If you have been scrolling through social media over the last few years, you may have seen several videos and posts claiming that skinny jeans are over.
Just one of the many things dividing Gen Z and millennials, skinny jeans are not the fashionable items they once were in the past.
Are Skinny Jeans Really Out Of Style?
They might not be very popular among the youth of today, but are skinny jeans actually dead, and should you consider parting with your well-loved pair?
The short answer is no, skinny jeans are not dead! You can still wear your skinny jeans now in a fashionable manner. Baggier styles may be what’s in right now, but fashion is always changing, you can trust that they will be trendy in the future.
We’ll get into why you should keep your skinny jeans in your closet below, as well as other styles of jeans you can try if you love skinnier styles, but want to try a trendier look.
Fashion Trends Are Cyclical
First thing first, fashion trends come and go. Skinny jeans have been trending since the 60s, but they became very popular after 2005, becoming tighter on the leg as time went on.
However, all things must come to an end, and skinny jeans have fallen out of style after 2020. If you’re missing your tight-fitting denim pieces, don’t worry! Trends are cyclical, so they are sure to come back again in a few years.
For example, think about the cottage core look popularized on Pinterest and Instagram. These flowing, light-colored dresses were inspired by prairie clothes of the 70s. The skater skirts everyone was wearing in 2010 were an update from circle skirts worn in the 80s.
Fashion trends are inspired by clothes from other decades. In the case of skinny jeans, drainpipe jeans were considered very rock n roll, popularized by musicians in the 1960s. These tighter pants were the inspiration for the skin-tight jeans worn in the 2010s.
Skinny jeans were a defining characteristic of the 2010s. Everyone was trying to fit into the smallest pair possible. The last half of the decade saw a shift to mom jeans as the 90s aesthetic became popular, but skinny jeans remained the most popular choice.
We cannot emphasize enough how culturally important skinny jeans were. You could wear them anywhere, from coffee dates to evenings out, work meetings to chilling at home. As they were so versatile, they took a lot of pressure out of choosing an outfit to wear.
It’s hard to think of another fashion piece that was as popular as the skinny jean, so we will always respect its revolutionary place.
So, how did skinny jeans lose their cult status?
Why Did Skinny Jeans Fall Out Of Fashion?
As mentioned above, style trends run in cycles. Things that were fashionable five years ago will not be considered stylish today.
Skinny jeans became unstylish because of their popularity. They defined the 2010’s so much that they became synonymous with that period. What comes up must come down, and skinny jeans are an example of this, falling dramatically to the bottom.
They may not be considered trendy now, but there isn’t anything wrong with this style of jeans. For example, you may have a peplum blouse or top hanging in your closet. These tops were very fashionable in 2015, as people wore them at work, on dates, and nights out.
Now, however, peplum tops are hard to find in stores, despite being everywhere in the past. They may look dated, but this doesn’t mean that peplum blouses are ugly! If you love the style and look great in it, you should rock it, regardless of its trend level.
You should also bear in mind that a style’s popularity level is affected by other things related to it. Think about how flared jeans were detested in the 2010s, but they are considered stylish now.
Naturally, items like peplum tops didn’t pair well with flares, making them more difficult to style well. Today, flares work well with a lot of popular pieces, like cute crop tops and oversized blazers.
Similarly, skinny jeans went well with lots of trending 2010 clothes, but are a little more difficult to style well today. It isn’t impossible, but you have to choose other clothing items with care to avoid looking old-fashioned and out-of-touch.
As mentioned above, trends are cyclical. Skinny jeans will regain their popularity in a few years and will always be considered a classic wardrobe piece! It’s best to hold onto your well-loved pair as you may need them in the near future.
How To Wear Skinny Jeans Without Looking Dated
You Can Still Wear Your Beloved Skinny Jeans!
If you’re asking if you can still wear skinny jeans today, the answer is yes! What matters is that you love your jeans and that you feel good in them. If this is the case, you should wear your skinny pair with pride.
Here are some ideas that can make your skinny jeans look stylish instead of outdated.
Play around with silhouettes and fits. Loose tops look great with skinny jeans, but tuck the top in to avoid drawing attention to the pants.
Opting for low-waisted styles nods to Y2K trends of the noughties. Add a shoulder bag and a slightly cropped top to tie the look together.
Oversized blazers are sure to remain in fashion for a few more years. Pair one with your skinny jeans and add square-toed boots for a modern take.
Remember that these are just ideas. If these go against your personal style, you don’t need to try them! It’s more important to stay true to your individuality than follow trends blindly without much thought.
Other Types Of Jeans To Try
If you do want to try a more fashionable style of jeans, but are unsure about turning away from skinny jeans, here are some styles that aren’t too far away from tighter-fitting pairs.
Straight Leg
Not too loose or too tight, straight-leg jeans are a classic, just like skinny jeans!
These are ideal if you are struggling to give up your skinny jeans, as they aren’t too baggy or shapeless.
Bootcut
Like straight-cut jeans, bootcut jeans aren’t too tight or baggy.
They are great for highlighting curvy figures as they are fitted around the thighs and rear before becoming wider at the knee.
Slim Fit
A blend of straight-leg and skinny jeans, slim-fit jeans aren’t skin tight and have a little give to them.
These are easy to tuck into boots, making them a good choice for fall fashion footwear.
Flares
Don’t be scared, as flare jeans still have a place in the skinny-jean lover’s closet! You can find pairs that are cut closer to the leg, extending slightly outwards at the bottom.
Flares are also very comfortable and can be styled in many different ways. If you haven’t given flared jeans a go, try them on the next time you go shopping. You may just be surprised at how much you like them!
The Bottom Line
Skinny jeans may not be considered stylish at the moment, but they still have a place in the fashion world!
If you love skinny jeans, you don’t need to give them up. There are many ways that you can style them so that they look cool and modern today. Trends will come and go, and skinny jeans are sure to be fashionable in a few more years.
If you are considering dipping your toe into trendier jean cuts, consider trying slim-fit, straight-cut, and bootcut jeans. These cuts aren’t that baggy and will make the transition a lot easier.
Valeria Lipovetsky Skinny Jeans Are Dead Video
The amazing Valeria Lipovetsky shares her thoughts on the death of Skinny Jeans and her ideas for what to wear instead.
Hi, my name is Jenna Reign and I have teamed up with my best friend, Sam, to deliver you all of the style secrets to help you stay ahead of the trends. We both met in fashion school and have been inseparable ever since!
Despite our deep love for fashion, even we found it difficult navigating our closets when trying to leave the house for the first time since the pandemic was announced. Were the trends still evolving, or did they get put on hold like the rest of the world?
