I'm Breaking Up With Jeans in 2026—4 Pants I'm Shopping Instead

There are a lot of non-denim bottom options to be explored.

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women styling different types of trendy pants.
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I have a confession to make: I think I hate my jeans. After years of accumulating a rotation of must-have denim, I'm feeling a little bored. My signature jeans-sweater-boots outfit formula can only take me so far. So, in 2026, I'm breaking up with denim and exploring what else the world of "fun pants" has to offer.

Turns out there are a lot of non-denim bottom options I haven't yet explored. Take, for instance, track pants: They're the backbone of my airport outfits, and now I feel confident enough to wear them off the plane, too. It Girls are also proving cargo pants, and capris—two styles that have been relegated to the back of my closet since the early aughts—are worth a second glance this winter.

My closet is about to get way more diverse in 2026. Keep scrolling for all the winter pants options I'm eyeing.

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Track Pants

PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 06: Stella Hanan is seen wearing loose, straight brown hair, a white crew-neck T-shirt, a grey V-neck sweater with red and white stripes, a black crossbody bag, wide-leg black track pants with white side panels, and black pointed-toe shoes outside of Sacai during the Womenswear Spring Summer 2026 as part of Paris Fashion Week on October 06, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by 305pics/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The sporty fashion renaissance has continued with quarter-zips, fleece jackets, track jackets, and now, track pants. They're comfortable, casual, and feel '90s-inspired without going overboard.

Leather Pants

woman wearing leather pants in paris

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Leather pants are basically denim's cooler older sister. They're a night-out staple, but I believe they can (and should!) be worn in the daytime. You can dress them down with a button-down or a tee, or go full leather-on-leather with a matching moto jacket.

Cargo Pants

woman wearing brown cargo pants in paris

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Late last year, a late-night scrolling session landed me on a pair of olive green cargo balloon pants. I bought them on impulse, and haven't worn them since—but I've recently come around to the idea of these cargo pants being an essential part of my winter wardrobe. After seeing enough styling inspiration, I pulled them out of my closet for outfit testing. Whether I personally end up including them as a must-have in the future is yet to be determined, but one thing is true: Cargos are cool again.

Skirt Trousers

PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 20: A guest wears a straight black bob haircut with short bangs, black wraparound sunglasses, a black leather shoulder bag with a short metal handle and a silver metal chain detail, a black leather bomber jacket with a high stand collar, snap buttons, shoulder epaulettes, zip and flap pockets and a ribbed hem, a black pleated skirt, black trousers, beige straw woven pointed-toe cowboy boots shoes with silver metal stud embellishments and brown stacked heels, outside 424, during Paris Fashion Week - Menswear Fall/Winter 2026-2027, on January 20, 2026 in Paris, France (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Hear me out: Start styling your skirts over your pants again. No, it won't end up looking like you're on the red carpet for the Hannah Montana premiere in 2006. If you don't want to mix-and-match your perfect combination, brands like Simonett and Helsa both offer chic sets for one-and-done styling.

Soft Trousers

PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 15: Alba Garavito Torre wears long light brown hair worn loose and parted at the side, gold-tone jewelry by Sempiterno Paris, a brown pea coat with a double-breasted front and notched lapels, white silk straight-leg pants with a fluid drape, camel leather loafers shoes by Church’s with a rounded toe and low heel, and a beige smooth calf-leather hobo bag with a sculptural curved shape by Studio Flo carried on the shoulder, during a street style fashion photo session, on January 15, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

If, in the not-too-distant future, you find yourself yearning for a pair of pants that look like trousers and feel like sweats, remember to thank me. I bought the Gale Pants from Reformation over the holiday break, and have worn them nearly every day since. My collection is on the verge of tripling.

Capri Pants

PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 05: A guest wears medium-length cornrow braids with dark roots and blonde highlights, small rectangular sunglasses with dark lenses and thin metal frames, silver hoop earrings and a silver chain necklace with a cross pendant and stacked gold-tone and beaded bracelets, a black fabric rolling suitcase bag with a telescopic handle and an attached black fabric organizer, a black leather bomber jacket over a white linen button-up shirt, black knee-length stretch leggings, black leather slip-on flat shoes, outside Akris, during Paris Fashion Week - Womenswear Spring Summer 2026, on October 05, 2025 in Paris, France (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

I hate being wrong, but I'm big enough to admit I was incorrect about the longevity of last summer's capri pants trend. They've bubbled up onto my newsfeed again courtesy of Bella Hadid's recent street style, and I feel like they'll be everywhere on the streets of Copenhagen Fashion Week. Get ahead of their return and shop one of the options I have my eye on.

Julia Marzovilla
Julia Marzovilla
Former Fashion E-Commerce Editor

Julia Marzovilla is the former Fashion E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she reviewed the latest launches from fashion and beauty brands, finds the best on-sale items around the internet, and interviews experts to find the best products in any category to share with her readers. She also created shopping guides that span every vertical on the site as an expert in everything from the best laptop bags to the best laser hair removal devices.