Katie Holmes Swaps Her Favorite Denim for the Relaxed Flare Jeans Trend People Love to Hate

For a garment that has literally been around for generations, people certainly have a lot of feelings about the best jeans. Everyone has the one pair they swear by and anything beyond that is an absolute no-go. That's why this summer's barrel-leg trend was such a pot-stirrer—its cartoonish silhouette had denim lovers in a frenzy, from both excitement and disgust.

But the bow-legged style isn't the most controversial fall 2024 denim trend—not by a long shot. Its divisive nature is far out shadowed by the pants many of us came of age in, which are now seeing a resurgence. Yep, I'm talking about flare jeans. Along with virtually every other early 2000s trend, flares are in the midst of a comeback. And as a world renowned denim connoisseur (read: she has a lot of jeans), Katie Holmes has, of course, taken both looks for a spin.

During the warmer months, the actor was favoring barrel-leg styles, but now that the temps have dropped, she's going full 2002 in non-stop flares. Earlier this month, she stepped out wearing a medium-wash pair that featured the classic bell bottoms, but with a modern loose fit.

Her Banana Republic jeans were a fantastic example of today's reincarnations, which boast a roomier fit and a more subtle flare. They're a stark contrast from the painted-on jeans you loved in high school.

Proving her allegiance to the style, Holmes wore another pair over the weekend. On Oct. 13, she went for a quick coffee run in NYC wearing dark-wash jeans, styled with a crewneck sweatshirt. Playing off her pants' preppy associations, Holmes styled the look with a houndstooth coat and her favorite leather loafers.

Holmes is usually ground zero for nascent trend comebacks to really take off. Earlier this fall, she also ushered in the return of the quilted utility jacket and the revival of the Mary Jane flat—two styles that are also proliferating in major store collections and across street style. So consider this week's denim sighting the official Katie Holmes signal: flare jeans are back.