It looks like Gen Z are bringing back an old fashion trend, whether we like it or not. Unfortunately, some of the less popular trends from the last 20-or-so years are coming back into prominence, with the younger generation fully adopting the trends that made those in the past cringe. It’s not just the teens and young adults calling the shots either, with the likes of Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski, Robert Pattinson, and even high fashion brands part of the renaissance of this specific clothing item.
Remember the days when getting into skinny jeans was considered a sporting activity? It feels like it was just yesterday when Gen Z branded this denim item as ‚uncool‘, but now, they are making a comeback. You may remember needing to do a gymnastics routine to get these on, stretching and bending to pull them up your legs in the hope that you looked good when you headed out.
All that wrestling with the denim just for it to go out of fashion years later. The nerve of the fashion industry to just dismiss things, am I right? For those of you that held onto your skinny jeans though, you might want to get them out the back of your wardrobes because they’re in again, apparently.
Designers are back styling skinny jeans for their fall/winter collections, with brands like Miu Miu, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen featuring them on the runway at fashion shows. This means it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing them on the streets again.
Farfetch’s senior menswear editor Luke Raymond spoke about the returning trend to GQ, stating, “It’s rare now to see skinny jeans in the wild, which subsequently means that brands and influential dressers will inevitably look to bring them back to the table. Add the nostalgic throwback to the #indiesleaze early ’00s that has been gaining steam, and you have a perfect storm for the return of the skinny jean.”
That aesthetic can be recognized with the use of dark eyeliner, similarly skinny scarves, cheetah print, maybe some mesh, and of course, tight denim. Celebrities in the 2000s loved sporting this kind of style, especially those that were spearheading the edgy, alternative fashion wave that took the world over.
Shelby Goldfaden, Director of Merchandising at M.M.LaFleur, told The New York Post, “In the fashion industry, everything that goes out eventually comes back in,” adding that this is a ‚timeless‘ style that has ’structure and ease‘. “We’re emerging from a period dominated by relaxed fits, and skinny jeans offer a sleek silhouette that pairs well with casual and dressy tops. They’re also ideal for showcasing statement footwear, which we’re seeing everywhere this fall,” she highlighted.
It’s a weird one, with the likes of Drake and Billie Eilish still sporting the baggy fits, which have taken over the majority of fashion nowadays, but we could be set to rewind. Michael Kardamakis, founder of vintage retailer Endyma, spoke about the positives of baggy clothes to GQ, stating, “Shapes come and go, but one of my favorite aspects of the oversize silhouette that dominates today is that it is possible for the wearer to look directional and very comfortable at the same time.”
At the end of the day, it’s all part of the 20-year trend cycle. Things are always bound to come back, though several industry experts hope that if skinny jeans are to return, it will take into consideration the desire among many in the 2020s for comfort. So, whether you love them or hate them, it looks like skinny jeans are making a comeback, and we may just have to embrace this blast from the past.
