I Spotted These $70 Zara Jeans on Every Block in Madrid, so I Bought Them Myself

Every summer, I head out way east and go to Madrid, Spain. I’ve gone for seven years in a row now, each trip making me fall more and more in love with the city. It’s practically become my second home—so much so that I decided nearly two years ago to host my wedding there!

Over the years, Spanish women and their fashion ethos have influenced my personal style in more ways than I can count. In the land of Zara, Mango, and jamón ibérico, there’s always something to be inspired by. Every year, I come back with a suitcase full of new shopping items I picked up from my time abroad, nearly all of them purchased after seeing the stylish Madrid women on the streets of Chamberí and Salamanca wearing them. Case in point: the pastel striped jeans from Zara I saw on nearly every corner. After seeing them styled in so many ways, I headed to Madrid’s largest Zara to grab a pair for myself.

As it turns out, I wasn’t the only one obsessed. It took me a good 15 minutes of digging around my local store to find a pair in my size because they were almost sold out. It felt like every stylish Madrileña had bought them before I did.

Who What Wear editor Ana Escalante wears Zara striped jeans. — (Image credit: @balencianas)

Striped jeans have quietly become one of summer 2026’s defining denim trends, with brands embracing candy-colored pinstripes and pastel palettes that feel especially fresh for warm weather. Instead of reaching for white jeans or linen pants, fashion insiders are opting for striped denim to add a bit of color and personality while still treating it like a neutral.

With this Zara pair, I found that the colorful stripes somehow managed to feel playful without veering costumey, making them the perfect antidote to the sea of classic blue denim that typically dominates summer wardrobes across other European cities. (Cough, cough, Paris.)

I decided to style them just like any of the Spanish women I’d seen: colorful velvet slippers, a black tank top, and a woven basket bag. After sporting the outfit across town at least twice, I purchased a second pair of striped jeans from Mango, another Spanish export that American women love.

If Madrid’s stylish locals are any indication, striped denim is only just getting started, and I’ll happily keep making room in my suitcase for it. Below, shop the best striped jeans and other striped summer essentials you need in your closet.