If the street style at fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan, and Paris this past month prove anything, it’s that jeans are alive and well in the wardrobes of the world’s best-dressed. Great news for us! But what’s more exciting than the abundance of denim outside the show venues are all the new ways that women chose to wear it – cinched at the waist and shredded to bits, baring knees (despite frigid temperatures), and personalized with patches. Though we are reluctant to say so long to skinnies – there were plenty of those, mostly black – what caught our eye on editors, models, and bloggers alike were jeans that leave a lot more room in the legs, hips, and hems (BTW, this look was echoed on the runways; stay tuned for more on that later this week). Today, as fashion week wraps in Paris, we give you the five looks we love most and hope to see more of in all the weeks to come…

WRECKED DENIM

These jeans don’t just have holes, they’re missing whole pieces. What’s the point, you wonder, is it climate control? Well, come to think of it, maybe – the exposure will mean it’s never too hot to wear jeans in summer. Plus, if the fit is looser, then revealing a knee or thigh helps keep proportions in check. Be brave with the scissors. 

wrecked3

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PATCHES

Taking the art of personal style to a whole new level, a patched jean or jacket has a lot in common with raw denim in that getting it to its ultimate state takes time and commitment. Yes, you can fast-forward the process and buy patches in bulk and sew them all on at once (consider this the crafty equivalent of A.P.C.’s Butler service), but it’s probably more fun to accumulate your badges over time. 

FW14 STREET STYLE

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SHORT & STRAIGHT

It’s simple – if you want to wear a jean that’s wider at the bottom than the skinnies you’ve been wearing for the past decade (and you will), then you are going to have to shorten them. Why? Because you are still attached to wearing ankle boots, and straighter legs don’t suit ankle boots. So, chop, chop!

FW14 STREET STYLE

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THE MAN JEAN

Not to be confused with the boyfriend or the mom, the man must be belted because it has a long rise (like a mom) but straight hips (like a boyfriend). Give it a cinch, or let your belt slide off its loops a little. The look is loose and low-rise without the irritating bum reveal.

FW14 STREET STYLE

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SOFT JACKETS

Whether resembling trenches or puffers, the new jean jacket is less tailored and – in most cases – rough around the edges (much like the jeans we’re seeing, actually). We love it on the bigger side or worn as a layer under longer coats. 

FW14 STREET STYLE

 

All photographs courtesy of Adam Katz Sinding of Le 21ème.