When it comes to fashion, I’m a big supporter of “you do you.” I don’t care if it’s supremely old fashioned, so last season, completely unflattering or breaks every color or styling rule under the sun—if it makes you happy, wear it. But not in this case. On this most rare occasion, I feel strongly enough about the unbuttoned jeans trend that I am willing to put my foot down and declare that there is only one acceptable way to wear it. And, unfortunately, it’s not to accommodate bloating after an incredible meal (I wish).
There’s Only One Acceptable Way to Wear the Unbuttoned Jeans Trend
Celebrity endorsement be damned
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Published Jun 29, 2025
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Giovanni Giannoni/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images
What Is the Unbuttoned Jeans Trend?
It’s exactly what it sounds like—folks are stepping out with the fly of their pants unbuttoned and the waistband folded over. Sometimes it’s just the top two buttons, other times it’s the entire fly, but either way, the styling is meant to convey that their pants are intentionally undone, not just that they forgot to zip back up after going to the bathroom. Tons of celebrities have been spotted rocking the controversial microtrend, including Kim Kardashian, Doja Cat, Millie Bobby Brown and Bella Hadid. In fact, it’s gotten so popular in recent months that The New York Times wrote about it, interviewing youths on the streets of NYC to get their hot takes on why this style trick is having such a moment.
What a Fashion Editor Thinks of the Unbuttoned Jeans Trend
As with all fashion trends, big or small, my first move is always to try to get some context. Where is this movement coming from, what’s the bigger picture here? And there are plenty of ideas I can peg to the unbuttoned jeans trend, though some are more concerning than others. Perhaps it’s a way for folks to hack some low-rise jeans without spending money on a new pair of pants. Or maybe it’s an homage to ‘90s hip hop outfits, like those that combined low-rise styles with peek-a-boo boxers. For those of us who tend to bloat after every meal, it may just be a very welcome excuse to loosen our pants for comfort’s sake. Or perhaps, most concerningly, it’s yet another symptom of Ozempic and the re-emergence of “thin is in.”
After all, I can’t help but notice that the vast majority of people embracing the trend share a similar body type, one perpetuated by the celebrities who’ve also flaunted unbuttoned pants. Flat stomachs and tiny waists abound, begging the internet’s new favorite question: Is it a ‘fit or is she just skinny? The least generous read of this styling trick implies, “I unbuttoned my pants because I can, not because I need to.” And that’s just not the kind of underlying message I’m willing to support.
Now, as with almost everything in fashion, there is at least one exception to my rule that pants are meant to be buttoned in public. That singular exception is when sun tanning.
Listen, there are no expectations at the beach for someone to look “put together” or even presentable. We’re all there in our skivvies anyway, so what does it matter if I layer basketball shorts or an oversize cotton tee or a crochet minidress over top? What does it matter if my pants are unbuttoned? In fact, in many of the social posts of gals rocking this trend, it’s clear they were just trying to get a little more sun exposure while laying out the in park or on vacation. And any styling hack that aims to make us feel more comfortable in a bathing suit is a-okay by me.
At the end of the day, I am just one person. And while I do have more than a decade of experience working in the fashion industry, you can and should feel empowered to have your own opinions about the things you put on your body. But if you do want my two cents, maybe just buy some low-rise jeans instead?
