You’ve built brand identities around the skinny jean silhouette for years. Now, you see a seismic shift in trends, and suddenly, the style that was once a universal best-seller is being called "cringe."

Gen Z largely rejects skinny jeans because they represent the "cheugy" millennial aesthetic they are culturally distancing themselves from. They favor comfort, gender-fluid silhouettes, and the looser fits of Y2K and 90s nostalgia.

Dean, your insight hits on a crucial point: this isn't just about denim, it's about identity. For over 20 years, I've watched trends come and go from my factory floor.

I've seen the rise and fall of bootcuts, the reign of the skinny, and now the return of the baggy. Each shift is a reaction.

The culture war you mentioned feels manufactured because, in some ways, it is—it's a deliberate, if subconscious, effort by a new generation to define their own look. It's less about the jean and more about what the jean represents.

Can Gen Z Wear Skinny Jeans?

You see a clear trend away from skinny jeans, but wonder if the style is completely dead for the younger generation. Is there any scenario where a skinny jean still feels relevant?

Yes, but it's niche. Gen Z wears skinny jeans when channeling specific subcultures like emo, punk, or the indie-rocker look. For most, it's a costume, not a daily staple.

You nailed it, Dean. The context is everything. When a Gen Z individual wears skinny jeans, it's often a very intentional style choice that references a specific music scene or subculture.

Think of that "2014 Matty Healy" or "Hedi Slimane" look you mentioned. It’s a slim, almost painted-on silhouette, usually in black, paired with boots and a leather jacket. It's a character.

This is very different from the millennial uniform of a medium-wash skinny jean paired with ankle boots and a flowy top. The former is a specific, alternative statement; the latter is seen as the mainstream 'mom jean' of the previous generation.

So, while skinny jeans aren't completely gone from Gen Z's wardrobe, their role has changed from an everyday essential to a specific subcultural signifier.

Why Do People Dislike Skinny Jeans?

For years, the skinny jean was the default choice for almost everyone. Now, it faces strong criticism. What changed to make so many people turn against this once-beloved style?

Many people now find skinny jeans to be physically restrictive and creatively limiting. After years of dominance, they also represent a conformist, body-conscious trend that many are eager to move away from.

There are two main drivers behind this shift: comfort and culture. From a practical standpoint, the world collectively rediscovered comfort during the pandemic lockdowns.

After months in sweatpants and loose clothing, squeezing back into restrictive, high-stretch denim felt like a step backward. People got used to freedom of movement. Culturally, the skinny jean's reign was tied to a specific body ideal. As a designer, you know that silhouette demands a certain look.

The pushback against them is also a pushback against that pressure. As you said, many women feel skinny jeans flatter their bodies, but for others, the style feels judgmental. The current move towards looser fits is, in part, a collective sigh of relief and an embrace of silhouettes that don't cling to every curve.

Why Does Gen Z Wear Baggy Jeans?

The pendulum has swung completely from one extreme to the other. It’s clear that baggy is in, but what is the driving force behind this specific choice for Gen Z?

Gen Z wears baggy jeans for three main reasons: a nostalgic revival of 90s and Y2K fashion, a desire for physical comfort, and an embrace of gender-fluid styles that prioritize silhouette over body shape.

This trend is a perfect storm of influences. First, fashion is cyclical. The 20-year trend cycle put 90s and early 2000s styles directly in Gen Z's line of sight, and baggy jeans were the cornerstone of that era's skate and hip-hop culture.

Second, as we discussed, comfort is king. Baggy jeans offer unrestricted movement that feels modern and liberating compared to the painted-on feel of skinnies. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the baggy silhouette is inherently more gender-neutral.

It obscures the body's natural lines, allowing the wearer to play with shape and proportion. This aligns perfectly with Gen Z's more fluid understanding of gender expression and their move away from traditionally gendered clothing norms. It's a fit that's both a style statement and a social one.

Why Aren't Skinny Jeans in Style Anymore?

You've seen trends fade, but the decline of the skinny jean feels different, more final. Why did this particular style fall so completely out of mainstream favor after dominating for so long?

Skinny jeans are no longer in style because their long period of dominance made them a symbol of millennial culture. For fashion to evolve, the next generation must reject the uniform of the last.

Your final point is the most astute observation, Dean. This whole skinny vs. baggy war feels forced because it's a necessary, albeit dramatic, part of the fashion cycle.

A style has to become "out" to make room for what's "in." The skinny jean didn't just have a moment; it had an entire decade. It became so ubiquitous that it was no longer a choice but a default.

For the incoming generation, whose primary cultural task is to establish its own identity, rejecting the previous generation's default is the first order of business.

It’s less about a genuine hatred for the garment itself and more about what it represents: a different time, a different cultural mindset, a different generation. The baggy jean is their flag, planted firmly in opposition to the skinny jean banner of the millennials.

Dive Deeper: The Generational Style Cycle

Generation	Dominant Jean Style	Core Values Represented
Boomers (Youth)	Bell Bottoms	Rebellion, anti-establishment, freedom.
Gen X (Youth)	Straight-Leg / Acid Wash	Grunge, anti-fashion, casual cool.
Millennials (Youth)	Skinny Jeans	Indie sleaze, body-consciousness, mainstream polish.
Gen Z (Youth)	Baggy Jeans	Comfort, nostalgia, gender fluidity, anti-mainstream.

This isn't an intellectual exercise; it's a simple changing of the guard.

Conclusion

The skinny jean isn't dead, but its era as the dominant style is over. It was rejected by Gen Z not just for fit, but as a symbol of the previous generation.