When it comes to jeans, wide-leg and baggy styles have dominated the last couple of years. If you prefer a more tailored look, good news: Straight jeans are back, and you can wear just about anything with them. And what about those skinny jeans you’ve been saving? We asked fashion pros when to choose skinny jeans over straight legs (and whether you even should).
Are skinny jeans or straight jeans back in style?
If you prefer the extra-tight jeans of the 2010s, well, you’re going to want to keep those in storage for a bit longer. “Skinny jeans are definitely still out — straight jeans are the cut you should go for this season,” says Stacey Oliver, a personal shopper and VIP stylist at Bloomingdale’s in New York City.
Yahoo Senior Style Editor Jessica Teich agrees, adding that “the more relaxed, slightly wider leg opening is much more flattering on a range of body types than the super-tight, calf-hugging styles of years past. Plus, they’re more comfortable!”
Is there a stylish way to wear skinny jeans today?
If you simply must wear a skinnier leg, try a “slim straight” style that hugs the leg slightly more than a standard straight-leg style. Otherwise, your ol’ skinnies are best reserved for wearing tucked into tall boots, Teich says. To keep them looking current, you should still avoid overly stretchy skinnies that hug your frame like leggings, and skip the 2015 tunic top and infinity scarf. Instead, try pairing your jeans-and-boots combo with a trench coat or oversized blazer (like Princess Diana did back in the late ’80s and early ’90s).
What should you wear with straight jeans?
Straight-leg jeans have a little more volume around the ankle, so they lay nicely over shoes like sneakers, loafers or ballet flats. You’ll want the hem to sit just at or below the ankle, and focus on low-profile shoes for a streamlined look. Anything too chunky will cut you off at the ankles, making your legs appear shorter.
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You could also pair your straight-leg denim with heels or boots. “I love them over ankle boots that look understated but peek out in full when you sit, and when paired with a heel of any kind, make your legs look that much longer,” Teich says.
What shades of jeans are trending this fall?
Of course, once the temps drop, dark-wash jeans start trending again, and this season is no different. Darker denim pairs well with rich hues like burgundy and chocolate brown, but even worn with a plain white tee, it looks sophisticated. “We’re seeing fashion move toward a more polished, refined approach to everyday dressing, and dark denim fits perfectly into that shift,” says personal stylist and wardrobe consultant Laura Gregory. “A deep indigo or clean dark rinse instantly makes jeans feel more elevated and intentional than a heavily faded or distressed wash.”
Oliver adds that she thinks straight-leg jeans in a mid-dark wash are great for fall. And if you really want to switch things up, Teich says to go for denim in earth tones like deep brown, or to try a creamy winter white.
