After several seasons ruled by baggy, barrel and wide-leg denim, the bootcut jean is firmly back for autumn and winter 2026. Vanity Fair Italia calls it the must-have trousers of the season, and the fashion press broadly agrees: the shape that defined the mid-2000s has returned, only cleaner and more grown-up than many of us remember it.
A familiar shape with a modern edge
The bootcut does exactly what its name suggests. It sits close through the hip and thigh, then opens gently from the knee so the hem can fall neatly over a boot. This time round the flare tends to be modest. British Vogue has nicknamed the new version the “mini bootcut”, a slim leg with only the faintest kick at the ankle, a look it spotted in Demna’s pre-fall 2026 collection for Gucci. Harper’s Bazaar UK points to denim bootcuts on the autumn/winter 2026 catwalks at Miu Miu, Zimmermann and Khaite, while American Vogue notes that Calvin Klein, the label that helped make the cut famous in the 1990s, showed it again alongside Valentino and Celine.
Part of the appeal is how forgiving the silhouette is. The slight flare balances the hips and makes legs look longer, which is why stylists often describe it as one of the most wearable denim shapes around. Trade site Denimology adds that the key details this season are dark indigo and clean rinses, mid or high waists and full-length hems that just skim the top of a boot, which is far more practical on wet pavements than a dragging bell-bottom.
How the stars are wearing it
Vanity Fair Italia highlights three very different approaches. Bella Hadid keeps hers sporty, with a vintage leather jacket and trainers. Margot Robbie dresses the cut up with an oversized blazer and pointed ankle boots, and Daisy Edgar-Jones has paired hers with a fitted jacket and open sandals. The wash matters too: deep blue and indigo work almost anywhere, even in smarter settings, while lighter, faded denim feels more relaxed.
Denim this simple is the perfect backdrop for jewellery. A stack of bracelets at the cuff of a blazer, a pair of statement earrings, or one of our sapphire pendants, whose blue echoes indigo denim, will lift jeans and a jumper instantly. For a warm autumn note, try a deep red garnet ring.
Sources: Vanity Fair Italia (17 October 2026); British Vogue; Harper’s Bazaar UK (5 August 2026); Vogue; Denimology (31 July 2026). Featured photo: Castorly Stock via Pexels.
