Katie Holmes Swaps Her Favorite Denim for the Relaxed Flare Jeans Trend People Love to Hate
It's like middle school all over again.

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.
Kate Holmes wears loose-fit flare jeans, while out in NYC.
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.
Holmes sported a darker pair only a few weeks later.
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.
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Kelsey (she/her) is a freelance fashion editor and writer, specializing in e-commerce and fashion news. With more than ten years of experience in digital media, Kelsey has a knack for turning top-performing content into top-selling content. At Marie Claire, she provides witty celeb style commentary, unpacking the style choices of stars like Zoë Kravitz, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, and her fashion superhero, Rihanna. When she’s not tracking the personal style of Hollywood’s elite, Kelsey also covers designer collabs and industry news.
Before taking her talents to Marie Claire, Kelsey was the Senior Fashion Editor at Bustle, where she oversaw the site’s fashion coverage and launched a successful luxury handbag series called Secure The Bag. Prior to Bustle, she came from a six-year stint at Seventeen, during which she managed the team’s fashion and beauty verticals and led e-commerce strategy. In her freelance era, Kelsey contributes to publications like InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and more. She also offers consulting services and content creation, in addition to writing and editing. Follow @klstieg on Instagram for 'fit pics and travel recommendations.
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