As summer favourites are stowed and we layer up with slightly warmer garments, the faithful denim pieces in our wardrobe are rediscovered.
You might be taking stock of what you still love and how to style it now, as well as which new items to pick up.
Denim is a classic that is always in style, but trending shapes and washes – and ways to wear them – do come and go.
For winter 2025 the slow move over the past few years away from skinny jeans has reached its peak, and it appears bigger and baggier styles have moved in to stay (for now).
Relaxed floor-grazing pairs like wide-leg styles demand slightly more laundry than we’re a fan of (especially in winter!), but those of us with short stature will have been inadvertently been embracing this look for years. However with the right hemming, and styled with neat-fitting knitwear and pointed, heeled boots, or preppy with a blazer, crisp white shirt and loafers wide-leg jeans are the perfect polished option for this season.
For a more daring take, one style that popped up last year and appears to also be settling in for the long haul, is the barrel-leg jean.
What are barrel-leg jeans?
Barrel-leg jeans, also known as ‘horseshoe jeans,’ have a brand new shape being embraced by fashion-forward denim brands and denim enthusiasts. The chic new option elevates the look of wearing denim during the day and even into the evening.
Often high-waisted, barrel-leg jeans are notable for their roomy shape and tapered leg. They hug the hips, offering the cool swagger of baggier styles around the knees, but regain a touch of elegance with as they come in to a neat shape, ending at the ankles.
The curvy look has become a go-to for stylish celebrities of late, as the likes of Julianne Moore, Blake Lively, Gigi Hadid and more have been stepping out in the style.
More extreme versions, sometimes called ‘balloon jeans’, can be found from high-fashion brands like Alaia, but the style is also being incorporated more gently elsewhere with a very slight tapering in straight leg or relaxed ‘mom’ style jeans. These are the perfect option for dipping a toe into the trend.
If you find this look confronting, and you are still pining for the days when skinny jeans reigned, don’t worry.
There are plenty of indications they will make a serious comeback, perhaps even later this year. After Miu Miu including them in a collection last year, others have followed suit, and in the Fall/Winter 2025 shows, Acne Studios, Burberry, and Isabel Marant incorporated the slim-cut denim into their collections too.
Best barrel-leg jeans to shop now:
