I hate you, then I love you, then I love you. Then I hate you, then I love you… Mina could sing like this, but probably Millennials and Generation Z don’t even know this song. Rather, they prefer to state their emotions on TikTok, and it seems that their opinion, being openly stated on the social platform, has caused a new decline in skinny jeans. Now, to be honest, let’s talk to each other with an open heart: skinny jeans have never gone out of style because denim brands have always kept releasing them (and always will). But what has changed (and here it must be said: it was the 2000s that glorified them beyond the bounds of sustainable) is our idea of skinny jeans. Do we like them? Good. We don’t like them? The world will definitely not collapse. However, in light of this (fundamental) premise, it is worthwhile to understand why Marie Pearson, senior vice president of Madewell denim brand, defined autumn skinny jeans new “denim renaissance”.
To report this quote, this is a study shared NPD Group, marketing research agency. The data speaks for itself sales of skinny jeans have fallen“But that doesn’t mean,” the report clarifies, “that no one is buying them.” On the other hand. The point is different, in fact: according to Marie Pearson, the denim universe has never had so many suggested silhouettes. Strange but true, today jeans come in every possible and conceivable cut, and we live, among other things, in a historical moment when a particularly new generation is actively experimenting with their appearance (think, for example, soft boy aesthetics or genderless fashion). Not like in the 90s, when we were obsessed (only) with very wide jeans. And not like in the 2000s, when if you weren’t wearing (only) skinny jeans, you didn’t feel like Jennifer Lopez.
However, skinny jeans are losing ground again today and Tik Tok is also involved in this. Speaking to the generation ahead of them (millennials), Generation Z claimed on Tik Tok that their predecessors wear skinny jeans “because they want to look younger, but it turns out just the opposite.” Data reported NPD Group set the stage for reflection: have we ever worn skinny jeans to feel younger? This question forces us to niche a little (and also a lot). Until proven otherwise, the reason we often wore skinny jeans… was different.
And here comes the comfort, which in the field of skinny jeans is another option that deserves to be well thought out. On the other hand, the world is divided into those who are comfortable in tight jeans and who are not. If you try to remember what happened in the early 2000s, skinny jeans with a very low waist are sure to come back to your mind (the source of eternal back pain, and throw the first stone to those who have never even had to wear a health jersey), with their risk of underwear and which, even without being elastic, always had folds and creases along the leg. Logically, then came jeggings, that denim mix between jeans and leggings, designed to fit perfectly on the leg: they succeeded, and somehow, in their task. And we often found them perfect for styling with ankle boots and various and affordable boots. But what happened to them today?
In many of our wardrobes, jeggings are just a memory (isn’t it better to just wear leggings?). But denim is a constant: how can you say no to a pair of jeans with a flawless fit? And we’re not just talking about form-fitting silhouettes, but straight-legged ones that fall to the ground with a resolution and symmetry that makes it look like chic jeans are even cheaper (and here Victoria Beckham finishes).
Who knows if Covid played a role in this phenomenon?: During lockdown, we’ve been wearing leggings (and jeggings?) at will, replete with at-home outfits, indoor workout outfits, comfort outfits, and work-at-home (but comfortable) outfits. Now that we’re finally starting to breathe, go out, dress (well, properly), maybe we don’t want to show off something a little more showy, like a nice pair of high-waisted straight-cut jeans with a white shirt. the shirt is cleverly inserted into the inner? It doesn’t take much to be (minimal) chic. It’s a matter of elegance. Try explaining this to Generation Z: other than “feeling young.”
Source: Elle