In 2000, Abercrombie & Fitch launched Hollister, and the brand arrived with a story already written. Store employees were told about a John M. Hollister who settled in Los Angeles with his wife Meta, then opened a shop in Laguna Beach selling goods from the South Pacific. When his son John Jr. took over, the shop added surf clothing and gear. The New Yorker puts it plainly: none of that is true. Abercrombie told the Los Angeles Times it pulled the name Hollister out of thin air.

 

I find that oddly useful when I think about Hollister jeans. This is a brand built on a feeling, a California beach town you can wear, and it has always been about the mood first. So the denim is where the point of view shows up in practice: low waists, loose legs, fading and whiskering on the thigh. Most of this edit is about fit, because fit is what the brand actually sells.

 

Start with the baggiest pieces. The Andi super baggy pair comes in light wash, dark wash and washed black, and each has a back buckle to adjust the rise and close up waist gap. I would reach for the dark wash with a fitted long-sleeve tee and boots now that it is October. The Andi with floral embroidery in medium wash is the one for a plain white top, so the stitching does the talking. The leopard print super baggy pair is loud, which is the point, so I would keep everything above it black. The plaid cuff pair is a good excuse for a chunky sock.

 

One test for anything this loose: sit down, then stand up, and see if the waist stays put. And wash a new pair on its own the first time, inside out, because dark denim likes to let go of its color.

Dad jeans are the quiet middle of the Hollister range. The care label gives the practical note for all denim here: wash before wear, turn the garment inside out, and keep it with like colors. That small step is why a dark wash stays dark.

 

The High-Rise Dad Jeans come in dark wash, medium wash and a faded black-blue, all in Vintage Stretch denim with a relaxed leg. I would wear the faded black-blue with a gray crewneck and loafers on a Tuesday when I do not want to think. The distressed light wash is the weekend pair, rolled once at the ankle with a white tee tucked in. The Low-Rise Ripped Dad Jeans in medium wash are the looser, lower option for someone who finds a high rise too structured.

 

For something cleaner, the straight cuts do the work. The High-Rise Straight in light wash is made for a tucked-in knit and a belt. The Mid-Rise Straight in medium wash sits where most people expect jeans to sit, and the Low-Rise Straight in dark wash is the easiest to dress up with a blazer.

 

In the fitting room, check the rise by sitting, and check the hem against the shoe you plan to wear most. What I would skip: a distressed pair for anything that needs to look pressed, like a dinner with family. The rips tell on you.

Flare and bootcut jeans change how a boot looks, so I think about the shoe first. A flared hem needs a heel or a thick sole, and a bootcut is happy with anything with a little shaft.

 

Hollister makes the High-Rise Flare in dark wash, medium wash and light wash, all in Vintage Stretch denim. The dark wash is the one I would wear in a fashion dream of a Friday night: a slim black knit, a pointed boot, the hems just skimming the floor. The light wash wants a white tank and a brown belt. The Ultra Low-Rise Flare in medium wash is for anyone who likes the early 2000s version, with the waist sitting well below the navel.

 

The bootcut pieces are quieter. The Low-Rise Bootcut in washed black has a slim leg and a bootcut hem, and it will look right with a fitted turtleneck. The High-Rise Bootcut in dark wash is in Classic Stretch denim and has a letdown hem, which means you can see where the hem was once longer. The Low-Rise Stretch Bootcut in medium wash is the casual one, with fading and whiskering.

 

Try them on with the actual boot, not the sock you are wearing in the fitting room. What I would skip: a flare with flat canvas sneakers, because the hem swallows the shoe and drags in the rain.

The curvy cut is the clearest idea Hollister has about denim. Its own description says the fit eliminates waist-gapping with a slimmer waistband and a roomier fit through the hip and thigh, and that it is meant for someone whose hips measure 12 to 14 inches more than their natural waist.

 

That makes the Curvy Low-Rise Baggy in washed black my first choice here. It is built for the hip, so you do not have to size up and then belt the waist. The Curvy High-Rise Baggy in medium wash has the same cut with a higher rise, and it likes a cropped sweater. The Curvy Y2K Camo Baggy is a statement, so I would keep the top plain. The Curvy High-Rise Skinny in washed black is the one I would pull on under a long coat.

 

The straight-cut low-rise pieces sit beside them as companions: the Ultra Low-Rise Baggy in light wash and in black, the Low-Rise Skinny in medium wash and the Low-Rise Straight in medium wash. They are not curvy cuts, so go by the product page measurements. Check the front rise and the inseam, and sit down once.

 

What I would skip: sizing down in the curvy cut to chase a tighter waist. The point is that the waist already fits, so let the hip have its room.

Balloon, barrel and wide-leg denim share one rule: the shape lives below the hip, so keep the top close. A wide hem is easy to wear when the waist and the shoulders are quiet.

 

The Ultra Low-Rise Balloon Jeans come in light wash and dark wash, with an adjustable tie hem that lets you change how rounded the leg looks. In my fashion dreams, the dark wash is paired with a snug black tee and a pair of ballet flats. The Andi Adjustable Waist Barrel Jeans in dark wash have waist tabs to adjust the rise, seam details and five pockets. The distressed medium wash version of the barrel is the more casual cousin.

 

Then the straight, long wide-leg line. The Ultra Low-Rise Wide-Leg in dark rinse has a tab waist with a double shank closure, which is a small detail that holds a heavy fabric in place. The High-Rise Wide-Leg comes in dark wash and washed black, and the washed black is the one for a blazer and a pointed shoe. The Ultra Low-Rise Distressed Wide-Leg in medium wash is the weekend version.

 

Hold the hem up against your shoe before you buy, and make sure the leg clears the floor when you walk. What I would skip: a long coat that ends at the same point as the hem, because the lines compete.

I would begin with the fit, not the wash. If your hips and waist are far apart, I would go to the curvy cut. If you want a loose leg with a clean waist, the Andi with its adjustable back is my pick. Then I would decide the leg shape by the boots already in my closet.

 

Last, I would wash them as the label says, inside out and cold, and wear them hard. The Hollister story was invented, but a pair of jeans that fits is not a story, and that is the part I would keep. I went deeper on a related idea in Abrand Jeans: Finding a Pair That Fits.