This Is How Fashion Insiders Are Styling Wide-Leg Jeans For The New Season (2024)

Denim trends may come and go, but wide-leg jeans are a classic for a reason. Universally flattering, seriously comfortable, wonderfully versatile and effortlessly cool, they have been a wardrobe staple ever since the Noughties, and their popularity is showing no signs of slowing.

Indeed, if the AW24 runways are anything to go by, there can be no doubt that wide-leg denim is set to be the style of the season – the more nostalgia-inducing, baggy, floor-pooling and voluminous, the better. Just look to the likes of Chloé, Acne, Loewe, Stella McCartney, Alaïa and Dior for proof.

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It's one thing spotting a trend on the runway, however, and entirely another to translate it into real life. That's where we come in. Keep scrolling for ELLE UK's guide to how to style wide-leg jeans like a fashion insider, featuring street style looks to pin to your moodboard, fool-proof outfit formulas to follow, and, of course, the best pieces to shop.

7 Ways To Wear Wide Leg Jeans

The oversize coat and boots

There's no easier way to refresh that classic winter coat and boots combo than by inserting some dark-wash wide-leg jeans into the mix. They're the perfect mix of smart and laid-back, much like the floor-sweeping, Seventies-esque, oversize masculine coats that are having a moment this season thanks to Saint Laurent – so together, they're a match made in fashion heaven. Pair with a white or cream-coloured high-neck knit to break up the darker shades, and add some pointy heeled leather boots for a touch of rock 'n' roll.

The party top and pointy heels

Wide-leg jeans may not seem the obvious choice for a party-ready get-up, but that's precisely the point. The unexpected pairing of mid-wash, ultra-baggy denim with a sparkly top and epic pointy heels seems to be the ultimate cool girl style move right now – whether to tone down mega-watt pieces for a more casual environment, or to create enough of a contrast that all that bling doesn't look OTT. We particularly love how this street style star has layered a high-glam, crystal-encrusted mini-dress over blue jeans for the daytime – a styling hack borrowed from Gucci's SS24 runway show, and an excellent example of getting creative with your wardrobe. If you're not quite ready for the dress over jeans vibe, however, you can achieve a similarly stylish effect by opting for a sleek, longline top.

The waisted blazer

For a high-fashion twist on business casual, we love the high-low mix of baggy jeans and a structured blazer. Choose one that's nipped in at the waist to create a more feminine silhouette that contrasts with the ultra-roomy style beneath – either by way of drawstrings, corset details, a peplum, sash or adjustable belt back, all of which are in abundance this season. Complete the look with on-theme chunky loafers and a playful leopard-print bag for extra style points.

The chunky statement knit

Off-white, wide-leg jeans provide the perfect low-key canvas for that chunky statement knit you've been struggling to style. Staying neutral on the bottom will allow any bright colours and bold textures to really sing, while also toning the whole look down – a styling essential if you want to steer clear of the 'eclectic' aesthetic. If your knit also features a strong shoulder or extreme puff sleeve, opt for a more rigid, sleek denim style to balance it out, and stick to minimal accessories, too.

Double denim and colour pop accessories

Who doesn't love a Canadian tuxedo? Opt for a looser cut and matching washes when selecting your double denim ensemble this season to ensure the look is more cool than country, and add a few colour pop accessories in for good measure – whether that's bright pink trainers, a red cashmere foulard, tinted sunglasses, a bold beanie, or all of the above.

The girly cardi and low-rise baggy jeans

Once again, the trick to styling wide-leg jeans like a pro is embracing contrast, and a ladylike buttoned-up cardi is about as far from the super-laid-back vibe of low-slung denim as you can get. If you can't quite stretch to a Chanel tweed jacket, look for something that a WASP might wear to a luncheon – and the more saccharine, the better. Think girly shades of powder-pink, preferably embellished with big gold buttons and pearls, bows, beads or sequins. Wear said cardi cropped with just a lacy bra underneath, and atop Noughties-esque floor-pooling jeans that sit low enough on the waist to reveal a hint of hip. A country club mom could never.

The tucked-in shirt and suede accessories

Wide-leg jeans lend themselves perfectly to the current obsession with all things Western, particularly when paired with the season's trending brown suede accessories and ever-popular cowboy boots. The aforementioned Canadian tux is an obvious choice, but we're seriously into this street styler's more literal take on the trend that's giving OG Ralph Lauren energy but with a modern-day twist. Tuck an oversize chambray shirt into the waistband of a classic pair of blue baggies, cinch with a brown leather belt and top with a neck-tie, suede blazer and slouchy hobo bag to get the look.

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