Weird2 min(s) read
Published 16:18 20 Apr 2026 GMT
Fashion is ever-changing, and trends are in constant rotation, but Gen Z are adamant that, unlike the flares of the 70s or mom jeans of the 90s, skinny jeans will never see a comeback.
During the 2010s indie sleaze era, skinny jeans were the epitome of cool; ‘it’ girls, rockstars, and Hollywood A-listers all rocked the leg-hugging trousers.
In their prime, skinny jeans dominated catwalks, high streets, and early influencers' outfit posts, but now it's rare to see someone under 30 sporting a pair.
In a massive blow to millennials, Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, have now called time on the tight pants.
Brutally, one TikTok user listed her top three ways to style skinny jeans as “throw them out, burn them, or cut them up”.
But plenty of people, presumably over 28, flocked to the comments to defend the now apparently-outdated wardrobe staple.
One said: "Why do u all hate on skinny jeans they are literally not even that bad. Y'all are just obsessed with the trends."
Another person wrote: "Can we stop hating on pieces of fabric...it's just clothes."
Apart from being uncomfortable, another major reason Gen Z has rejected skinny jeans is that they made them feel insecure about their bodies.
In the comments, someone said: "I genuinely don’t know how I ever wore skinny jeans, they’re uncomfortable and make me feel insecure like??? What was going on inside my head?"
While another TikTok user bleakly added: "I put them on for a joke today and I nearly cried."
Thankfully, the comments section wasn’t just a battle between generations, as many Gen Z users gave their elders suggestions for cooler alternatives and informed them what is now in.
Several people named straight leg jeans, wide leg jeans, or cargo pants as stylish substitutes.
But, like with almost all fashion trends of past generations, will skinny jeans get their second wind as sought-after pieces?
In nostalgic nods to their '00s childhoods, Gen Z are frequently spotted sporting the ‘Y2K’ style, rocking a pair of Juicy Couture sweats, low-rise jeans, and colorful crop tops.
So, surely chronologically, skinny jeans should be back in soon?
