Hi friends! Every Tuesday in August, we’re discussing the 2025 Fall Fashion Trends, and today it’s all about denim—my forever favorite. When it comes to denim this fall, volume is still king. Wide legs are still everywhere, relaxed straight and barrel styles aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, and there’s a cool, effortless vibe running through it all. But within those familiar silhouettes, I’m seeing some fresh twists and interesting micro trends worth noting. Let’s talk about what’s new, what’s sticking around, and how to wear it this season.
And of course, the usual disclaimers apply! This denim trends roundup is just for fun. It’s not meant to cover every single style out there, and it’s definitely not a must-have shopping list. My goal is to help you spot what’s current and decide what (if anything!) works for you. Feel free to skip anything that doesn’t suit your style, but keep an open mind. Trying one or two fresh trends (or putting your own spin on them) is an easy way to keep your denim collection feeling modern and avoid getting stuck in a time warp.
Denim Trends You’ll Be Seeing Everywhere This Fall
As fall styles are starting to hit the stores, these are seven key denim trends that keep showing up. I’d love to know which ones are your favorites, and which ones you’ll be skipping or tweaking to fit your personal style.
Relaxed Fits
As I mentioned above, relaxed fits still reign supreme this fall. Wide leg styles continue to dominate the fashion scene, and even straight leg jeans and flares are loosening up with more drape and movement. I’m also noticing a subtle shift in slim straight styles toward a slight kick or slim bootcut shape, which seems to be replacing the slim straights that can almost read as skinnies these days. That said, pretty much every silhouette is out there right now and can look current if styled in a modern way.
Shop some of my favorite relaxed denim styles for fall:
Long & Lean
Across the board, I’m noticing jeans getting longer, and full-length hems are definitely trending again. Wide legs and flares are often worn full length this season, creating a long, lean leg line. While there are still some ankle-length styles out there, the emphasis has shifted toward full length. Barrel legs remain the major exception, as they tend to look best with a bit of ankle showing, and slim bootcut styles are appearing in both ankle-length and full-length versions.
Shop full-length denim for fall:
Mid-Rise Momentum
While high-rise jeans are still easy to find, mid-rise options are finally making their way back into stores. (For reference, I consider a mid rise to be in the 9–10″ range, and a high rise to be 10 1/2–12″.) This slightly lower rise offers a comfortable, laid-back feel and works especially well with relaxed straights and bootcut styles. If you’ve been looking for an alternative to ultra-high waistbands, this is a welcome development.
Shop mid-rise jeans for fall:
Shades of Blue
Darker washes are definitely getting more attention this fall, from deep indigo to nearly-black rinses. That said, medium and light washes aren’t going anywhere, and personally, I find myself reaching for them most often. They’re easier to style for everyday wear and pair beautifully with the softer, more relaxed fits we’re seeing.
Shop all the shades of blue:
Fresh Color Stories
Colored denim is making a quiet comeback this fall, especially in earthy browns, with rust, red, and a few other tones sprinkled in. Shades of black are also having a moment—washed black and charcoal offer a softer alternative to true black. These subtle color shifts are an easy way to update your denim lineup without stepping too far outside your comfort zone.
Shop colored denim for fall:
Luxe Finishes
Coated denim is still going strong, with rich chocolate brown leading the way. Finished hems are also showing up more often than raw edges, giving jeans a cleaner, more polished look, although I’m still seeing raw hems—mostly on wide leg and flare styles, for a more casual vibe.
Shop coated denim for fall:
Statement Details
Statement-making details are adding interest to denim this fall. The retro-inspired front pocket trend isn’t slowing down, and reworked denim is getting even bigger. Think patchwork, pieced seams, contrast washes, and unexpected placements. These little touches are an easy way to make your jeans feel current without changing your go-to silhouette.
Shop reworked denim for fall:
And there you have it, seven denim trends to watch for Fall 2025! I’d love to know which trends you’re excited to try, and which ones you’ll be passing on this season.
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27 Responses
I’m sticking with my trouser jeans. And I love a mid to dark wash. 🙂 HARD pass on the statement details. I like the look of the dark chocolate coated denim but I’ve never tried coated denim. Not sure I’d like the feel of it.
