The Ankle Jean is Back, Baby! How to Style Them for 2025

I don't live in a very large home. It's under 1,400 square feet, but when we moved in, it was under 800, and we still sort of live that reduced space lifestyle. I don't have one of those influencer “cloffices.” I don't keep a lot of clothing I don't regularly wear, even if it still fits, because there's no room. But I do keep jeans, as they almost always come back in fashion. And this year, I'm glad I held onto my ankle jeans because the ankle jean is back!

The Ankle Jean is Back for 2025

The ankle jean was a wardrobe mainstay for the first two decades of the 21st century. Dark wash to faded, crisp to distressed, they went from day to night and worked with all the contemporary shoe styles. Crisp indigo ankle jeans dressed up for work with twinsets and ballet flats or blazers and pointed-toe pumps. Well-weathered ankle jeans looked cool with half-tucked button-front shirts and tan suede ankle booties or ironic graphic t-shirts and Chucks or Stan Smiths.

However, as the 2010s came to a close, jeans became more relaxed and longer. Shoe and fashion trends changed, and those ankle jeans didn't seem to look right with anything. I ended up taking my ankle jeans and folding them into a space bag to revisit in the future. I had no idea the future would arrive so quickly. Here it is, the middle of 2025, and the ankle jean is back, baby!

The return of the ankle jean makes sense with the slow shift in women's fashion. In 2024, we saw the popularity of the barrel jean, which is an ankle-length jean with volume in the thighs and knees. An alternative to the wide-leg jeans that have reigned supreme since 2020, the still-popular barrel jean is a modern take on the boyfriend jeans of the 2010s.

The kick-flare jean, which is like a cropped flare or bootcut that hits above the ankle bone, has been in style for almost a decade and isn't going out of fashion anytime soon. In fact, when researching the ankle jean trend, I found many articles claiming the “new” denim trend for 2025 was a cropped flare. I dunno, I can recall wearing kick flares PrePan…

The straight ankle jean is a natural progression from the kick flare and barrel jean and even the PrePan wide-leg cropped jean. Offering the same length and therefore working with a lot of the same shoes, the ankle jean offers a low-volume alternative to go with the high-volume tops that have increased in popularity in 2025. Peasant tops, boyfriend shirts, slouchy sweaters, and oversized tees look fresh with a pair of slim straight jeans that hit the ankle bone.

Ankle jeans also make sense with the current footwear trends. Loafers, kitten heels, slides, and low-profile sneakers look right at home with a slim straight pair of denim short enough to showcase the shoe.

Some ankle jeans in 2025 have a deep cuff, some have a frayed hem, some are loose, some are practically skinny. If you are unsure what silhouette of ankle jean to wear this year, a straight cut, relaxed to slim, without a cuff or side slit, is your best bet. Whatever rise is comfortable on you is stylish in 2025.

How to Style the Ankle Jean for 2025

Shop the collage: beaded necklace | pendant necklace | blouse (XXS-XXL) | ankle jeans (00-30 & petite/tall) | suede bag | ring | earrings | sunglasses | shoes

When it comes to ankle jeans, almost every current shoe style works with them. The shorter length allows for delicate and low-profile styles, chunky lug soles, and heels in a range of heights and styles. The one shoe you should NOT be wearing with ankle jeans in 2025 is a tan suede ankle bootie. Those are leaning way to into last decade to feel fresh now.

Shop the collage: necklace | earrings | t-shirt (XS-XXL) | blazer (00-16) | ankle jeans (24-35 & petite) | bag | glasses | lip tint | watch | shoes

To keep your ankle jeans looking purposefully 2025 and not like you're stuck in 2011, steer clear of the shiny rayon boyfriend blazers, chambray shirts, and twinsets. Think volume to counteract the straight slim silhouette of the ankle jeans, and think classic to complement the classic jean style.

How to Style Ankle Jeans with Socks

Shop the collage: sunglasses | lipcolor (ALISON20 for 20% off) | t-shirt (XS-3X & petite/tall) | jacket (XS-XL) | jeans (24-34 & lengths) | bag | bracelet | earrings | ring | socks | loafers (3 widths)

The biggest question I receive about ankle jeans is how to keep ankles warm come fall. Well, not only are ankle jeans back but so are socks. You will find an incredible selection of fashion socks this year and next. Mesh, lace, metallic, cozy cashmere, fun prints, embroidery, and much more. For loafers and work shoes, choose a trouser sock that skims the ankle and ends above the hem of the jeans. For colder weather, a slouchy ragg or wool sock can be scrunched between your jean hem and your boot or sneakers.

Shop the collage: glasses | earrings | watch band | shirt (XS-3X & petite/tall) | jeans (23-34) | sweater vest (XS-XL) | bag | bag charm | lipcolor | sneakers

I hope the sample outfits throughout this article provide sartorial inspiration. Expect to see more ways to style ankle jeans as we head into fall; I am expecting to see taller-shaft ankle boots slipping under the ankle-length hems to keep them looking chic into the colder months.