I'm from Paris—These are the flared jeans that I'm really into right now.

      Eugénie Trochu serves as a Who What Wear editor in residence, renowned for her impactful contributions at Vogue France and her Substack newsletter, where she covers emerging trends, her straightforward views on fashion and style, and various reflections. She is also in the process of writing her debut book, which delves into fashion as a realm of memory, aspiration, and transformation. Lately, I have been fixated on a very particular style of jeans. They aren’t just any flare, nor are they the excessively nostalgic bootcut revival that we’ve seen come and go. The pair I can’t get out of my mind features a much more refined flare that instantly commands attention. I keep returning to one specific image: a look from the Celine Spring/Summer 2020 runway designed by Hedi Slimane.

      There was a model on the runway who epitomized that effortless confidence often linked to the myth of the Parisienne. Her outfit seemed to be an intriguing blend of neo-bourgeois sophistication and a hint of bohemian flair, reminiscent of someone who might have just stepped out of a 1970s Sorbonne lecture. The jeans are essential to the whole look—they are slightly flared, high-waisted, and long enough to gently brush over the footwear. The denim has a semi-rigid feel, featuring a faded wash that gives off the impression of a pair with history, as if they had previously belonged to someone’s mother. However, an essential detail is that the jeans are impeccably pressed. This aspect prevents the outfit from veering into an overly grunge or costume-like vintage aesthetic.

      The outcome is very reminiscent of Jane Birkin. It creates a silhouette that appears remarkably simple yet undeniably perfect: a pair of flared jeans, a men’s shirt, perhaps a structured jacket, and either ballet flats or slender boots. Over recent months, I have sought to find that exact style of jean once more. Not a dramatic flare or a Y2K rendition—but that understated, elegant flare that strikes an academic note.

      The type of denim that elongates the leg, shapes the silhouette, and imparts that slightly aloof allure that Parisian women often pursue without articulating it. The good news is that by 2026, this particular shape seems to be subtly making a comeback. After years dominated by straight-leg or oversized jeans, gradually, slightly flared silhouettes are re-emerging—typically featuring that high waist and rigid fabric reminiscent of the 1970s. The ongoing challenge is to discover the right flare—not too wide, not too cropped, and not too stretchy. Just the kind that appears as if it has been in your wardrobe for ages.

      Here are my top flared jeans picks for 2026:

      - Reformation: Alyssa Stretch High Rise Wide Leg Long Jeans

      - RE/DONE: High Rise Wide Leg Jeans

      - Gerard Darel: Flared Jeans

      - Nili Lotan: Florence High-Rise Flared Jeans

      - Chloé: High-Rise Straight Jeans in Denim

      - AGOLDE: Mid Rise Kick Boot Jeans

      - Frame: Arrow High-Rise Flared Jeans

      - GRLFRND: Brooklyn High Rise Straight Jeans

      - NILI LOTAN: Roe Mid-Rise Flared Jeans

      - Victoria Beckham: Julia Jean