There are fashion gestures that are believed to be definitively buried. Rolling up the bottom of your jeans in a large, single, high and well-defined fold was one of them. Too 90s, too teenage, too outdated. And yet, on the Milan and Paris street styles, on the accounts of these 40, 45, 50 year old women who dress better than everyone else, this detail has made a comeback. Not timidly. Frankly, confidently, paired with trendy loafers or heeled boots. It’s no longer the same old gesture.
The cuffed wide hem jeans: the trend we didn’t see coming
What sets this version of cuffing apart from the one we knew is how it’s executed. A single fold, wide, clean, rolled high on the ankle. Not two or three sloppy little turns like we did as teenagers. A true visual hem that draws the eye down the leg and surprisingly elongates the silhouette.
On a straight or slim cut jeans, the effect is immediate: the ankle is highlighted, the shoe becomes an integral part of the look. That’s when it gets interesting. Cuffing makes you choose your shoes with intention. A leather mule, a loafers mocassin, a short boot: everything is visible, everything matters. This detail at the bottom of the jeans visually lifts the whole outfit.
What women over 40 understood before others is that this gesture is not a nostalgic nod. It’s a style tool. It lightens, it structures, it gives that little twist we seek when we want to break away from a too smooth look.
How to wear cuff jeans without looking “90s”?
It’s all about the balance of the rest of the outfit. The cuffed wide hem works particularly well with neat pieces, even slightly dressed up. A fitted blazer, a silk blouse tucked into the jeans, a well-cut trench coat. The more structured the top, the less the cuff looks like a period costume.
The color of the jeans also plays a big role. In medium or dark blue, the effect is sober and chic. In white, it takes on an almost summery dimension, and in black, it becomes formal. Perfect with patent loafers or block heel mules. The shoes, as we’ve said, are key. They are what tip the look one way or the other. What’s appreciated about this trend is that it doesn’t require any new purchases. The jeans are already in the wardrobe. Just cuff them differently!
