10 Ways to Make Skinny Jeans Feel New

By Connie Wang, Refinery29

When it comes to big fashion moments, there's Before Skinny Jeans and After Skinny Jeans. The super-tight pants had their moment in the '80s, but they never felt quite as revolutionary, as fresh, or as obvious as they did in the early '00s after a decade and a half of stovepipe styles, hip-hugger flares, and tapered legs. Skinnies saved our closets a decade ago - but you're not the only one who's starting to feel a little stale in them today.

Enter: the new skinny-jean styles. From interesting details that'll dress up the trusted trouser to clever new outfit pairings, we've found 10 looks featuring these pants in an entirely different light. So, for some much-needed inspiration, click through to see our picks - because those skinnies definitely aren't on their last legs.

1. Fold 'Em Up - Buying your pants a few inches too long doesn't have to mean a trip to the tailor. Roll them up, and wear your pair with a few chic layers and some killer heels. It's an irreverent styling trick that makes an outfit feel undone in a good way.

2. Patches Make Perfect
- Cover an old pair of jeans with a smattering of fun iron-ons, or buy a pair of pre-patched jeans like these from 3.1 Phillip Lim. Wear them with basics and sparse accessories.

RELATED: 70 Street Style Pics That Blew Us Away

3. Cut Copies
- Clean, straight slits at the knees are a riff on all the distressed denim we've been seeing, but this trend is totally compelling in a perfectionist's sort of way. Wear it with low-pro brogues and wild prints.

4. Pull 'Em High
- For your patterned skinny denim that feels a bit much these days, wear them with this season's thigh-high boots for a flash of intrigue.

5. What's On The Inside - With ankle zips on the inside, you can turn your skinnies into tiny flares. Find them in lengths that are slightly longer, so it reaches your mid-foot when unzipped.

6. Go Big, Or Go Home
- For those super-skinny styles, go extra exaggerated on top with oversized sweaters, oxfords, and collars. The big-on-top, little-on-bottom balance looks almost avant garde, if done right.

RELATED: 12 Thick-Enough Scarves For The Seasonal Transition

7. Extreme Crops - Love how cropped jeans look? Go even higher with a super-short length that's a shade longer than a capri. Find them in stretchy materials, and wear them with your flat ankle boots.

8. The Baby Flare
- We love the look of a skinny jean that's got just the teensiest kick of a flare on the bottom. The key to pulling these off is to find a pant that's cropped right above your ankle bone.

9. The New Beatnik
- Don't know what to do with those waxed jeans or denim patterned in fall florals and baroque designs? Wear them with a simple, black, mock-neck shirt and polished booties for a super-simple beatnik look that feels incredibly modern.

10. Tuck In That Tee
- Oversized T-shirts get the luxe treatment with a simple tuck-in and belt. But, make sure to choose a shirt that's got some thickness to it.


More from Refinery29:
The 12 Most Flattering Dresses, Ever
22 Under-$50 Jewels To Amp Up Your Wardrobe
How To Dress For YOUR Body Type! 15 Must-Know Tricks
24 Amazingly Affordable Shoes - All Under $100