Once I finished jumping for joy at Boris Johnson’s announcement that life should return to normal by June 21, my immediate next thought was – what will I actually wear when I *finally* have places to go and people to see? Covid has altered so many parts of our lives – from how we work, to how we holiday and inevitably, how we dress. And that’s left most of us quickly realizing that our wardrobes aren’t quite as ready for getting out and about as we are.
No matter what your pre-lockdown style looked like, I bet that your wardrobe now contains more loungewear and tracksuits than you ever thought one person could possibly need. But we’ll soon be out of our lockdown hibernation and dusting off our real-world garms; long-forgotten items like handbags and our once much loved jeans will again see the light of day.
If, however, your denim from a year ago (yes, it’s really been that long) is feeling a bit snug or you just can’t face a pair of skinny jeans ever again, it’s time to invest in a new pair – and we’d strongly argue the case for the boyfriend jean. A rather divisive cut, we’re predicting boyfriend jeans to make a strong comeback post-lockdown, so we’d suggest getting ahead of the trend.
What are boyfriend jeans?
A wardrobe staple, boyfriend jeans are differentiated from other cuts with their overall loose fitting, slouchy and relaxed cut. Yes, essentially they look as if you stole a pair of your other half’s jeans and nonchalantly threw them on.
How do I style boyfriend jeans?
If you don’t know how to style them, boyfriend jeans can look messy and swamp your frame. But with the right fit – they can either be very oversized or a bit more fitted – and styling, they’ll quickly become an off-duty staple. Boyfriend jeans and a white tee are an effortless weekend look, but they are better paired with a tighter fitting top – bodysuits, like this one from Reformation, are ideal to prevent any excess material creeping out. Blazers are a great way to dress up your boyfriend jeans – and they pair just as well with a pair of Converse as they do with heels.
Another way to style up your boyfriend jeans is to offset the oversized masculine cut of them, with a feminine blouse or silk camisole – perfect for all the date nights on the horizon.
What are the best boyfriend jeans?
For a true boyfriend jean style, go for a distressed pair like these Raey jeans or this light-washed Frame pair. They might not be office-appropriate, but you’ll get endless wear on off-duty days. On the high street, M&S has a surprisingly good range of boyfriend jeans, particularly those with interesting detail like this ankle-grazing pair with side detailing and this patchwork pair.
And since we are planning for the warmer days to come, this pair of light pink H&M boyfriend jeans are moving from our saved items to our basket right now, before they sell out.