The Biggest Denim Trend a Year Ago Has Vanished—Here's What Replaced It

If you suddenly acquired a time machine and went back to this exact time last year, you'd likely read about us waxing poetic about a certain key 2017 denim trend. (Because if you successfully time-traveled, the first thing you'd do is read Who What Wear, right?) The jean style we were calling the most popular denim trend at that point was cropped flares, and they've all but completely vanished from view 365 days later—have you noticed?

After coming to this realization, I did some digging, and it turns out I'm not the only one who's picked up on cropped flares' rapid decline. Who What Wear's resident commerce strategist, Alex Flowers, confirmed that "units sold of cropped flare jeans decreased by 55% compared to last year." As for what's replaced them? It seems we're trading in the retro '70s-inspired silhouette for one that's much more '90s: "baggy" or loose-fit jeans. Flowers noted that in place of cropped flares, wide-leg styles have soared in popularity, increasing by 214% this year.

Next, see the best new jean styles that launched this month.