We'll wonder why we didn't just want to wear clothes that breathe
Pants define generations. And our children will look at photos of us from today and wonder why we thought skinny jeans were a good idea. I look at photos of my parents from the 70s and I never notice their shirts — I always think, “Why are the bottoms of their pants big enough to swallow entire small countries?” Just look at MC Hammer. What was the thing he was known for but is now often derided for? His pants. Justin Bieber favors a drop-crotch style, which I am convinced will only further date his photos 30 years from now.
Hedi Slimane is credited with ushering in the tight pants look — very skinny bottoms, a boot, an oversized top — and spawning the admittedly rather odious hipster trend after he sent tight pants down the runway at Dior Homme. This look is arguably one of the most significant and lasting fashion trends of the decade, but we’re already seeing a shift in pants styles, especially for women. When skinny jeans finally phase out over the next decade or so, we’ll look back at them and wonder why we didn’t just want to wear clothes that breathe in the first place.
Odell is editor of Cosmopolitan.com and author of Tales From the Back Row