The 9 Best Bootcut Jeans of 2026, As Tested By an Editor Leave a comment

Despite denim trends seeming par for the course, it’s often the case that when you find a jeans style that you like, you tend to stick with it. So, when it comes to the preferences of the world’s chicest women, you’ll find them staunchly loyal to only one style —bootcut jeans.

Look at a photo of someone like Bella Hadid, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy or Jane Birkin, and you’ll realise that despite their differing style philosophies, they share an affinity for this effortlessly elevated and slightly flared style. Why? It’s breezy, subtly bohemian and brings great structure to any ensemble.

Originating as a practical pair of trousers for rambling ranch hands and cowboys to toil around in—the name derives from the silhouette’s signature shape, which allowed them to slip in and out of with ease whilst keeping their work boots firmly planted on—bootcut jeans have since outgrown the rodeo and become a well-earned staple in any well-established wardrobe.

Once relegated to bucolic farmlands and mountainous landscapes to explore on horseback, the casualness and freedom of the Summer of Love sent them mainstream, with bootcuts cropping up in major cities and, surprisingly, without a trusty steed nearby. If you fast-forward a few decades from the ‘70s, they became a sigil of modern minimalism, with the practical nature and snug fit essential for those looking to achieve the sleek, sensual and utilitarian appearance that the ‘90s had promised.

In the noughties, things turned south, with bootcuts worn as bumsters and inches sliced off the waistband to create a low-rise effect. Now, however, it appears that those with taste have taken an “anything goes” approach to style the trend, plucking whatever attribute they like from ghosts of bootcut pasts to wear them in a way that feels fresh.

“Bootcut jeans perfectly blend nostalgia with contemporary styling,” explains Paige Adams-Geller, the owner and creative director of her self-titled ready-to-wear brand PAIGE. “Bootcut jeans are the ultimate balance between skinny and baggy jeans,” she adds. “They offer shape whilst still being comfortable and add a unique touch with the flared bottoms.” Though deeply tied to the past, Adams-Geller adds that the revival of bootcut jeans and regular celebrity sightings comes down to a desire to “reimagine the classic style for [today’s] wardrobe”.

The message is clear: Regardless of how you wear them, the important thing is that they’re worn. So, when it comes to making like these incredibly chic women, where does one start?