Spotted in Paris: This Anti-Straight-Leg Jeans Trend Makes Short Jackets Look Best

Honestly, I find this time of year one of the trickiest to dress for. We’re no longer at the point where we can leave the house without a layer, but it’s not quite cold enough to reach for our favourite full-length coats either. So, for now, I’m relying heavily on my rotation of jackets to keep my outfits looking polished. The only problem? So many of the styles I love hit right around the hip, and I’ve never quite worked out which trousers make them look their best.

Cropped jackets are often an easier styling option, but they’re not always practical when the temperatures start to dip. So, lately, I’ve been on the hunt for a trouser trend that works particularly well with a hip-grazing jacket—and, while street style spotting in Paris this week, I think I finally found it.

Milly Alcot wear bootcut jeans with a hip-length navy bomber jacket and a brown Balenciaga city bag. — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Spotted not once, not twice, but thrice outside the Balenciaga show, fashion people and celebrities were pairing their hip-length jackets—from leather styles to cotton bombers—with bootcut jeans. Where I’ve often found that a jacket hitting at the hip can visually shorten the frame, the subtle flare of a bootcut jean creates a lengthening effect from the waist down, balancing out the proportions for a sleek silhouette.

Sarah Pidgeon wears a hip-length peplum leather jacket with long-line bootcu jeans and pointed-toe heels at the Balenciaga runway show in Paris. — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Among the stylish faces I spotted were Sarah Pidgeon and Shailene Woodley, both wearing their jackets with this slightly flared denim shape. Whether teamed with an hourglass peplum style or an oversized bomber, the jeans gave each look a polished finish.

Shailene Woodley wears a brown leather hip-length bomber jacket with blue bootcut jeans and pointed-toe heels. — (Image credit: Getty Images)

With plenty of mild weather still ahead and our shorter jackets doing much of the wardrobe heavy lifting, I’ve rounded up the hip-length jackets and bootcut jeans I’m recommending below.