Looking back at the photos, only a few have raw or fringed hems. Would you say that trend is going away? For someone with shorter legs (5’5” but often between regular and petite), being able to cut the legs was convenient. Also, do you think there will ever be a time when one dominant style reigns supreme (like skinny) again? It seems the companies have figured out more choices are better for sales. I personally love being able to choose what’s best for my style and body without feeling not on trend.
I’m all for relaxed jeans and am glad full length is back for the times when I want to wear a heel. For me no coated jeans or patchwork jeans. It seems there’s a variety for everyone.
I’m loving the wider legs which look relaxed but not sloppy, probably due to being well-fitted around the hips and waist. And the chocolate denim has my heart. Less a fan of the crop flare on my body.
Love this, literally something for every style personality! I personally have always gravitated toward jeans with statement details, it just fits my personal style, this summer I bought a pair of beautiful floral jeans and have worn them on repeat, I get complimented every single time I wear them, which I find interesting – maybe because they are very different.
I bought my first in a very long time pair of colored denim from the Nsale this summer. They’re an olive-ish green and a great cut! I’m excited to style them. I also got the Kut coated brown pants (haven’t been home to try them on yet though) and while I’m excited for something a bit fun, I’m thinking I’ll mostly just look at them in my closet rather than reach for them.
I’m very excited that full length is here! Inseam is the first thing I check when I look at a pair of pants, since so many of the models have such long legs and it’s sometimes deceptive from the photos.
Gah! I love denim and get very excited for alllll the fresh things!
I am loving the mid rise jeans, more so the straight and relaxed fit. The higher rise jeans tend to pair best w/ shorter tees or blouses which is fine, but as a 52 y/o, I am not comfortable with that look and do not want to look like I am trying to be 20 again. Also, I love that not one pr of denim in your pics were super distressed or had holes! Amen!! I will let my teenage daughter continue with that trend.
Very happy to see full-length and mid-rise coming back! If I want to wear a heel, I need at least a 34″ inseam, so all these 30″ and shorter jeans that have been so prevalent have made my jean shopping in recent months very challenging. Even with long legs, the wide leg styles are a hard pass for me, and only if I want to look bow-legged will I try the barrel-leg jeans — no thank you! Baby boot-cut and skinnies still are my go-to styles, but I did throw in some kick flares for this summer. I’ve already purchased a pair of brown jeans from Gap and so-inky-blue-they-look-black slim flares from WHBH, so I’m already on board for the colored denim. And I’ll be on the lookout for baby-boot coated denim – I think they’d be a less hot alternative to leather – real or faux!
As a short person at exactly 5 foot tall, the barrel and wide legged jeans look just ridiculous on me. I look short, dumpy and squatty – the visual weight of those barrel and wide legged jeans is just too much for my height. IMHO, I think those types of jeans make anyone look heavier than they really are, and can weigh down most figures – unless you are a tall, thin and statuesque model…LOL! Happy to see all types of denim cuts this fall. I am loving the colored denim trend and yes to mid-rise denim! No more waistbands that ride just under my “girls” (another short person issue).
I have not found anyone that has been so helpful, informative and knowledgeable in the “ denim arena”. I am late 40’s and feel utterly lost. But I just read your beautifully crafted page, and actually found 3 pair of Gap jeans that I ordered. All based on the amazing information and resources for all of the trends. I feel empowered to shop for jeans, all Thanks you to you!
I’m happy to have more mid-rise. jeans to choose from! They’re the only jeans I feel comfortable wearing.
I like the look of “statement jeans” but I avoid jeans that call for a tucked-in top. This is a great post, very informative.
This post makes me so happy!!!! want my jeans to hit my shoes. The cropped styles are awful on me… plus I hope those barrel jeans go “over the waterfall” ugh
I’m glad mid rise is back. I’m short waisted and high rise jeans are sometimes just too high! I’m flying to take my youngest daughter back to college tomorrow. I can’t believe the time is here already. Good luck with Becca!
I was just in Iceland in March for part of our honeymoon. My advice if you’re going soon is don’t overdo it on the warm stuff. It’s not as cold as you think. Even if you’re say, doing a glacier hike, it’s not necessarily going to be freezing. What I mainly wished I had was better gear for wet weather.
