Skinny Jeans Are Finally Dead, and We Have Gen Z to Thank
While lots of men have long embraced the leg-widening of our trousers, some Gen Z corners of the internet seemed to have only just discovered the trend—in order to denigrate it, of course.
The skinny jean, the ubiquitous style staple that ruled guys’ casual wardrobes for most of the aughts and early 2010s, has officially been declared dead by TikTok men in the platform’s latest trend craze, which sees guys ditching their skin-tight blue jeans in favor of baggier pants.
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Content creators like Ethan Glenn and Marco Corradi have been posting before and after videos revealing their new relaxed pants, sparking comments from users ranging from, “I hope this inspires all men,” to “The greatest clothing transition. It was like a whole new world,” to “This should be a public service announcement.”
Back in 2021, Robb Report wrote about the comeback of pleated trousers for men, which at one point were considered a fashion faux-pas. As tailor Paolo Martorano told us back then, pleated pants fell out of favor due to poorly designed pleats that pulled open either because the pants were not cut wide enough or did not have a sufficiently high rise.
“Back then, pleated pants were pretty prevalent, and most of what was worn I would consider ‘your father’s plated pants’—big and billowy,” added clothier Sid Mashburn of what inspired the backlash in the first place. “In the decade since, plain-front pants have become the norm, so now it almost feels punk rock to wear pleats.”
Today, if the new TikTok trend is any indication, young Gen Z guys are favoring relaxed-fit or straight-legged jeans. One of the more popular styles is the NW1 Relaxed Straight fit from Blackhorse Lane, available in a variety of solid raw denim, designed with a high back rise and roomy legs that straighten from the knee down for a classic 1950s look.
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