How to style next season's biggest jeans trend

It’s time to start raiding your relative’s wardrobes
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Naomi May7 October 2019

It would seem that our relatives have a lot to answer for in terms of the nostalgic denim trends we’re now readily embracing with open arms.

There was the “Mom” jean, which we paired with slinky tops and boxy blazers for a while.

And then came the “Dad” jean, which fell on our hip bone and looked impeccably chic when styled with a tailored jacket and a retro sling back.

But now it’s time to usher in a denim trend which has taken the fashion pack by storm: say hello to the “Grandpa” jean.

Seen on the catwalk during Marques’Almeida's most recent Spring/ Summer 2020 show in London and in New York at Sandy Liang last season, the “Grandpa” silhouette ignores the shape of the body it’s on: it is straight, ironically “uncool”, loose-fitting, yet ever-so-slightly tapered.

Marques' Almeida Spring/ Summer 2020 (IMAXTree)
Marques'Almeida

And with big things expected for this oversized denim trend, where else to turn to for some styling inspiration than the 'gram? Because there's no time like the present to get ahead of the trend.

Our favourite fashion girls have adopted the trend, and here's the styling tips we've learned from them about how to rock the "Grandpa" jean.

Relish the "ugly" trend

The baggier, the slouchier, the better. Take your 'Grandpa' jeans, pair them with your biggest blazer, your chunkiest trainers, et voila!

Keep it tailored up top

When your jeans are skimming your legs, it's best to keep it tight and together up top with a fitted, tailored jacket. An additional bonus of "Grandpa" jeans is also how good they look with a pair of contrasting, uber-feminine heels.

Pair them with knitwear

The key with this particular way of wearing the trend is to balance out proportions; so by keeping it baggy on top and on bottom, something has to give. So cinching the waist in with a belt (why just steal your Grandpa's jeans, when you can steal his belts too?!) and keeping your legs elevated with a pointy heel and a pointy toe is of paramount importance.

The tinier the top, the better

To really up the ante, perhaps for more of a date night-appropriate ensemble, they're the perfect accompaniment to a very small, very cropped top and some effortless mules.

Layer up

Often, the bigger and baggier a silhouette, the more terrified people can be of layering pieces on top. But with Grandpa jeans, it really is the more the merrier. The look is a dishevelled, thrown-together one, so pile on the oversized and baggy layers - the one rule is to wear a heeled shoe to elongate the legs, despite the shroud of layers.

Scroll through the gallery above for our top "Grandpa" jean styles available to buy now.

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