A generational clash is unfolding on TikTok, with Gen Z users declaring war on skinny jeans, the staple of millennial fashion. Since January, over 274,000 videos tagged 'no skinny jeans' have appeared on the platform, part of a broader trend of 'millennial v Gen Z' content that has amassed 8.3 million posts.
Gen Z critics argue that skinny jeans are unflattering and outdated. TikTok user @momohkd, who has 410,000 followers, urged viewers to throw away, burn, or repurpose their skinny jeans, telling millennials to stop wearing them in an attempt to look younger. Model Luka Sabbat echoed this sentiment, telling Esquire that 'skinny jeans don’t look as flattering nowadays.'
Skinny jeans rose to prominence in 2005 after featuring in the Dior Homme autumn/winter collection by Hedi Slimane. The 27-inch leg opening was considered tiny, and the £200 price tag marked them as a luxury item. According to Emma McClendon, author of Denim: Fashion’s Frontier, the style shifted marketing towards an androgynous, impossibly thin figure, moving away from the sensual look of earlier bootcut and low-rise jeans.
The trend was popularised by 2000s It-girls like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, as well as alternative rock bands such as the Strokes. However, a growing focus on body inclusivity is driving the shift towards baggier styles. Versace cast plus-size models for the first time in September, and plus-size model Paloma Elsesser appeared on the cover of US Vogue in January. Market research firm Edited reports a 15% increase in sales of men's relaxed-fit jeans and a 97% rise in women's wide-legged jeans.
Despite the backlash, skinny jeans may prove resilient. Levi's CEO Chip Bergh told investors he does not think 'skinny jeans are ever going away on the women’s side of the business,' even as looser fits gain popularity. McClendon notes that jeans 'always have a way of bouncing back' due to their versatility and cultural significance.
