Everybody’s Wearing Barrel-Leg Jeans
It’s the denim silhouette on every editor’s wish list – these are the barrel-leg jeans to invest in now, says GEORGIE LUCAS
If you keep even half an eye on trends, it can’t have escaped you that there’s a new kid on the denim block – and it’s taking our wardrobes by storm. Enter the barrel-leg. When it comes to getting dressed, ‘directional’ and ‘wearable’ don’t often go hand in hand, but somehow a barrel manages just that – an evolution on the wide-legged silhouette that dethroned the skinny jean, the barrel is fitted at the waist, billowing through the leg, then segueing back into an elegant, tapered hem.
Alaïa’s horseshoe led the way, debuted on the FW23 runway and was adopted by a host of tastemakers, including Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Jennifer Lopez and Katie Holmes. Since then, every savvy denim brand and on-the-pulse design house has crafted their own version. “The barrel-leg cut is ideal for taking your everyday denim to the next level,” says Karen Phelps, creative director at LA-based denim brand Agolde. And therein lies the beauty of the silhouette – the considered, instantly flattering design works as well for polished day looks as dressed-up occasions and, crucially, because the cut makes its own statement, demands very little in the way of styling. Try an oversized knit and loafers, or a crisp shirt and heeled pumps.
ALAÏAHigh-rise barrel-leg jeans
LOEWEHigh-rise barrel-leg jeans$660.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size32 - out of stock34 - out of stock36 - out of stock38 - out of stock40 - out of stock42 - out of stock44 - out of stock
AGOLDEBalloon high-rise barrel-leg jeans$150.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size23 - out of stock24 - out of stock25 - out of stock26 - out of stock27 - out of stock28 - out of stock29 - out of stock30 - out of stock31 - out of stock32 - out of stock
NILI LOTANShon cotton-blend twill tapered pants
Trust Loewe to deliver the ultimate daywear pair – from our NET SUSTAIN edit of consciously crafted clothing, they come in inky black denim and have a stitched detail that exaggerates the cut. Elsewhere, Agolde’s ‘Luna’ jeans – another NET SUSTAIN highlight – are made using 67% regenerative cotton in a classic blue wash that is perfect for dressing up – “structured to perfection, they have a sort of sculptural appearance, designed with a waist-accentuating high rise and a full-length relaxed leg,” says Phelps.
Alaïa’s latest elevated iteration is a riff on the brand’s original runway design – note the back pleats that nip the style in cleanly at the waist and make these the perfect jeans to style with kitten heels and a denim jacket. Elsewhere in the lineup, Mother’s ‘Full-Pipe Flood’ jeans would work perfectly with an oversized blazer or buttoned-up cardigan.
When it comes to choosing your jeans, seek out weighty denim that holds its shape, then consider how you’ll wear them – black and darker washes work best for evening, while a fresh white pair, or classic faded blue, will deliver endless everyday styling options. As will those in khaki shades, like St. Agni’s jeans, also from out NET SUSTAIN edit. And as for the cut? How extreme you dare to go is up to you – “the ‘Horseshoe’ fit is the most exaggerated expression of the trend,” says Marianne McDonald, creative director at Citizens of Humanity. “They are effortlessly chic and endlessly versatile when it comes to styling.”
CITIZENS OF HUMANITYHorseshoe frayed high-rise wide-leg jeans$168.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size23 - out of stock24 - out of stock25 - out of stock26 - out of stock27 - out of stock28 - out of stock29 - out of stock30 - out of stock31 - out of stock32 - out of stock33 - out of stock
MOTHERThe Full-Pipe Flood high-rise tapered jeans$167.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size23 - out of stock24 - out of stock25 - out of stock26 - out of stock27 - out of stock28 - out of stock29 - out of stock30 - out of stock31 - out of stock32 - out of stock
ALAÏAHigh-rise barrel-leg jeans
ZIMMERMANNIlluminate belted high-rise barrel-leg jeans$313.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size242526 - out of stock27 - out of stock28 - out of stock29 - out of stock303132
