Spending a couple of hours digging through celeb photos from 2009? It's just another workday as a Who What Wear editor. I was recently sifting through H&M's new arrivals for a different story when I came across an item that instantly took me back to the late '00s: the H&M Lyocell-Blend Cargo Pants ($40). They reminded me of the iconic J Brand Houlihan Cargo Pants that so many celebrities owned circa 2009-2012, including Ciara, Charlize Theron, Kim Kardashian, and Cindy Crawford. Not that anyone asked, but sadly I couldn't afford the jeans at the time and instead bought the knockoffs at Anthropologie. Luckily, the H&M versions are far more accessible.
Rihanna, Jessica Alba, Sienna Miller, Gwen Stefani, Rachel Bilson, and Kate Bosworth are just some of the other celebs who also owned the J Brand pants, but I wasn't able to track down and license the photos in time for this story (trust me, I tried). So you're going to have to take my word for it and know that these pants were truly a cult-favorite. Scroll down to revisit the pants in their heyday. I, for one, vote for Ciara's outfit as the most 2020-ready.
On Ciara: J Brand Houlihan Cargo Pants
On Charlize Theron: J Brand Houlihan Cargo Pants
On Kim Kardashian: J Brand Houlihan Cargo Pants
On Cindy Crawford: J Brand Houlihan Cargo Pants
Shop the New H&M Versions:
Don't tell me this pair isn't a dead-ringer for the J Brand versions from 2009.
Shop Similar Pants:
I also love these light-colored cargo pants.
Such a classic shape.
Perfect for wearing with sneakers.
Part sweatpants, part cargo pants.
This light sage color is so pretty.
Note the major sale discount.
I'd wear these with white Converse sneakers.
You can always rely on BP for affordable trends.
You can never go wrong with classic black.
I love these subtly flared versions.
Brown is such a versatile neutral.
So many pockets, so little time.
Next, Kaia Gerber's leggings and $48 tee go together like PB&J.
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