Thanks to Tik Tok and Gen Z we have questioned a lot this year. The same platform that sparks joy through choreography, swimsuit hacks, sunset lights, and feta pasta has a dark side. And while Tik Tok has provided us a form of pure entertainment amidst 2020/21, it’s Gen Z members have used our favorite time consuming app to take a few victims along the way. RIP side part.
Tik Tokers have shown no mercy when it comes to sharing how they truly feel about millennials, and more specifically our skinny jeans. With users filming content- cutting, burning, and throwing out their skinny legged denim, it makes us wonder, are skinny jeans truly cancelled for good?
Before we talk about their demise, let’s give skinny jeans a chance to share their start. Like most style trends, the skinny leg was first put on the map in Europe. Dating back to the 17th century the skinny leg fit made its debut as men's breeches. Somewhere along the skinny fit timeline the look evolved from the days of noble french men to 80’s tapered pants.
The narrower leg opening for women really took off in the early 2000s thanks to the off-duty model looks courtesy of Sienna Miller, Cindy Crawford and Kate Moss. Dior Homme brought skinny jeans back to the runway in 2005 and this was an invitation for men to get aboard the skinny jeans train.
So where did we go wrong? How did our most beloved denim fit go from all we want to wear to a fashion crime? Our take: The Jegging. It all seemed to go downhill when we went from 100% organic raw denim to fake denim with 100% stretch. The jean-legging hybrid turned our go-to fit into a confused piece of clothing that was trying to be too many things.
But maybe it’s not such a bad thing that we are leaning towards other denim fits. An outfit is made by its proportions and it’s much easier to create a flattering silhouette with a straight leg, boot cut, or wide leg denim. These fits are tapered at the waist and hips but create a long line from the narrowest part of your torso to the ground. By keeping the denim away from your knees and ankles, the volume added to the lower half of your legs lets your waist be the star and defines it as the narrowest part of your body. A skinny leg, if not styled correctly, can have the opposite effect as the denim is fitted all the way to your ankles and this draws attention to the waist and hips as the widest part of your body.
We pulled together some of Valeria’s favorite denim if you are making the transition from skinny jeans to something new:
Levi's, Ribcage, Shop Here
At the end of the day fashion is not about what others think and is all about how you feel. If you love your skinny legged denim, don’t be so quick to toss them away. While trends are leaning more towards straight and wide leg cuts, trends are also saying low rise denim is making a comeback. And that’s one trend we’re not quite ready for.
Fashion repeats itself and is ever changing. 100 years ago women were not even allowed to wear pants without being arrested and look at us now, we got pant options. If you are investing in high quality denim it will stand the test of time, and knowing that fashion is circular we will probably hold onto a few pairs of skinny jeans for good measure.
The final verdict: Wear what feels good. Style is subjective. Skinny Jeans are on hold, but likely not gone forever.
