The main ways people wear bootcut jeans in their 20s vs. 30s

The rumors are true: bootcut jeans are back. All year long, we’ve been reporting about the surprising comeback of the denim shape, including the non-boot shoes fashionistas wear with them, cute tops that pair especially well, and the short-friendly pairs that our 5’1″ editor recommends. I’d go so far as to say that they’re starting to dethrone straight-leg pairs as the default style when you feel like wearing jeans. Sure, that’s a bold statement, but there’s a reason I know it. They’re Here The thing is, bootcut jeans aren’t just a niche trend worn by the more experimental 20-somethings among us — they’re being universally adopted across age and aesthetics.

Everyone from 25-year-olds in the Lower East Side to 40-year-olds in Tribeca are adopting bootcut jeans into their everyday wardrobe, but with one key difference: the rise of your jeans. I’ve noticed that if you’re in your 20s, you’re more likely to wear denim that’s lower on the hips, but if you’re in, say, your 30s or 40s (or 50s or 60s), you’re probably opting for a high-rise fit. It’s the classic generational divide — no matter how a person of any age dresses, you can always tell their year (or at least decade) of birth based on where their jeans fall at their waist. Obviously, it goes without saying that no matter what age you are, you should wear what you love, but it’s just a pattern I can’t help but notice.