This Moody Spring Jeans Trend Just Dethroned Blake Lively's Maximalist Denim
There's a new It-wash in town.
White and black are battling it out in the race to become spring 2026's most popular denim trend. At first, white jeans took the lead, thanks to Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and Rihanna. Recently, however, Vittoria Ceretti, Margot Robbie, and Blake Lively proved dark denim is a worthy opponent. On May 19, Lively—a longtime blue-jeans babe—styled her simplest black straight-legs beneath a classic trench coat.
Lively attended a party celebrating Fendi's Baguette 26424 line, in her first public appearance since the 2026 Met Gala. (So much for spotting her on a trip to Trader Joe's.) She arrived at the Italian label's New York City flagship store with her bedazzled Baguette in tow. The rest of her minimalist outfit was surprisingly un-Lively-like, beginning with straight-leg black jeans. Typically, the Gossip Girl alum prefers pairs in a mid-wash shade of blue, plus an unexpected embellishment of some sort. (Remember her $19,000, cut-out Valentino jeans, or her baggy patchwork denim?)
This time, not a single slash, rhinestone, or appliqué decorated Blake Lively's jeans. Even the ankle-grazing hems were tailored to perfection. Lively matched her denim's streamlined silhouette to an equally-skintight tank top and pointy, patent leather pumps.
Blake Lively was all smiles in a surprisingly off-brand pair of black jeans.
Lively's maximalist tendencies didn't return in her outerwear, either. Instead, she kept things neutral with the most tasteful of trench coats. It was everything a minimalist would require from a springtime trench: cool-toned and khaki, slightly oversize, and lightweight. The actor draped the belted coat over her shoulders, a subtle move that emphasized its sleek lapels, epaulette-less sleeves, and single-breasted buttons.
Lively's khaki-colored trench coat was the perfect counterpart for her black jeans.
Spring 2026's street style scene hosts just as many black jeans as it does ivory, you just have to search a little harder. Maude Apatow skipped sky-blue as early as April 9, when she, like Lively, paired her black barrel-leg jeans with a matching top.
Weeks later, Vittoria Ceretti offset her baggy dark-wash denim with a white T-shirt and a cream-colored moto jacket. Her square-toe, high vamp flats got the inky memo, too.
Maude Apatow strolled into Jimmy Kimmel Live! in black, barrel-leg jeans.
Meanwhile, Vittoria Ceretti tested the black jeans trend in NYC.
As recently as May 5, Margot Robbie boarded the bandwagon in a pair of black jeans from Chanel. The Barbie star's jet-black tank and matching shoulder-padded blazer made her jeans look even moodier.
Black jeans were all over Maison Margiela, Area, Matières Fécales, and Sacai's Spring 2026 runways, too. Lively-esque maximalists, be warned: A black jeans buyout is coming from every corner of the industry.
Shop Black Jeans Outfits Inspired by Blake Lively
