The Trend It Girls Are Wearing Instead of Black Skinny Jeans

Sorry to reignite the old skinny-jeans debate, but sorry, I’m a fashion editor—we can’t help ourselves. When most of us think about black jeans, it’s probably black skinny jeans that come to mind. They’re a classic, and I certainly wouldn’t encourage you to ditch them, but facts and facts: It girls such as Sarah Pidgeon are choosing a different denim trend for their black jeans in 2026. The trend is low-rise, relaxed-fitting black jeans, which are a far cry from skinny jeans indeed.

Pidgeon was recently spotted in NYC wearing this exact style, paired with a cropped zip-up funnel-neck jacket over a sheer pink top, completed with the celebrity-favorite Tabi ballet flats. Truth be told, this outfit would’ve run the risk of looking a bit dated if worn with black skinny jeans instead of the slouchy pair she chose. Low-rise, relaxed-fitting jeans are the biggest denim trend of 2026, and I say this with confidence. So it makes perfect sense that the biggest denim trend of winter 2026 could very well be black low-rise, relaxed-fitting jeans. Pidgeon’s outfit is certainly a strong indicator of that. Keep scrolling to see it for yourself and to shop my favorite versions of the trend.