Puddle Jeans Are The Unexpected Denim Trend We're Trying

Tap into the puddle jeans trend with these styles from Agolde, Arket, COS and Anine Bing …

In case you missed it: denim is getting longer by the season. Those elongated jeans you’ve been seeing on your feed, or in shops? They’re still hanging around for SS26. Known as puddle jeans, the shape – or, more precisely, length – of the moment owes its name to how the fabric pools, or puddles, around your ankles, creating a slouchy effect. We first noticed these styles a few seasons back and mostly turned a blind eye in the name of practicality. (How does one do anything with their jeans trailing along the ground?) Thankfully the selection that abounds for spring leans less into dramatic amounts of excess fabric and simply embraces an overall slouchy vibe.

Puddle jeans usually take the form of two different shapes: wide leg or barrel. In the case of the wide leg, look to Agolde’s low curve jeans which boast a wide-straight leg and a mid rise waist; they are voluminous but they don’t overwhelm. Meanwhile, Arket’s new blue wash barrel jeans have a tapered end that nips, just-so, to showcase your shoes.

Speaking of footwear, it’s often the hardest thing to get right when branching out into a new shape of jeans. The consensus with puddle jeans is that if you’re going to wear flats, opt for a sturdy loafer. You’ll need something with more impact than, say, a ballet flat which will only be swallowed up by the creases of fabric. In general, point-toe heels work well as the naturally elongated shape is a good counterpoint to puddle styles. Look for conversational prints: a flash of leopard peeking out from a wide-leg jean brings a frisson of excitement to an otherwise casual look. Shop an edit of the best puddle jeans for SS26 below.