Anthropologie’s Pilcro Makes The Best Plus Size Jeans: My Favorite Denim Picks For Summer

Finding cool, well-fitting denim can be a challenge no matter your size — every brand has its own sizing, inseams, and idea of what defines “baggy” — but once you get beyond a size 12 or so, the difficulty increases in direct correlation with the way the selection decreases. Many brands simply do not make plus-size denim at all. And even brands that do often only offer a limited selection of styles, sticking to just mass market favorites and offering very little in the way of emerging trends. 

So I always take note when a brand gets it right. Since it launched plus sizes in 2019, Anthropologie has been high on my list of denim recommendations. The work the company puts into extended sizes is apparent, with jeans that look and feel like they were made with plus bodies in mind. Its in-house denim label Pilcro is particularly good — the fit is reliably consistent and true to size (I wear 20W) and the denim is great quality, especially for the relatively reasonable price point, with most pairs under $150 but comparable to designer denim that retails for $250+. 

Pilcro is also on top of it when it comes to buzzy styles. Often, once I see the early signs of an emerging trend, I immediately look for plus-size options. Unfortunately, plus-size fashion tends to have trend lag across the board, with plus-specific styles often debuting a trend months to years after it starts to hit the mainstream (if they ever offer it at all). That’s not the case with Anthropologie, which creates styles for both straight and plus-size customers alongside each other.

With denim front and center for 2025 trends, and silhouettes more varied than ever (see: barrel-leg jeans), it felt like the perfect time to try out Pilcro’s newest arrivals. Ahead, my impressions and fit feedback on six pairs of Anthropologie’s current denim. Spoiler alert: There are no duds!

The barrel jean trend might not seem like the most approachable one — the name alone is off-putting — but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming one of 2025’s most popular denim silhouettes. And for a good reason: The fashion-forward shape works when done right, but finding a pair done right in plus is no easy feat. Over the years, I’ve noticed a real reticence by many plus-specific brands to offer trends that aren’t traditionally “flattering,” and that was certainly the case when barrel jeans first hit the scene last year. Anthropologie was one of the first retailers I saw offering true barrel jeans in plus, and fortunately, they perfected the style with this pair. 

The Pilcro Kenna is pretty much the platonic ideal of a barrel jean: Round, cool, and weird, with lots of volume through the leg. The tiny bit of stretch (1% elastane) gives the cotton denim just enough give while keeping the exaggerated proportions looking purposeful.

This is a jean that doesn’t require a lot of styling — it looks great with a simple tank and sandals — but I also kind of love leaning into the inherent silliness of the silhouette. So, for this look, I added silver Western boots for a little wink and nod to the “this town ain’t big enough for the two of us” cowgirl vibe. I completed the outfit with a sleek bodysuit and purple accents to keep it from becoming too literal, and loved the final combination.

These relaxed flares are another great example of Pilcro being on top of denim trends.

Flared denim has been sneaking back onto the scene for a bit now, with '70s-inspired style peppering the runways and showing up in street style more often. But the real shift moment was Kendrick Lamar’s excellent Super Bowl performance, where he commanded a field-size stage in a pair of light-wash Celine flares. Since then, the flare renaissance has begun in earnest, with one particular variation leading the pack: relaxed, wider-width flares. This slouchy style brings the same nonchalant, cool girl vibes as barrel jeans, but in a much less daunting cut.

These jeans are 100% cotton, with no added stretch, but the fit is true to size, and the lightweight fabric softens even further with wear. This pair was a bit clingy on my lower belly area when I first put them on, but by the end of the day, they were perfectly relaxed and no longer clinging. That’s not the only reason I like this material, though: It is also part of Anthropologie’s Regenerative Cotton collection, a more sustainably grown fiber from its “partnership with environmental nonprofit Kiss the Ground to promote regenerative agriculture and raise awareness on the soil health movement.” 

When I first pulled this pair out of the package, it looked so small that I had some serious concerns about whether I’d even be able to get them on my body. But I should have had more faith in Pilcro’s sizing consistency, because once I tried them on, the fit was perfect. The denim is substantial without being too heavy for warmer weather (it was an unseasonably hot 80-degree day when I wore these out), and the 2% elastane gives a good amount of stretch. The proportions of this pair are great, too, with the high rise hitting me at a nice spot on my natural waist, and enough room at the hips that I don’t feel squished. Paired with a fun Rachel Antonoff shell print top and mesh Mary Jane flats from Lane Bryant (one of my go-tos for comfortable wide-width shoes), I had a look that took me from a day of writing to a night of events. 

I also really appreciate that these jeans are a true straight-leg silhouette. (It is all too common to see so-called straight-leg jeans turn into wide-leg or flares in plus sizes due to improper size grading.)

I liked all the denim I tried from Pilcro for this story, but this has to be my favorite pair. The vibe shift away from skinny jeans in 2020 has opened up the realm of denim silhouette possibilities, and I love it. These aren’t the classic flares of yore, nor are they traditional wide-leg jeans. The combination, done in a thicker denim with a bit of stretch and reworked denim panels on the side, adds up to be a really interesting pair of jeans — but one that is still surprisingly versatile. While wear-testing this pair, I found myself throwing these on for everything from dog walks to quick trips to the store, but they also look great more dressed up with a strappy heeled sandal and cute top. 

I found this pair to be a bit snug on the first wear, but they broke in quickly, feeling just right by the end of my second wear. I wore these for a warm day that felt like a sneak peek of summer, and paired them with a striped tank and gold accents for my take on the fisherman aesthetic.

If you hear the words “low-rise” and immediately have to fight the urge to break out in nervous hives, don’t fear: These are not the ultra-low-rise jeans of the Y2K era! Indeed, the modern version of low rise would have been considered downright high rise back then, which makes it a lot less daunting for those of us who don’t want to have to worry about whale tails. (In modern terms, these are closer to a mid-rise, showing just a sliver of midriff with a tee.) 

I always size up when it comes to low-rise jeans, especially when they are stiff, non-stretch denim, so I got a size 22W instead of my usual size 20W in these jeans to make sure they’d be lower slung as intended. My strategy worked, and they ended up hitting comfortably just below my belly button. I paired them with a crochet-detail tee and a longline blazer for a day of meetings and events. 

One thing to note: These are only an inch longer in the inseam (30.5”) than the Darien wide leg flares, but the effect was much longer due to being worn lower on the hip, to the point that they sometimes dragged on the ground when I wore them with sneakers (I’m 5’4” and a half, for reference.) 

Dark wash jeans are having a real moment, and this deep indigo wash pair is a great option if you are looking for a trouser-like style. The denim on this one is lighter weight — perfect for transitioning from cool spring temperatures to hotter summer days. There is a bit of stretch in this pair (2% elastane), but they didn’t lose their shape with wear. Indeed, between the deep indigo color and the considered details like the top-stitched pockets and cuffs, I’d say these are sharp enough for all but the most conservative office environments (how good would this pair look with sleek pumps and a crisp poplin button down tucked in?) 

I styled them more casually for a day of running around Manhattan, with a crop top, a boxy car coat, and my beloved Crocs platform clogs. I found this pair to be the most comfortable of all the Pilcro styles I tried, to the point that I would consider wearing these for travel, even on a long flight — a true testament, in my opinion!