How Should Leather Jeans Fit? A Sizing Guide for Men and Women

Denim forgives. Buy it a touch tight and a week of wear will loosen it; buy it long and the hem will crumple into something acceptable. Leather does not work that way. It has body, it holds a line, and it settles rather than stretches — which means the fit you buy is, broadly, the fit you keep. That is not a warning. It is the reason leather trousers look so much sharper than cloth. But it does mean fit deserves five minutes of thought before you order.

Here is how to think about it, using the three pairs in the CNOIR Leather Jeans collection.

The waist

Every pair is offered in waist sizes 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 and 38, in a men's cut and a women's cut. Order the waist you wear in a well-fitting pair of jeans that sits at the natural waist or just below — not the size you wear in a low-rise or stretch denim, which tends to run below your true measurement. If you sit between sizes, take the larger: leather will settle to you over time, but it will not give you an extra inch on day one.

The length

Each waist is offered in three leg lengths — 30, 32 and 34. Because leather holds a clean line, the hem is more visible than in denim, so choose the length for the shoe you will wear most. As a rule of thumb: for a heel or a boot, choose the length that lets the hem fall clean with no break or a single soft one; for a flat or a trainer, choose the shorter option so the hem sits at the ankle rather than pooling. A wide leg like the Flare wants more length than a slim leg like the Femme, because a flare that stops short loses its line.

The cut: men's or women's

Each pair is cut in both. Order the cut that matches your body in the first instance — but the two are not walled off from each other. If you prefer a straighter or a closer line through the hip than your usual cut gives you, the other cut in your waist size is a legitimate choice. Leather jeans, like leather jackets, cross the aisle more freely than most garments.

How each pair sits

CNOIR Noir Femme — explore the piece.

The Noir Femme is a slim cut with a straight, tapered leg line and a clean, narrow finished hem. It should sit close through the thigh without pulling across the front pockets, and taper to the ankle without gripping the calf. If the pockets gape or the front creases horizontally when standing, go up a waist size.

CNOIR Noir Serpent Matte — explore the piece.

The Noir Serpent Matte is a straight leg with panel seaming at the knee — the most forgiving of the three, sitting away from the thigh and falling straight from the knee. It should skim rather than hug; the embossed surface reads best when the leg hangs cleanly.

CNOIR Noir Flare — explore the piece.

The Noir Flare is high-rise and wide-legged. Fit is decided at the waist and the hem: it should sit at the natural waist — higher than the other two — and fall long enough that the flare finishes near the floor with your chosen shoe. Take the 34 length if in any doubt.

How leather settles

New leather trousers feel more structured than denim in the first wears — that is the body that makes them hold a line. Over the first weeks the leather relaxes at the knee and seat and moulds to you, without losing its shape elsewhere. All three pairs are unlined, which means the leather moves directly with the body and settles faster. It also means professional leather care rather than home washing; the same principles as our leather care guide apply.

The short version

• Order your true waist, sitting at or just below the natural waist. Between sizes, go up.
• Choose the length for the shoe: shorter for flats, longer for heels and boots, longest for the Flare.
• Order the cut that matches your body first; cross over if you prefer the other line.
• Expect it to settle, not stretch.

All three pairs are £295, in 100% genuine leather. Explore the Leather Jeans collection.