How to Make Winter’s Denim Trends Work for You

Yves Saint-Laurent once famously noted, "I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity—all I hope for in my clothes." Denim—particularly the best jeans of winter 2025—can do it all. It's the material that can cater to most (if not all) of your wardrobing needs.

The 2025 denim trends follow that ethos with many different aesthetic avenues for you to choose from. It could be the season you broaden your horizons and try a wider-legged pair of jeans. You might be pleasantly surprised with the comfort of a baggier, more breathable silhouette. Or, maybe this is when you lean into your love of 1970s fashion and invest in a groovy, high-waisted flare—like the bell-bottoms you'd find in Farrah Fawcett's style file.

Designers flexed the full breadth of denim's versatility throughout winter 2025's trends. Many creatives in charge harkened back to denim's all-American roots—like Catherine Holstein at Khaite, who included a pair of stiff straight-leg jeans in classic Levi's true blue. Others iterated with more of the moment; Gucci sent out baggy jeans embellished with ornate beaded fringe, while Versace ripped up and shredded the pockets on its pin-tuck denim trousers.

Keep scrolling to explore a high-to-low edit of the winter 2024 denim trends worth trying, with styling inspiration from the Resort 2025 runways.

Pocket Play

It would be difficult to ignore fashion's full embrace of utility lately—namely, the proliferation of pockets across categories, from handbags with lots of extra storage and cargo pants to carpenter jeans and barn jackets. The latter styles take center stage for winter, as seen with Chanel's quadruple pocket vest and Versace's front-patched baggy jeans.

Flare Up

You don't have to go full-on '70s groove with winter's flare jeans trend. A trendy leather bomber jacket or sharp black blazer will add a toughened edge to counterbalance the retro feel. However, a throwback look can be quite compelling—just look at Chloé's lovely bohemian combination of deep blue bell-bottoms with gold chains and oversized sunnies.

Wide Strides

Supersized, Palazzo-style wide-leg jeans are perhaps the most prominent denim trend for winter—both in terms of how often the silhouette appeared on the runways and the look itself. For how to style baggy jeans, take a cue from Nili Lotan and Rag & Bone and wear a denim-on-denim outfit in coordinating washes. Alternatively, a crisp white button-down shirt like Gucci's is a less controversial pairing.

True Blue

Denim was perhaps the only category immune to the influence of winter 2025's color trends. Instead, Helmut Lang, Khaite, and Coach designers kept it simple with true blue and not-too-cool nor too-warm washes. Denim purists who wax poetic about the integrity and iconic nature of Levi's original 501s will be particularly pleased.

Dance-Floor Denim

You'll always see some sparkle and glitz trend during the holiday season, and winter's denim is no exception. From Alexander McQueen's crystals and Gucci's high-shine fringe to Christion Dior's silver studs and Stella McCartney's cutout hardware—any semblance of shimmer and shine will work for this trend.

Beat Up and Broken In

You'll probably either love or loathe this polarizing style, but a pre-worn look gained momentum this season. An option like Ganni's vintage-looking jacket or Jennifer Lopez's dirty jeans from Acne Studios are both solid places to start with the grimy-on-purpose look—mimicking a pair of jeans that have been rolled around in some dirt.