I'm a Denim Expert, so I Already Know Skinny Jeans Are 2025's Hottest Comeback Trend


In a twist sending ripples through the fashion world, skinny jeans, once a ubiquitous staple in every millennial’s wardrobe, are now making a bold return.

After years of increasingly voluminous, oversized denim dominating the landscape, the pendulum is swinging back towards a more streamlined silhouette, proving that fashion really is cyclical. The denim equivalent of Marmite, this divisive jeans silhouette was sparking heated debate on TikTok in 2021, with Gen Z split between embracing and “cancelling” skinny jeans. Now, in 2025, we’re rediscovering and reinventing the look, with the resurgence influenced by the autumn/winter 2024 runway collections from designers like Alexander McQueen, Celine, Diesel and Miu Miu.

Skinny Jeans Through the Ages

The Golden Age of Skinny Jeans

The skinny jeans’ DNA is rooted in rebellion, tracing back to the beatnik era of the 1950s, where it became synonymous with bad-boy culture and rock ‘n’ roll, immortalised by icons like James Dean, Marlon Brando and Elvis Presley. Whilst jeans weren’t mainstream for women in the ’50s, fashion-forward actresses like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn pioneered the slim-fit, high-waisted trouser look. In the 1960s, the style entered its first golden age, embraced by Mod girls and rockers, before disappearing in the 1970s to make way for flared jeans. The skinny jean resurfaced with punk culture in the 1980s, deliberately distressed and torn.

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Marilyn Monroe wearing blue skinny jeans, 1960.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Skinny Jeans in the Y2K Era

The 2000s ushered in a new era with the rise of indie sleaze, a gritty aesthetic championed by Pete Doherty, The Strokes and Kings of Leon, all embodying a carefree, anti-establishment attitude. The mainstream adoption of skinny jeans in the mid-00s was led, of course, by Kate Moss. Her signature look saw the jeans paired with ballet flats, knee-high boots and blazers, and was endlessly documented and widely emulated. The trend gained momentum when fellow style icons like Sienna Miller embraced a boho look along with the Olsen twins, cementing skinny jeans as a wardrobe essential.

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Kate Moss wearing black skinny jeans, 2004.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Celebrities Wearing Skinny Jeans

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Style Notes: Gigi Hadid proves how sleek black skinny jeans can look as part of a full monochrome outfit. I love how she opted for leather boots and a matching bag to add some texture to the look.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Style Notes: Miller stays true to her boho-inspired style by pairing her classic blue skinnies with a Nordic-patterned jumper, red leather tote and minimalist flats.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Style Notes: Lila Moss shows us how to dress up our skinnies for a night out. A simple sheer tank and sleek black pumps can easily take your skinny jeans for a night on the town, and I love the addition of the skinny belt.