When someone says "jeans," what do you think of? Even if you're the weird fashion one in your group, chances are you're imagining a skinny pair of blue denim pants. Those who grew up in the early 2000s (most of you!) understand the mid-rise skinny jean to be the standard — inoffensive, unprovocative, and totally neutral.
For most people, that's good enough. But there's a group of contrarians among us who want their denim to do a little more than just cover their legs. They want jeans that actually bring something to the table and add to an outfit. They want their jeans to be a conversation starter (and not just the "those are really flattering on you" conversation). They want their jeans to be bold and aggressive; to recall nostalgic movies, famous icons, or a sort of mood. And let's face it: Your skinnies, for however well they've served you in the past, don't quite deliver on the personality front.
The new crop of denim styles out there aren't for everyone — and that's the point. If patchwork '70s gauchos or cropped baby bells become ubiquitous, they're going to lose that special sauce that makes them such an underdog favorite. We decided to show off some of the freshest pairs out there right now, worn by model Ashley Smith. Like ours, Smith's favorite jeans are a little left of center: "The first pair of jeans I really remember wanting were these hot-pink bell bottoms. I was in fourth grade and I rocked them with a T-shirt and a scarf tied on my neck. I didn't know how cool I was. I think retro is always better. It looks like you have been places in them."
We took Ashley to the equally flamboyant Villa Casa Casuarina, the former Versace Mansion. It was the perfect backdrop because, like these jeans, it's totally unabashed about how OTT it is ("I loved that the bedroom had a bed that literally could fit seven people. Perfect for sleepovers and other things..."). Check out the results, below.
Franken-Jeans
We guess you could call these patchwork jeans, but this new trend is more about denim that looks like it's been stitched together from a few pairs (instead of fixing a random hole with scrap materials). From these Tetris-style pants to front-back pairs that Vetements pioneered, these jeans are a sleeker, more avant-garde upgrade to the boho '70s styles filling up the racks last year.
Accessorized Jeans
From pierced denim to flares covered in hardware, patches, and embellishments, jeans that come with their own accessories are this season's answer to those jewel-encrusted jeans that were so popular a few years back. Wear them with pretty tops and party shoes — but go light on the jewelry (your pants have that on lock).
The Denim Coverall
They're not sexy like a jumpsuit or cute like a romper, but coveralls are really, really cool, and require a worthy wearer to pull them off. In a dark denim, they can give you those Saturday Night Fever vibes that your evenings out have been missing.
Conspicuous Logo Jeans
We found these Versace jeans on eBay, and if you do a little digging yourself, you'll likely come across a trove of ridiculously ostentatious designer denim for a fraction of the price they used to cost in the '80s and '90s. For a more modern look, skip the ones with the back-pocket logo business.
Mermaid Jeans
Thank Ellery for the proliferation of jeans with a bonkers-beautiful rippling hemline. You'll find lots of copycats on the racks, but no one quite does it as elegantly as the original. Wear these with your most dramatic shoes.
That Perfect Levi's Fit
Whether you're a 501, 505, or 517 girl, that It fit still achieves three things: It has a bellybutton-grazing rise that lays flat on your midsection, a slightly tapered leg that's slim-fit but not skinny, and an unforgiving weave that won't stretch. Levi's has been reissuing some of its best vintage styles, and plenty of brands like Redone and Collection LA are perfecting old jeans with new fits. But with some digging, you can find your Platonic ideal at swap meets and thrift shops.
September is typically a time when fashion publications definitively tell you what’s in, and what’s out. Fuck that. We’re dedicating the next couple of weeks to celebrate all the iconoclasts, independent thinkers, and individuals with unique personal styles who’d rather sayFuck The Fashion Rules than follow them.
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