The Flared Pants Flare-Up
Exactly a year after Kendrick Lamar's Superbowl performance, conversations around the internet-breaking flared jeans he wore feel as relevant as ever. The CELINE pants in question became an instant bestseller, and their trumpet outline set the tone for plenty of trousers to come.
The days of amorphously baggy denim feel over, and yet the long-feared return of skinny jeans has yet to actually happen. Stuck somewhere in that middle of when something fitted blossoms into something wider, flared pants have by now become an omnipresent alternative for trend chasers and those disinterested in having to pick one or the other extreme.
Generally, jeans are moving into a more conservative direction, such as plain straight legged. The whole of fashion, actually, appears less compelled than ever to lean into expressive eccentricity, and clearly favors a more classic, capsule-friendly look. Despite perhaps not reading as such, flared pants can most definitely claim a spot in those ranks though, and the following assortment of examples shall demonstrate why.
The Best Pants Right Now Are Those That Flare Up:
Acne Studios Flared Leather Trousers
There'll be no time wasted with easing anyone in. Instead, let's bring out the big guns right off the bat. These Acne Studios pants, for instance, not only go full bell bottom, they do so in all-leather.
HOPE Blue Wide-Leg Jeans
Granted, the above might be too stark a contrast opposite certain peoples' previous pant rotation. Something like these HOPE jeans, that are more subtle with the whole flare theme, make an ideal entry level product.
Gabriela Hearst Rey Straight-Leg Jeans
Though advertised as your average ol' straight-leg, these Gabriela Hearst jeans know damn well what they're doing. And they're pretty darn good at it too.
Loro Piana Wide-Leg Trousers
These Loro Piana cashmere slacks are, again, somewhere in the gray zone of a proper flare silhouette, and just another wide-legged pleat pant. For all intents and purposes, however, they count.
AURALEE Straight-Leg Cotton Trousers
If one is to believe the internet, runway devotees far and wide are especially obsessed with AURALEE pants. These washed-out pink cargos prove why. With just a slight flare to them, they perfectly balance in their silhouette the feminine and masculine tropes designer Ryota Iwai so clearly took inspiration from.
The Row Ross Straight-Leg Jeans
Admittedly, this is another case of jeans that defies being defined as one cut of denim. Perhaps more wide, simply, than fully flared, these The Row pants, if one turns a blind eye, are allowed a placement on this list, if even only for their beautiful wash.
Rick Owens DRKSHDW Double Knee Jeans
With its double-fabric pant legs, Rick Owens' version of flared jeans obviosuly borrows from workwear codes. Successfully so, I might add.
Gucci Tuxedo Trousers
Another example of a flare in formal wear, these cream-colored Gucci suit bottoms are as timelessly elegant as they are romantically retro.
The Elder Statesman Cotton-Cashmere-Blend Jersey Sweatpants
On quite the opposite end of the spectrum, find these flared... sweatpants?! That's right, even something as laid-back and casual as sweatpants can be elevated with just a slight alteration of leg shape.
Jordan Brooklyn Fleece Men's Oversized Pants
Clocking in at just about a tenth of the above's price point, we'll let these Jordan sweats fly, too.
Celine Cashmere-Flannel Trousers
Last but not least, in similar vein, these CELINE flannels offer the comfort of a pajama pant in the guise of something far fancier. In doing so, they epitomize just how diversely a flared pant can be put to use, and how easily its style can transform something banal into something more intentional and savvy-looking.
Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit HS Shopping for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty.
