I Ditched Skinny Jeans and Became a Cool Mom With These Under-$40 Jeans My Teens Picked Out for Me (2024)

As a geriatric millennial, I grew up in the days of skinny jeans. Even though I no longer love the look, it was hard for me to break my skinny jeans habit. Fortunately for me, I’m now the mom of two teenage daughters who clued me into the “mom jeans” trend, and we’ve found that they’re the best way to wear jeans comfortably. (In fact, my 13-year-old refuses to wear any other style.)

My girls showed me the ropes with their favorite pairs from Target and Amazon, and I’ve added some additional mom-friendly styles from Old Navy, Lee, and American Eagle to my collection. Best of all, our favorite mom jeans are all $40 or less and have color and size options for just about anyone. So, ditch your old skinny jeans and snag one of these pairs that even my Gen Z teens approve of.

Plnotme Wide Leg Cargo Jeans

I searched Amazon high and wide for the best pair of high-waisted, wide-leg jeans to give my 13-year-old for Christmas and finally settled on this pair. She now practically lives in them, and though they’re a little pricier than I normally like to spend on jeans, they’re the exact fit and quality we were looking for. Plus, they have an impressive six pockets—including two deep side pockets for a phone or wallet—which is a rarity in women’s pants.

Since they’re made with 86% cotton, they’re incredibly comfortable and wash and wear easily. She loves to pair them with everything from crewneck sweatshirts to cardigans to tank tops for that “clean girl” aesthetic. She opted for the light wash color, but you can also choose from two darker washes in sizes 4 to 14. (They did fit true to size for her.)

Wild Fable Medium Wash High-Rise Straight Jeans

My teen’s other favorite pair of mom jeans came courtesy of Target. To my surprise, she prefers jeans that aren’t ripped (remember when ripped jeans were the coolest?), so this pair met her criteria. They are made of cotton with some stretch but still have structure in the front. And like all mom jeans, they still feature that high-rise waist and a loose leg fit.

According to one Target.com shopper, these are “very affordable jeans that look expensive.” And if you’re a Target Circle member, you can snag these jeans for even less—just $18—this week.

Lee Legendary Mid-Rise Boyfriend Jean

As an actual mother, I prefer my mom jeans with a bit of stretch in the waist, so I chose this classic pair from Lee. Made of 99% cotton, they stretch in all the right places but still have some fit around the butt, so you don’t end up looking like a toddler who needs a diaper change. For me, they’re the ideal soccer mom jeans and I do, in fact, plan on wearing them tomorrow to my daughter’s first game of the season. The pictures depict the bottom of the jeans with a roll, but you can also unroll them for a 30-inch inseam. These jeans come in six different wash colors and sizes 0 through 18.

One Amazon shopper and fellow mom shared, “I keep wearing the same jeans I've had for over a decade, but my kids are getting older and have started noticing how out of style my wardrobe is. They have been urging me to get some ‘mom jeans’ with holes, so I can be trendier.” After buying a few pairs, these Lee jeans “are definitely my new favorites,” they shared, adding that the pants have “a little give but they mostly keep their shape, which is hard to find.”

Old Navy High-Waisted OG Straight Ankle Jeans

With over 6,250 five-star ratings, these straight-ankle mom jeans are a best-seller on Old Navy. The high waist and ankle length let parents easily slip on some sneakers and chase after toddlers without a wide leg getting in the way. They come in short, regular, or long lengths and sizes 00 to 30, as well as 10 different washes (including black, white, and gray.)

Depending on the color you want, you can choose a fully intact jean or one with holes. All of the styles have a belly-button rise and are made from a cotton and Spandex blend for a soft yet strong feel.

AE Strigid Mom Jean

I spent most of my high school babysitting money at American Eagle, and I’m still loving its jeans years later. The brand’s mom jean style—now on sale for $35—is super high-rise, with a fit that AE calls “strigid,” meaning that there’s some stretch in the back but rigidity in the front to keep their shape.

“They’re rigid enough to not give me the mom pouch roll but stretchy enough that I can sit comfortably,” one shopper on the store’s site explained. They also hit just above the ankle, making them ideal for spring and warm weather months. This style comes in five wash colors; short, regular, and long lengths; and sizes 00 to 24.

Lee Legendary Mom Jean

Lee makes this pair that it proudly brands as “legendary” mom jeans. The brand promises a “just right” fit thanks to a stretch cotton blend in lighter colors or a more structured stretch denim in the darker shades. As a shorter person, I also appreciate that this option has long and short styles, all available in sizes 0 to 18.

One Amazon shopper swore this pair of mom jeans isn’t “boxy” at all, but instead offers a “close-fitting and relatively slender waist” with ample room for “healthy-sized thighs and butts to feel right at home.” Plus, some colors are over 50% off right now, making them just $21.

Wild Fable High-Rise 90's Relaxed Slashed Straight Jeans

The 90s called, and they’re offering us all their jeans back—and I, for one, am happy to pick up the phone. One of my favorite pairs of pants my family has found at Target, these light wash jeans come in a wide range of sizes (00 through 30) and are the perfect blend of old meets new.

Of course, they’re high-waisted, but they’re still relaxed enough to wear comfortably. Reviewers did point out that there is a “slash” cutout in the thigh of the jeans, so make sure you’re okay with that look before purchasing.

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