Boyfriend jeans are a women's fit designed to look as though it was borrowed from a men's wardrobe: relaxed through the hip and thigh, a straight or very slightly tapered leg, and a mid to low rise, without the shaping of a fitted style. The cut is looser than a straight fit but usually not as wide as a dedicated wide leg.
Because the style is meant to look casually oversized rather than sloppy, boyfriend jeans often include some contouring at the waist even though the leg itself hangs loose, and many pairs come with light distressing or a worn finish to reinforce the borrowed, lived in look. Length is usually worn slightly shorter, cropped above the ankle, or rolled at the cuff.
Sizing runs looser than a fitted style, so many wearers choose their true size rather than sizing up further. See how should jeans fit for advice on judging a relaxed fit correctly, and our women's jeans fits guide for how boyfriend jeans compare with mom jeans and other relaxed cuts.
