mom jeans

plural noun

1

: women's jeans of an outdated or unflattering style

I was wearing a seriously old-school pair of jeans until last year, when a friend of mine put her foot down. She said, "You'd look 10 years younger … if you got rid of those mom jeans."

—Marion Winik

2

: jeans (as for women or girls) with a high waist and a tapered leg

Baggy pants and high-waisted "mom jeans" are currently No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, on the list of must-have apparel among teenage girls, the report says.

—Crystal Bell

If you're looking to ease yourself back into denim, a great pair of mom jeans could be the perfect place to start. This popular style is often loose in the leg … , but the tapered ankle is super flattering for a wide range of body shapes.

—Emily Dawes

Examples of mom jeans in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The mock neck is tasteful and the oversized fit begs to be paired with long skirts or tucked into your favorite mom jeans. —Nusrat Sultana, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025

Universal Thread High-Rise Straight Ankle Jeans My teen’s other favorite pair of mom jeans came courtesy of Target. —Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 7 Oct. 2025

Imagine a hybrid between mom jeans and skinny jeans, the perfect flattering combo to project an impeccable style. —Renata Joffre, Glamour, 23 Aug. 2025

Tie into mom jeans and a vintage tee, or wear with linen trousers and a tank. —Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 17 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mom jeans

• alkenes
• amines
• benzenes
• canteens
• convenes
• cosines
• cuisines
• eumenes
• hellenes
• latrines
• machines
• marines