mom jeans: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Yes, they refer to the same style. 'Mom jeans' is the American English term; 'mum jeans' is the British English equivalent.

The term originates from a stereotype of what middle-aged mothers in the 1980s and 1990s wore—practical, comfortable jeans not concerned with being trendy. It was cemented by a famous 2003 'Saturday Night Live' parody commercial.

In a cyclical fashion trend, high-waisted, straight-leg or slightly tapered jeans have been revived since the late 2010s. They are often worn with a sense of irony or as a conscious vintage style, so they can be fashionable in specific contexts, though the term itself often retains its pejorative edge.

Both are loose-fitting, but 'boyfriend jeans' are typically mid-rise or low-rise, often with a slouchy, rolled-cuff look, mimicking jeans borrowed from a male partner. 'Mom jeans' are distinctly high-waisted and more tapered at the ankle.

A style of women's jeans that are high-waisted, loose-fitting, and tapered at the ankle, typically associated with a 1990s or 1980s casual, unfashionable aesthetic.

Mom jeans is usually informal, colloquial in register.

Mom jeans: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmʌm dʒiːnz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɑːm dʒiːnz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.