type of jeans create a visual balance on the hips and thighs, which makes the lower body appear less dominant, making the overall body shape more proportionate.
  • Choose jeans that offer support: Go for jeans with built-in tummy control panels, which help flatten the stomach area and provide a more streamlined appearance.
  • Go for a flat front style: Considering that buttons and zippers can add weight to your middle area, consider going for flat front jeans as they help hide unwanted bulges on your body.
  • Choose jeans with a high-rise style: Due to the difference in waist-to-hip ratio, high-rise jeans are a great option for the apple shape as they sit higher on the waist, creating a more defined waistline while preventing issues of muffin top formation.
  • Go for non-stretch or heavy-weight denim: Non-stretch jeans help disguise bulges while adding volume to your bottom half for a balanced look.

Things to Avoid When Choosing Jeans for Apple-Shaped Women

Typically, there are countless styles and designs of jeans in the market. However, it’s advisable to avoid jeans with the following design features as they might not flatter apple-shaped bodies.

Skinny Jeans With a Crease

Creases on skinny jeans create an illusion of having shorter legs than they are since they break up the line of your leg. This can make you appear heavier on the top half than they are. 

Jeans With a Button Fly

Button fly jeans are fastened with buttons instead of a zipper. This adds bulk and draws more attention to the tummy region, an area most apple-shaped women love concealing due to the extra weight.

Low-Mid Rise Jeans

Generally, low to mid-rise jeans sit at the widest part of your waist, creating a muffin top. They can also subject you to the hassles of pulling them up since the narrow hips might not hold up the wider waistband.

Thin and Super Stretch Jeans

Thin and super stretch jeans tend to cling to the round midsection, making it even more noticeable. The tight fabric can also be restrictive, making you feel uncomfortable.

Related Questions

Can an Apple-Shaped Person Wear Bell Bottom Jeans?

Yes, an apple-shaped person can wear bell-bottom jeans as they help add weight below the knee, balancing your top half while creating a curvy shape. However, if you have a slim apple-shaped body, it is advisable to go for a high-rise style as it helps elongate your legs

Are Wide-Leg Jeans Good for Apple Body Shapes?

Wide-leg jeans are good for apple-shapes because they balance your top half. The fit won’t also emphasize your small buttocks or narrow hips.

How Can I Style Jeans for My Apple Body Shape?

Apple body shapes can help define the waist while slimming the midriff. To further define your waistline and midsection, pair your pants with peplum tops, long vests, or an open-front jacket to enhance the appearance of your broad shoulders.

HONEST review of the Neezeelee Gray Slim Fit Dress Pants

Conclusion

When finding the best jeans for an apple, make sure that the jeans you choose for your apple silhouette make you feel comfortable. Try not to focus so much on the look. As long as you wear jeans that you feel comfortable, you are good to go

   

Between photographing some of the outfits and apparel seen on the site, doing a little modeling herself, and contributing to the writing, Kaitlin focuses on showcasing easy and flattering ways to successfully dress for your unique body type. Along with helping run the site, Kaitlin is a wedding photographer in sunny San Diego.