Ah, Gen Z. The generation that’s coined the term cheugy, likes to do a strange frozen-honey challenge on TikTok and reminds millennials that skinny jeans are absolutely not the style to wear right now. For clarification, I haven’t worn my drainpipes for some time. I have a pair of the Topshop Jonis stashed in my wardrobe, which I will never part with (just in case), but other than that, I’ve always been a fan of a looser fit. In fact, during my teenage years in the late ’90s and early ’00s, the baggy jeans I lived in were so long they’d often suck up a whole puddle’s worth of water every time it rained. What with Gen Z’s propensity for Y2K trends, could these floor sweepers be back?
Thankfully, things are a little more sophisticated than that. But there are so many kinds of jeans silhouettes and styles around that there must be a few Gen Zers prefer over others. I consulted a few brands to give me an idea of what the younger generation wanted from denim. From the team at Monki, arguably one of the most Gen Z–led brands on the high street, to the luxury denim experts at 7 for All Mankind as well as global shopping platform Lyst, I gathered intel to get the best understanding of what Gen Z is looking for when it comes to denim.
Ultimately, I managed to identify seven distinct trends they love. Overall, though, what I will say before diving into the detail is that being at least slightly baggy is key, and all the styles below couldn’t be further from the skinny-jean silhouette. But you know what? I’m into every single one of them. Keep scrolling for the seven denim trends Gen Z loves.