I’m loving the full length and wider leg styles of jeans! I’m hoping there will be more offerings for tall girls with a 32” inseam. I’ve also noticed the rises getting lower which can be tricky for a long waisted person like myself. I love a 10 1/2 inch rise; a 9 inch can read like the low rise of the early 2000s on me and these days I have belly fluff that I do not want to show. I really like the Kut drawstring waist jeans I bought from Evereve after seeing them on you. Took a few tries to get the right size (they run big), but I have been wearing them on repeat and get a lot of compliments. Thank you!
Thanks for this post! I’m wondering if I made a mistake by purchasing two pair of slim legged jeans during the NAS. I think I will give the barrel legged jeans another try, once I find a pair that isn’t so exaggerated. The one tend that just doesn’t fit my style is coated pants, so I will sit that one out. I hope that you and Becca have a very safe and good drive to Nashville. I suspect that she is looking forward to getting back on campus and starting the internship. Your trip to Iceland, Scotland, and London will be here before you know it. Good luck with the packing!
I love reading your posts. Thank you for updates.
Glad the wide leg and relaxed styles are sticking around- they’re my favorite. And I still like a raw hem. I pretty much like all jean styles….
I now have chocolate brown jeans, grey jeans, black jeans, ecru jeans, and some olive green ones boot cut on the way. I also have every shade of blue you can imagine. I think I’m set although I’m mostly sticking with slim, straight legs. I’ve tried the wide leg and barrel cut and just didn’t care for them.
I’m excited to see colored denim coming back! I loved that trend when it was in style before and have missed it. It’s such an easy way to add variety versus just wearing blue, white, and black.
I’m not a fan of dark denim–it almost seems like they even fit different then lighter ones–even in the exact same style. I have a few, but I just never seem to grab them. I like high and mid-waist jeans–and straight denim would be my favorite–I think they look best with booties and I’m only alittle over 5’3″ so the struggle can be real to toggle between petite and regular sizing. I can’t wait to wear jeans again as it slowly cools off. Tonight it cooled off a bit and I had a quick errand–threw on my loose, drawstring pair with birks, and felt right on trend and comfortable.
I’m excited about the return of colored denim to feel like there are more options in the cold months. I love jeans, but I do get tired of them. I just bought some burgundy jeans from gap this week and I’m really excited.
I have one pair of Gap wide leg in size 16 girl children’s size that were cut off to desired length & hemmed by a tailor. I have worn maybe three times. I bought for a doctor appt. about my knee and they were easy to pull up to show doctor my knee cap. Main reason I bought them. Being tiny petite but not skin & bones alot of fabric isn’t my best look. I lean to bootcut and flares that are slim . I have worn trouser jeans before back when they were in and I can do those …..so maybe I can get a great pair of those and like them better. Thanks for all the suggestions!! You are a treasure helping us! Bonnie
Late to the party, but had to chime in. Love all the variety in denim styles, and glad to see that a lot of the styles that were prevalent last fall and winter are having staying power into the coming season. I have collected a few different styles that I love–Joe’s wide leg in a medium wash, Paige Anessa in a lighter wash, Kut from the Kloth long flare, very dark wash skinny flare and burgundy coated full length jeans from WHBM. All of these will carry easily into the fall, so at least my denim wardrobe is set for now. I still love my ankle length straight legs, so don’t think I will let go of them any time soon, even if they are not as “of the moment”. I have a short waist and used to always wear mid-rise, but now with my menopausal midsection, a 10 – 11 inch rise seems to work best for me. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work quite as well if you want to tuck in (or even half-tuck) your top. Anyway, great round-up, Jo-Lynne, as always!
I am short ( just under 5’1”) For me, no barrel leg jeans or wide leg jeans…or high waisted jeans. The first 2 are just ridiculous looking on a short women. High waisted jeans hit higher than my waist, and make my torso look even shorter. I prefer boot cut of any kind ( ankle or longer) or slim straight. I am good with color. I am glad to see blacks and browns returns .My main concern is finding petite cut jeans. I am sick of knees in the wrong place and having to shorten pants. There are brands I can buy from but suggestions for petites would be welcome!
You can try Duluth Trading Company they have a web site. They sell dry-on the fly pants. They are super cute you can roll them up with the snap or wear them down. I wear them when I go Horse back riding since my horse likes to play in the water and I usually get soaked. They dry quickly.
Thanks, I’ll check them out!