Wide-leg jeans are becoming a staple for 2022 fashion. Everyone from celebrities to influencers to self-proclaimed fashionistas is ditching their skinny jeans for wide-leg jeans. This move feels pretty major after skinny jeans dominated the market for over a decade.
So, what’s the deal with wide-leg jeans? Read on for a look at the history of this style and why these jeans have been gaining momentum over the last few years.
The History of Wide Leg Jeans
Wide-leg jeans were a fashion staple starting in the 1920s and into the 1950s. The trend had recurrences before and after, particularly in the 1970s, which at the time reflected the style of the 1930s. In 2022, the style of wide-leg pants is inspired by the looks of the 1930s.
During that decade, wide-leg pants were marketed for sleeping in, lounging at home, or worn casually during a trip to the beach. Wide-leg pants at this time were known for having wild patterns and very wide leg openings. The trend evolved from wide-leg pants to wide-leg jumpsuits. In the 1930s, these jumpsuits typically had long sleeves but when the style resurged in the 1970s, the jumpsuits were a sleeveless style. Reformation brings this trend back with its Dita Wide Leg Jumpsuit.
How Wide-Leg Jeans Started Gaining Momentum
Wide-leg jeans surged in fashion starting in 2021. The reason is largely credited to the pandemic. People were spending a lot of time at home wearing sweats or clothes that were generally much more comfortable. As society began opening up and people were going out more, they wanted the luxury of comfort in the form of streetwear.
Skinny jeans can feel tight and restrictive, and people searched for trousers that would deliver the same level of comfort they experienced during the pandemic. Enter: wide-leg jeans. The baggier style left people feeling much more comfortable while also looking incredibly fashionable.
The Fashion Influence of Gen-Z
Younger generations are often the go-to for building up a fashion trend and wide-leg pants are no different. Gen-Z has growing buying power and they’ve helped bring wide-leg jeans to the forefront of the trends for the 2020s. Gen-Z creators went viral on TikTok at the beginning of 2021 to call out people – specifically millennials – for their obsession with skinny trousers.
Gen-Z was on the cusp of the wide-leg jean trend and, whether reluctantly or otherwise, people gave this style a chance. Fashionistas have taken the love for wide-leg jeans and ran with it. It has become one of the most popular jean trends of the decade.
Why People Are Loving This Trend
Aside from being a more comfortable jean option compared to others, people love how wide-leg pants enhance their features as this style of jeans adds more shape to any figure. Pairing wide-leg pants with the right top can give your figure a stunning silhouette that’s curvy in just the right place.
Wide-leg jeans do a great job of making your legs appear longer. If you’re looking to add the illusion of height, wide-leg jeans are a great way to do that. For women with a straight or boxy figure, wide-leg jeans help give the body more shape and curves. Reformation’s Logan Ultra High Rise Wide Leg pants are an example of a stylish fit that flatters every body type.
Tips for Styling Wide Leg Jeans
Current fashion trends pair very well with wide-leg trousers. Crop tops – which are a fashion-do for everyone – and tucked-in blouses are trendy right now. Pairing these topics will wide-leg jeans help create curviness in your shape by cinching the waist. Pairing a jean with a blazer or a trench jacket is effortlessly chic and perfect for layering during cold months.
When it comes to what shoes to pair with wide-leg pants, anything with a heel is fantastic. Boots or high heels help accentuate long legs, this is doubly beneficial for petite women who are not only looking to add length but may need some extra height if the jeans they purchase are a touch too long.
For styling cropped wide-leg trousers, a flat shoe. like ballet flats or sandals, work well. It continued to provide that definition in your frame to pair a wide leg with a small shoe.
If you’ve been hesitant about trying wide-leg jeans, consider giving them a try. These pants are a trend that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon so you might as well give it chance. Reformation, for example, has tons of stylish wide-leg pants in different colors, lengths, and fit so you can find the best jean for you.