This Anti–Skinny Jeans Trend Has Come Back With a Vengeance

If I opened your denim drawer right now, I bet I could guess some of the key silhouettes stored inside—straight-leg jeans, skinnies, and perhaps an of-the-moment outlier like those "grandpa" cuts. But what's one style that probably hasn't surfaced to the top of the pile as much as of late? Flares. Sure, cropped flares have been, well, cropping up over the last few years, but the more polarizing bootcut and bell-bottom styles (aka anti–skinny jeans) haven't been as popular again until recently. Well, get ready—as we continue to see on the runway and streets, flares proved in 2022 that they were back and continue to do so in 2023 with some cute inspiration for summer-worthy flare-jeans outfits.
Celebrities like Gigi Hadid, Margot Robbie, and Harry Styles have already been spotted in '70s-inspired flares, and fashion people are starting to embrace the vibe.
To highlight the look further, we broke down how the flare trend has taken over the runway, celeb, and It-girl world for you below. We also shopped out the coolest cuts of the moment if you're ready to try the trend out this time around. Keep scrolling to see how to wear flare jeans right now.
On celebs:
Light-wash flares pop even more with black separates like this cropped black knit.
On Margot Robbie: Chanel sweater
A tangerine-colored sweater half-tucked into wider-leg bell-bottoms feels so right now.
We have a feeling elevated denim flares like this will stay "in" for seasons to come.
The split-seam opening at the bottom of the flare makes these jeans especially modern.
On Gigi Hadid: Monse jacket; 7 for All Mankind Luxe Vintage Exaggerated Kick-Flare Jeans ($225); Ferragamo bag
Amp up flared jeans even more with a vibrant cropped jacket and statement accessories.
On Penélope Cruz: Paige Genevieve flares; Chanel bag
Keep it groovy with flares that have a high waist.
On the runway:
Celine sent a slew of models down the runway in a variety of bell-bottom cuts. This denim-on-denim vibe with the slouchy white blazer is where it's at.
Fashion editors everywhere are all about the Levi's Ribcage silhouette.
We'd describe this Brandon Maxwell silhouette featuring iconic flared jeans and that popped-collar blouse as "classic with a twist."
Embroidered flares turned up in Paco Rabanne's collection as the most playful way to lean into those '70s throwback vibes.
While the longer bell-bottom silhouettes generally reigned supreme, this Alberta Ferretti ensemble proves that cropped flares continue to be much-loved.
For anyone looking for a polished pair of cropped flares.
On the street:
Elevate dark flares with a modern blazer and classic white ankle boots.
A long duster coat works flawlessly with longer flares for an of-the-moment silhouette.
Slightly cropped flared jeans in a tailored cut paired with a tucked-in top and blazer always look polished.
Adding a multi-patterned turtleneck into your denim ensemble is a simple way to make a serious impact.
This post was published at an earlier date and has been updated. Next, 10 Fashion Editors Share Their Feel-Good Summer Outfits

Bobby Schuessler is a fashion editor with over a decade of editorial experience covering shopping, style, and beauty. He's spent 10 years at Who What Wear, currently leading the market team to deliver highly covetable and convertible content. He creates data-driven shopping guides featuring top retailers like Nordstrom, Shopbop, and Net-a-Porter and is at the forefront of Who What Wear's shopping tentpole strategies, including Amazon Prime Day. He also works on branded content initiatives and appears on camera in video and shopping livestream franchises.
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