"With the welcoming of the fall season often comes the nostalgia of back-to-school shopping: begrudgingly following our moms around a department store, hoping to score a trendy new set of clothes (denim included) for the upcoming school year, all while already anticipating a wave of disappointment knowing that you probably won’t have the last say. (Something changed for me the day that Lizzie McGuire’s mom said no to the bell-bottoms at the Style Shack.) As adults, the return of fall may not signal stocking up on wide-ruled notebooks and freshly-sharpened pencils—but lucky for us, it does mean that we hold the power to tap into trends we may not have been privy to as adolescents.
While I’ve entertained—and, humblebrag, successfully styled—a number of boxer shorts and denim cut-offs this summer, come September, I’m ready to shimmy back into my favorite denim. Though the new season brings a wave of excitement for other cold-weather staples like boots and sweaters, there’s something about slipping on a worn-in pair of jeans that feels like the warm hug we’ve been missing all summer long.
With a renewed focus on the elevated everyday, fall 2024 runways debuted a larger number of denim-centered looks than ever before. Although most of us won’t be seen wearing Valentino’s infamous embellished wide-legs or Miu Miu’s controversial low-rise, pleated skinnies, contemporary brands have translated this energy into updating classic denim styles with more premium upgrades.
From a continuation of oversized, wide-leg jeans to a revival of skinny and straight-legs options, this season’s top jean trends seem to be at odds. But isn’t that where denim usually resides: Living outside the confines of the typical trend cycle? Their inclusivity (have you seen The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants?) is perhaps the very reason that a great pair of blue jeans never seems to go out of style: There’s something for everyone.
1. Low-Rise Baggy Jeans
Baggy jeans just got baggier; brands like Loewe showcased two-sizes-too-big silhouettes with puddled hemlines grazing the fall 2024 runway. If you, like me, live in a walkable city and wouldn’t dare have your pant leg hit the ground, then opt for a pre-cuffed pair that adds a bit more oomph to your look. While you can go the little-shirt, big-pants route, brands are suggesting a layered approach with a chunky sweater and belted blazer.
2. ’90s Straight-Leg Jeans
The ’90s called: They want their jeans back. (And by back, I mean back on denim-wearers everywhere.) While denim trends come and go, there’s none more steadfast than a straight-leg pair. This ’90s-inspired denim is as straightforward (literally) as they come with its easy-to-understand silhouette and no-frills attitude–making it the perfect base for just about any cold-weather combination.
3. Dark Wash Jeans
Take a walk on the dark side with this season’s return to raw, rich, indigo-hued denim. While designers aren’t exactly taking you all the way back to the early-1900s cowboy-crafted blue jeans, they are taking you to a land of office-appropriate, dark-wash denim. The benefits of a darker wash include a more polished, tailored look that can be worn for a wider variety of occasions–from brunch with your friends to drinks with your boss.
4. Flared Wide-Leg Jeans
Be it in an ultra wide-leg or a cropped bootcut, flared jeans are having a resurgence for fall 2024. Not to be confused with baggy denim, wide-leg denim is generally more fitted throughout the top, with the widest part starting below the knee. This wardrobe staple, synonymous with the early aughts, is being styled in new ways (think: with a fitted turtleneck and oversized blazer), but no matter which way you wear them, expect legs that go on for days.
5. Super-Skinny Jeans
If you were hoping for a reprieve from the oversized look, well, your wish is my command: Skinny jeans are back. Not what you had in mind? Don’t fret: brands like Miu Miu debuted a pin-tucked version that felt like a welcomed update to the early-2000s style. Considering the amount of time this polarizing trend has been laid to rest, perhaps it feels like an easier pill to swallow. But if that doesn’t quite help the medicine go down, brands are beginning to style skinnies in conjunction with fall trends, like sheer overlays and knee-high boots, that help to usher in a modern take on the style.
6. Barrel Jeans
The rise of the barrel jean, arguably the most divisive trend of the year, is projected to continue to dominate the fashion leaderboard for fall. Regardless of which side of the debate you were on last season–I watched some pretty heated TikToks arguing both sides—one thing’s for sure: they pack an undeniable punch. Known for their Western-inspired, sculptural silhouette, horseshoe-shaped jeans possess the uncanny ability to pass as both casual and elevated.
