I can recall a time, around 2008 I think it was, when black skinny jeans were life. They were one of the coolest things to wear, perfect with the influx of bold-shouldered Balmain rip-off blazers and spiked platform shoes fashion editors favoured, cool with a Breton and ankle boots to get that French-girl look, and great on a night out with a nice top. Like many other basic denim styles, they have become a relied-upon but oft-forgotten part of our wardrobe. It's been a long time since I felt excited about wearing a pair of black jeans, and I'm pretty sure the ones I did own (a nice little cropped flare from Frame) are languishing somewhere in the back of my closet. No more shall you be overlooked, my inky jeans! Because in the past few days, a flurry of celebrity arbiters of taste have decreed the darkest of denim washes back in fashion. Lily Allen has been wearing her black skinnies on multiple nights out with multiple cute tops. Kendall Jenner has both a baggy-fit, straight-leg pair and a flared corduroy style, and they are her trusted partner for crop tops. Bella Hadid has opted in for a super-low-rise, skater-girl vibe, while Emma Roberts has stayed true to the '00s with some ankle-grazing skinnies.
All of the A-listers in this gallery have styled their chosen black jeans very differently and are wearing them in different cities and on different continents. What this variety does showcase is that it's less about a cut and more about the fact that black is back for autumn 2021. So will you take their lead and swap in some jet-coloured jeans this season? Keep scrolling for outfit inspiration and to shop some of the coolest black jeans out there.
Style Notes: Black jeans really can be used as a base for all other colours. This unusual burgundy-and-green crop top of Kendall's is a great example.
Style Notes: Another day, another mesh, formfitting top to wear with black jeans. Only this time, Kendall's opted in for a skinny-cord pair of flares.
Style Notes: Lily Allen's Victoriana blouse is the perfect gothic accompaniment to a pair of black jeans. Very London.
Style Notes: For a look like Emma's, opt for a cute ribbed cardigan, skinny jeans and platform sandals.
Style Notes: Are you spotting a theme by now? Low-rise are in, and so are crop tops. Bella Hadid's skater-girl jeans and lip-smacking tee are totally '00s.
Shop Black Jeans
Up next, six trends we're into for autumn.
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On the Streets of NY, It Girls With Expensive Taste Know to Never Wear Skinny Jeans With This OutfitSwap in either of these denim styles instead.
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Hold the Sneakers—These Are the Elegant Shoes Parisians Are Wearing With the Jeans of SummerElevated and chic. Period.
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Seen Courtside at the Knicks Game: The Anti-Summer Pant Trend That's Surprisingly Everywhere Right NowIt's unexpected, but it works.
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It's Shocking How Much Cooler This '90s Sneaker Trend Makes Jeans and a Blazer LookThey transform classic outfits.
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35 Incredibly Chic Finds I Immediately Shared With My Fashion-Editor Friends When I Found ThemThey're so good I want them all.
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In SoHo, These Three Fashion Items Are Considered Every Fashion Person's Holy GrailsWorn separately or together.
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This Is *the* Ballet-Flats Color Fashion People Will Buy for the Remainder of 2025As seen on Bella Hadid's Instagram.
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The Most Stylish People Wear These Jeans, so I Finally Tried Them—WowA+ cuts.
