There was a time, not so many years ago, when there was only ONE style of jeans - and they were boot cut. Since then we've seen skinny, boyfriend, girlfriend, wide legged, busted, the return of flares and now, cropped flares.

First off we have Alexa Chung at London Fashion Week back in February  of this year. She's styled hers with the fashion staples of leopard print, sunglasses (in Feb?) and black boots. The look works on Alexa. As to whether many of mere mortals could pull it off, I'm not so sure.



Except that really she wasn't the first to wear them at all. No, that privilege (although I stand to be corrected) went to Jenna Lyons, who wore them at NY Fashion Week in September 2014. I love how Jenna has styled her kick flares with a cream leather jacket, aviators, a gold bag and courts. For me this is a really fresh and modern way to wear them.



Who What Wear have featured them on Pinterest, styled with a cable knit and converse which demonstrates their versatility. Here they look really laid back and cool.


Although these jeans are classed as cropped girlfriend jeans (Limited at Marks and Spencer £35) they have the same shape as those worn by Alexa and Jenna (note we're on first name terms!!)


Now when I saw them on me, the words "Worzel Gummidge" sprang to mind (it's the hem detail), which is a shame because I really like them but I know that when words spring to my mind, the same words are also likely to spring to Mr SGs mind - and then that would be the end of them.


I have to say that the cable jumper was a fluke and not a copy of the image above, which I found later. No, my inspiration in wearing this jumper was along the lines of "I'm not sure whether I like this. I think that I'll wear it today and then make a decision on it..."

When I was in town on Thursday, I also spotted the Topshop moto girlfriend jeans (£40). I didn't have time to try them but on the mannequin they looked like a cropped flare.


However I think that it's fair to say that they didn't quite translate into such in real life, although for a straight leg cropped jean they are a really good buy and they have a good rise to them.


Don't be put off by Topshop jeans. I don't find them any smaller than any other brand and they're not all low slung. Also, the denim is really thick and supportive - not like that fabric that looks like denim but which feels like a pair of tights when actually on (which Topshop also does in their Jamie jeans). They are great for a petite and taller range too.


And then I got to thinking. I knew that I had a whole stack of boot cut jeans which still fit me but which I don't wear, from two pairs of Seven jeans to Gap long and lean, Gap curvy, Topshop Bessie, Jigsaw and Diesel - any of which I was prepared to have as my victim! So, using the M&S jeans as a template, I measured all of my old pairs against the M&S ones to find the best shape....






So this was the finished result in the first instance. But then I decided that I wanted to wash them and fray the bottom a little, which I planned on doing by putting them in a mesh bag and putting them on a gentle wash. BUT, bless him, Mr SG got there first and washed them and now they're a little more frayed than I thought. They're still drying so I have yet to try them but in the meantime, I also have these on order...