Retro revival: flare jeans back in style

Sahaj Datta | The Chronicle

Vintage styles are back in vogue, and flare jeans are a standout in the return of classic trends hitting the hallways.

Flare jeans (or bell-bottoms, as they were more popularly known in the past) are recognized by their wide-legged design that flares out from the knee. They originally gained popularity during the 1960s and 1970s, symbolizing a rebellion against the straight-laced fashion of earlier decades. These jeans have recently resurfaced, driven largely by social media and a renewed interest in retro and vintage aesthetics. With their bold silhouette, flare jeans offer both nostalgic and modern style that appeals to a new generation. 

English teacher Patricia George said she admires the fashion sense of students of this generation and how bold they are with their fashion choices. She said she wasn’t shocked by the return of flare jeans, as well as other trends like crop tops.

“I remember when I wore bell-bottoms in high school,” George said. “It’s straight out of my high school years. You wouldn’t catch anyone dead in [skinny jeans].”

Today’s teens seem to agree with George’s high school peers, embracing a shift away from skinny jeans towards those with a looser fit. George said she also noticed that girls today tend to wear their hair straight with a middle part, something she said mimicked girls from when she was in high school. Overall, it seems modern teens have begun emulating the style that was popular during the 60s and 70s. 

Freshman Jennifer Tran said that she likes flare jeans due to their iconic shape. Like Tran, most people enjoy wearing flare jeans because of their recognizable form and tendency to appeal to all body types. She said she’s seen a lot of trend-related content on social media.

“I’m definitely aware of it because I’ve seen it on TikTok,” Tran said. “A lot of people are talking about [flare jeans] coming back.”

Teens aren’t the only ones noticing the return. Junior Chloe Knight said that her mom knew flare jeans would be coming back, and even tried to convince Knight to buy a pair when she was younger, but she refused. Knight said that now that she’s older, she’s changed her mind about flare jeans and wears them often.

“My mom wears [flare jeans] too, so oftentimes I’ll end up matching with her,” Knight said. “Trends cycle really fast, but I like flare jeans and I don’t think [they’re] never going to be not-trendy for me.”

Flare jeans are just one example of fashion trends coming and going over time. Assistant Principal Laura Spitzmueller said she believes that “styles are cyclical,” and trends like chunky sneakers from the 1990s and 2000s and off-the-shoulder tops from the 1950s and 1960s are perfect examples of this idea. Returning fashion helps people express their personal style—even if the trend that students “discover” is a few decades old.

“I have seen a lot of trends come back from when I was growing up,” Spitzmueller said. “I think teens are attracted to [flare jeans] because, to them, they’re new and different.”

Although flare jeans are nothing new, teens today see them as a novelty. The revival of these jeans is part of a larger pattern of returning trends coming in and out of popularity. 

“I think the only thing you’re guaranteed in fashion is recycling,” George said. “Everything old is new again.”