Katie Holmes Just Wore the Controversial Denim Style Julianne Moore Convinced Me to Try

Kaelin Dodge
·4 min read
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Think: M.C. Hammer, but chic.

<p>Getty Images</p>

Getty Images

If there’s one denim style that’s as controversial — if not more — than skinnies, it’s barrel jeans, the style that curves out just above the knees, cinching back in at the ankles. Every time the bow-legged style pops up on my social media feed, the comment section is divided: People either vehemently hate the look (I’ve seen more M.C. Hammer comparisons than I can count) or are all-in. Personally, I’m part of the latter group, and it seems like Katie Holmes and Julianne Moore are, too.

Moore rocked the style earlier this month with a matching denim jacket that cinched in at the waist, making the wide curve of the jeans feel even more dramatic. The look was beyond chic, but Holmes just proved the style can also elevate casual closet staples. This week, the actress wore a cropped pair of barrel jeans with an oversized cardigan from Reformation and classic Mary Jane flats. With a straight-leg style, her outfit would have been run-of-the-mill, but by swapping in the shapely, eye-catching denim, the entire look became something you’d want to recreate. And in an effort to do just that, I found up 10 lookalike jeans starting at just $25.

10 Barrel Jeans for Spring

Cicy Bell Barrel Jeans

<p>Amazon</p>

Amazon

If you’re on the fence about the barrel style, you can try the look for less with this $47 pair from Cicy Bell. The jeans are available in three colors and feature slight distressing at the hips, knees, and hem that give them a casual, lived-in look. This style is made from a cotton blend, with shoppers noting that its composition prevents the fabric from having much stretch, but when sized correctly (many recommending going one size up) they are “so cute and flattering.” One person raved that they love “everything about the pants,” including the fit and look, while someone else noted that the length is perfect. Plus, the jeans are a compliment-magnet, they added.

Free People We the Free Good Luck Mid-Rise Barrel Jeans

<p>Free People </p>

Free People

Free People’s Good Luck jeans might be the most popular barrel-leg style on the internet, with hundreds of five-star ratings. These are available in 14 colors and three lengths and feature a mid-rise fit and cotton-blend fabrication that shoppers describe as high-quality and sturdy; oh, and they have a seriously wide curved leg, of course. One shopper who noted that they were nervous that these jeans would “make [them] look wider than” said they were happy to find that “the silhouette is actually quite balancing, especially if you have wider hips.” And per a middle-age shopper, this style is “ridiculously good.” They loved the “slightly loose and slouchy” fit, calling it “perfect,” and a self-described “short girly” shared that same sentiment, adding that they’re also “comfortable and flattering.” “They are my favorite go-to to dress up or wear casually every day,” they added.

Everlane the Way-High Curve Jean

<p>Everlane</p>

Everlane

If you’d prefer a more subtle approach to this dramatic denim trend, Everlane’s Way-High Curve Jeans are the way to go. One shopper called them a “toned-down” way to “participate in the barrel-leg trend,” as the style teeters between a bow- and wide-leg style, tapering in only ever so slightly at the ankle. “The wide leg is an ideal width to break me out of my skinny jeans days,” wrote one person, adding that the “high waist is flattering” and the oversized leg doesn’t “look frumpy.” “The most surprising feature is how comfortable they are,” they raved, adding that the pants “feel like a well-worn pair of jeans straight out of the package.”

Barrel jeans are the easiest way to make any low-effort outfit feel like a must-have look. Shop more styles inspired by Holmes’ and Moore’s jeans, below.

Pilcro Heritage Curve Mid-Rise Barrel Jeans

<p>Anthropologie</p>

Anthropologie

Pistola Eli Ankle Barrel Jeans

<p>Nordstrom</p>

Nordstrom

Frame Long Barrel Jeans

<p>Frame</p>

Frame

Agolde Balloon High-Waist Wide Barrel Jeans

<p>Nordstrom</p>

Nordstrom

Mother the Half Pipe High-Rise Jeans

<p>Bloomingdales</p>

Bloomingdales

Citizens of Humanity Horseshoe Raw Hem Barrel Jeans

<p>Nordstrom</p>

Nordstrom

Old Navy High-Waisted Balloon Ankle Jeans

<p>Old Navy</p>

Old Navy

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