Flared Jeans Used to Scare Me. Now I’m Ready to Rock Them

These days, you blink and there’s a new denim trend. One minute skinny jeans are out and super baggy is in. The next? Boot-cut is all the rage. It’s hard to keep up, but as someone who’s extremely denim obsessed, I must. I’ve tried just about every style over the years. But one silhouette that I’ve always steered clear from? Flares.

The thought of those ’70s-style bell-bottoms has always felt too cartoonish or retro for my own taste. Don’t get me wrong, I love the style—but any time I’ve tried on a pair, I’ve felt like I was wearing a Halloween costume or cosplaying as Mick Jagger. However, as we’re stepping into the new year, I’m tasking myself to dress outside my comfort zone (call it a style resolution), and wide-leg jeans are now at the top of the list. Lucky for me, the recent runways and street style scene prove that flares can work on just about anyone in 2022, whether in a casual or dressy context.

Where flared jeans were once associated with groovy, hippie-dippie style, they’re now a more sophisticated and polished denim option—the perfect alternative for overcoming my fear of looking like an extra in Saturday Night Fever. For spring 2023, for instance, Celine paired flares with sleek moto jackets; Altuzarra’s wide-leg jeans were styled with a cropped jacket and white blouse, striking the right combo between elegance and ease; and Dior even showed flares with a simple neutral tank, allowing the pants to shine totally on their own.