It's Official: Skinny Jeans Are Out, Wide-Leg Denim Is In

Gen Z, TikTok and the pandemic have changed the category

Skinny jeans have had a chokehold on older generations for years, but Gen Z is increasingly tearing them off, opting instead for a more comfortable cut.

The result: U.S. sales of straight-leg women’s denim surpassed revenue for skinny jeans in 2021, making the more relaxed fit America’s best-selling style, according to market research firm The NPD Group.

The looser trouser now represents one-third ($3.3 billion) of the jeans category for women.

Although data shows Gen Z and millennial shoppers still prefer skinny jeans over other options, the super slim cut’s popularity is waning.

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