Fall 2024’s Denim Trends Are Preparing Fashion for the Skinny Jean Revival
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Ironically, the throughline across the Fall 2024 trends is that there isn't one. Quirky little hats and maximal accessories peppered the New York, Milan, and Paris runways—but so did simple wardrobe building blocks in line with the minimalism trend. The Fall 2024 denim trends possessed a similar sense of anything-goes variety, with designers sending out jeans, jackets, shorts, and skirts that appeal to a large scope of shoppers, from city-dwellers and fashion fans who are chronically online to those who are not.
Given the number of types of jeans on the market, at a glance, you could go so far as to say that the 2024 denim trends contradict one another. Stella McCartney and Ralph Lauren argued that the best jeans for women are bejeweled with crystals and metallic fringe—but Tory Burch and Victoria Beckham said the opposite with their neutral, dark-wash denim trousers. Baggy jeans billowed in the breeze at Dries Van Noten, Michael Kors, and Chloé, but at Miu Miu and Bally, models walked out in super-duper skinny jeans. The latter showings have already sown discord on fashion TikTok, inciting yet another round of the Gen Z-versus-Millenials debating which silhouette is superior.
Ultimately, designers presented a vast assortment of denim that leaves the decision on how to partake with you, dear reader. Peruse fall's takeaway denim trends below—and let us know which one speaks to you.
Denim Is a Girl's Best Friend
Denim has staunch roots in menswear (the fabric gained popularity in the 1850s as a utilitarian material for American workers). So, it's always refreshing when designers subvert its masculine beginnings through more feminine silhouettes—see: cinched waists and pleated skirts. Schiaparelli, Christian Dior, and Carolina Herrera raised the stakes, too, with their modern skirt suits featuring denim midi skirts and sharp jean jackets.
The Baggy Jean Reprise
Denim with ample legroom has been trending for several seasons, and fall 2024 shows no plans to break that pattern anytime soon. Brandon Maxwell, Chloé, Michael Kors, Dries Van Noten, and many more showed off their best baggy jeans, ranging from the slightly supersized to pairs that could hide a small child or dog in one pant leg.
Come to the Dark Side
There's always a grouping of denim washes shown on the runways: solid true blues, murky grays, washes so light that they're almost white. This season, indigo—the color of raw, untreated, and unwashed denim—takes the top slot. Carolina Herrera, Versace, and Victoria Beckham all sent out denim-on-denim outfits styled entirely in the blue-black hue. Meanwhile, Tory Burch allowed just one dark denim piece to make an impact: a tightly tailored zip-up jean jacket in deep, dark indigo.
Slim and Skintight
Ah, skinny jeans. No garment inspires discourse more than a polarizing pair of jeans that double as leggings—or, as you may know them best, jeggings. Miu Miu's leg-hugging styles were paired with extra denim and faux fur coats, while Bally and Balenciaga tucked theirs into knee-high boots (coincidentally also a major fall 2024 shoe trend).
Mixed Materials
Why stick with just one type of textile when you can merge multiple into a crafty, patchworked creation? At least, that's the question Fendi, Stella McCartney, Chloé, and Max Mara posed in their collections with their two-tone denim dresses, jean-cum-suede jacket hybrids, and multi-wash trousers.
Party Pants
Break out the champagne—these are pants worth throwing a party for. There were gold-coated jeans at Ralph Lauren, metallic tassel fringe at Undercover, and silver sequins as far as the eye could see at both Stella McCartney and Versace.
