Soooo..... flares. Anyone actually wearing them?

[CointreauVersial]

They're all over the fashion mags, and the bloggers are working themselves into a right old lather about the rebirth of the flared trouser.... but after extensive research I've yet to see the "woman on the street" actually wearing them. I didn't see one pair while I was out shopping today.

Has anyone grasped the nettle and embraced all things 70s?

Oooo I am going to find my bootcuts now. I am an tall hourglass and curvy with thighs and a bum and skinnies are ok but not as good as bootcuts on me.

Excellent! Skinnies have been around forever and are just boring now.
Bring on the flares!
Also much more flattering on those of us with er, 'shapely' calves

I've got a fab pair of jbrand flares from a couple of years ago. I love them (just need to get the baby weight off so I can fit in them )

I've ordered some wide leg jeans, rather than real flares.
Anyone know where I could get some black, crepe/ silk jersey type wide legs? For evening?
Death to skinnies!! Hurrah!! I can't be the only person with legs like tree trunks that's thrilled!

Columbine Smille did the short and flappy look some time ago to test the waters and she is usually a year or two ahead the rest of us. This is her recent weekend look and for the rest of time it's all about 1970s suede, orange accessories, and classic all black.

Columbine's blog here.

I believe that skinnies will be around, they will be a basic like opaque tights, leggings, sweatpants (or longjohns ), but if you want to keep up with fashion, there are other options to explore.

Mary, lots of loose flowy pajama leg shapes coming up, the most trendy way to wear them seems to be ultra long and a bit baggy.

What shoes do I need to get to wear with them?

At risk of sounding stupid, can someone explain to me the difference between "bootcut" and "flared?" I have several pairs of bootcut jeans that I never really stopped wearing when skinniest came in and having just looked up flares online I can't see the difference

Sorry if this is a really stupid question

Erml - I would say that flares tend to be tighter in the leg and bigger at the ankle than bootcuts - a slightly more extreme cut, if you like.

But it's a pretty blurred line difference-wise. You can get all degrees of flare, but it depends how they are marketed.

My flares are much wider and more flared than my bootcuts. Flares have a 1970s feel, bootcuts feel like early 2000s and flare out only very slightly.

Flares should be hemmed to match your footwear. I like them floor-sweeping and wear them with platform wooden sandals (=Hasbeens), high tops that have a built-in platform effect, wedges or heeled boots. I wear them when it's dry, too messy in the rain. I like to pair them with a peasant blouse or a slightly cropped top or jacket to get the proportions right.

I snapped a pic of my 7FAM bootcuts (paler blue) and flares (darker blue), the difference is about 2" or 5cm. HTH.

Thank you. I get it now!

Today I bought these black flared jeans from Next,

www2.next.co.uk/g6z704s1#964624g6z

They are very flattering especially for the heavier of thigh, I tried on the denim ones and they seemed a bit clingy, and they had the faded bits at the front which did make me look a bit muttony as I wore them the first time round in the 70's. I got 14L which has an inside leg of 33.5"

I tried on the ones in M&S and they didn't suit me either, I think it was the faded denim bits which didn't look right, though on a younger person they may have looked OK

I just bought some from Next, I love them!

I will wear them (whilst still in winter) with my boots but need to get some wedges for summertime.

I'm 5ft and size 6-8. I've been trawling the high street petite collections for a pair but nada
I really want a pair for summer to wear with some tan wedge sandals I have.
In the meantime, I've been wearing some skinny bootcut jeans from Next petite with heeled ankle boots. The husband commented he liked them. I do think when worn with heels and a fiited top they can elongate the silhouette.

While they arent proper flares, Marks and Spencer slim bootcut are very flattering if you a bigger in the thighs. They are slightly higher in the waist. I also have Next slim bootleg in a longer length to wear with wedges.

All the bootcuts I ever had were tight on the leg.

I would call bootcuts a narrow flare (to go over boots) rather than a wider flare.

The only reason they're being called 'flares' now is simply because 'bootcuts' are considered passé.

Some of the current flares around are bootcuts, and some are more bell-bottoms like my Citizens.

Cocolepew I agree about the M&S slim boot cut. Very flattering. I have 3 pairs.