Skinny jeans are back: here’s how to style them

If asked, I must confess my undying love for skinny jeans. They have an undeniable comfort factor that I particularly appreciate. Their snug fit, hugging my calves underneath soft stretchy denim, is incredibly soothing. Thus, when Miu Miu, the trendsetter of our time, sent models strutting on the runway in low-rise skinnies at the beginning of this year, it instantly caught my attention.

Moreover, the trend forecasters at Data, But Make It Fashion confirmed burgeoning public interest in skinny jeans by noticing a whopping 50% surge in their online mentions right after Autumn/Winter 2024 fashion shows, with an additional 23% increase in August.

I must admit, I have strayed back to the good old skintight denim as soon as I started sensing a comeback. I bet the millennial nostalgia propelled my switch back to skinnies, considering they were blatantly sidelined during the past few years. Be it Bella Hadid’s efforts or indie sleaze or even Hedi Slimane’s acclaimed AW23 Celine show, nothing could resurrect skinny jeans until now.

We observed a twist in the tale in AW24 when we saw a plethora of designers endorsing the skinny jean trend. Versace, McQueen, Balenciaga, and Aaron Esh showcased skinny-leg denim on their runways. Even Kate Moss, the one-time diva of the skinny jean style, was spotted in a pair. Despite their limited presence in the real world, there’s a noticeable interest resurgence online topped with a 33% search increase on Depop since the start of this year.

According to Agus Panzoni, Depop’s trend forecaster, the revival of once-forgotten items like Uggs, Crocs, and Birkenstocks has paved the way for skinny jeans’ comeback. It seems like shoppers yearn to imitate the style of late 2000s’ and early 2010s’ celebrities, including Alexa Chung and the Olsen twins. A swing back towards the 2000s through avenues like party music and 2006-07 set films has also stirred up interest in a new generation.

It’s interesting how we are ready to embrace an era, not so long ago but quite legendary nevertheless—the epoch of skinny jeans, which reflect the spirit of the Strokes rather than Alt-J. So here we are, all set to embrace the 2000s again and don the beloved skinny jeans.

Skinny jeans of the 2020s come with a twist: while McQueen showcases an overly long leg gathered at the ankles, Balenciaga presents a deliberate overdone bleached thigh wrinkle. These are the distinctive features of skinny jeans that are exaggerated, nearly parodied. In terms of styling, while Miu Miu teams its skinny jeans with brown leather loafers, Balenciaga styles them with over-the-knee boots, and McQueen opts for pointed toes withdrawing from gathered bottoms.

But honestly, why buy new worn-look jeans when you can get an original worn pair for a fraction of the price? Interestingly, this attitude is an indication of the millennial woman’s mindset. They are in a phase where they start thinking like their mothers but have significant disposable income making them influential fashion consumers.

Finally, the importance of skinny jeans in a woman’s wardrobe should not be underestimated. As stated by Donatella Versace, “a pair of tight black pants” is essential. So here’s to the reign of skinny jeans!