Jeans are getting looser cuts in 2023, whether baggy or wide-leg, as seen on the runways of the latest round of Fashion Weeks. Photo: AFP
Although singled out for their environmental impact, jeans remain a wardrobe staple – and a new year inevitably means a new cut to adopt, or to dig out from the back of your closet.
After the long (too long!) reign of skinny jeans, and the return of low-rise cuts, jeans are taking a more inclusive turn this year with ultra-comfortable cuts that fit and flatter every body type.
Denim is going oversized in 2023. In fact, it will be the watchword of the new year in the world of ready-to-wear, with cuts that are very (very) far removed from the famous skinny jeans that have been at the centre of our wardrobes for a long time.
Chic and casual, loose jeans, baggy jeans, wide jeans – whatever you want to call them – are now part of women's wardrobes and flatter all figures without exception. And that's good news for anyone who's already ready to move on from the low-rise return!
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Baggy jeans, a streetwear essential
Who said streetwear was dead? If the return to an almost normal life after several years of the pandemic has brought back many neglected pieces, such as the suit and heels, there's no denying that casual fashion is not ready to be shelved just yet.
Indeed, whether for men or women, the suit has not made a comeback in its original form, but in looser cuts, if not to say oversized versions.
So there's no reason why it shouldn't be the same for jeans, adopting comfortable cuts in the casual-chic spirit that will characterise fashion this year.
And if workwear – especially overalls – and leggings will be trying to impose themselves in women's wardrobes in the course of 2023, baggy jeans are almost sure to be a major hit on the street.
After having started in 2022, the trend will last for several months, giving women the opportunity to show off their figure with minimal discomfort, and whatever their body shape, whether worn with a T-shirt or a sweatshirt, a crop top, or even a bustier, a tank top, or a shirt.
In fact, baggy jeans can go with almost everything – but not just anything – that your wardrobe may hold.
And, to top it all off, they look great with all kinds of footwear – from sneakers to cowboy boots, moccasins to pumps – allowing you to change your look at the same time as the shoes and accessories you style them with.
Seen on the runways of Givenchy, Off-White or Diesel, baggy jeans have won over many celebrities and influencers around the world, from Katie Holmes to Bella Hadid through Jennifer Lopez, Caroline Daur and Kim Kardashian.
But while baggy jeans are currently gaining ground, they could quickly be overtaken by a close relation, wide-leg jeans, which are just as wide – if not more – but even more inclusive and elegant.
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Wide-leg jeans, a style for all
Forget low-rise, but also high-waist cuts – and especially tight waists – as wide-leg jeans mean a loose fit, sometimes even ultra-wide, and more fluid, which flatters absolutely all figures.
This is a major strong point that should convince many women to jump on the trend right from the first days of the year.
Straight out of the 1990s, wide-leg jeans bring an effortless chic sought after by many women worldwide, and often associated with French style. Like the baggy cut, wide-leg styles can benefit all body types, and match all styles, so there's no reason not to take the plunge.
Here too, Hailey Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski, Winnie Harlow, Demi Moore and Izabel Goulart are among the many celebrities who have already adopted the wide-leg cut, which is also gaining many followers on social networks.
On TikTok, the hashtags #wideleg and #widelegjeans have already gained 160 and 159 million views so far, compared to more than 600 million for baggy jeans. And this is just the beginning... – AFP Relaxnews
