A barrel leg jean is defined by its curve, not by how loose or fitted it is overall. Levi's Super Baggy Barrel Jeans in Shaded View pushes that curve to its widest point, so the volume is the whole statement. Madewell's The Darted Barrel Leg Jeans takes a more controlled approach, using darts to shape the curve without the extra bulk. Both jeans still taper back in at the ankle, which is what keeps a barrel leg from reading as simply baggy. The right version depends on how much volume you actually want to carry through the thigh.

Once the curve is established, color becomes the next decision. Frame's The Bow high-rise barrel-leg jeans keeps the classic blue wash, which lets the silhouette read as a denim update rather than a costume. Citizens of Humanity's Marcelle barrel-leg jeans in green moves further from a traditional jean, so I would keep the rest of the outfit deliberately plain around it. A frayed or lighter wash softens the shape slightly, while a saturated color sharpens it. Choose the wash that matches how much attention you want the leg itself to get.

Barrel leg jeans work because the curve does something a straight or skinny leg cannot, it adds volume without losing the tapered ankle that keeps an outfit looking finished. The shape rewards a compact top and a clean flat shoe, since anything else competing for volume just fights the jean. I would start with a classic wash before trying a color or a frayed hem, because the silhouette alone is already a big enough change for most closets. Darted versions give a more controlled curve, while baggier cuts commit fully to the volume. If you take one thing away, let the jean be the one loud idea in the outfit and keep everything else quiet around it. This is a shape that rewards patience with fit, since a curve that sits wrong at the knee will never look intentional. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Barrel Jeans Are The Denim Shape Everyone's Wearing and RUTI Pants.