The simple answer is no unless he has the body of a 20-year-old track star. To quote a good friend of mine “they’re called skinny jeans, not “make-you-skinny jeans”. In other words, they’re not a magical item of clothing that’s going to bring back your youth and the body you had 20 years ago (that’s if you collected a few medals while on the tracks). So, what is it about men wearing skinny jeans?

Nothing wrong with (young) men wearing skinny jeans

Skinny jeans bring to mind 16- to 18-year-old grungy teenagers hanging out at the mall or those emo guys whose whole personality is wearing black & piercings. However, skinny trousers in general also bring to mind 25- to 30-year-old men socializing at the newest brunch spot or club, or the famous “Four lads in jeans” meme.

Now 40+-year-old men wearing skinny jeans or trousers conjure up an image of someone’s grandpa wearing a hoody, a cap on backward, and a big chain. Or a trendy movie star who is considered cool by all ages and can pull off almost any style. But is it compulsory for men over 40 to embrace their inner dad and start wearing dad jeans or cargo shorts and New Balance sneakers (which by the way have made a comeback with the young crowd)? I guess we’ll never know; only they (40+ years old men can clue us in).

But how did these (beloved) skinny jeans come about?

Skinny or slim-cut jeans have evolved from breeches worn in the seventeenth century to 1950s country music stars and actors in western movies. During the 1960s and 1970s, the jeans then became associated with rock and roll culture, made brief appearances in the 80s and 90s, and then reappeared in the early 2000s before then losing their popularity to those horrendous saggy jeans.

A quick online search revealed dozens of guides for younger men on how to style skinny jeans as well as guides for older men on how to dress for their age. Many (if not all) of them do not recommend that men of a certain age wear skinny jeans. No matter which century or which part of the internet you go to, skinny jeans have been marketed toward the cool kids; the operative word here being ‘kids.’

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Food for thought…

What if you’re over 40 and you’re one of the “cool kids”? You’re out every weekend mingling with the young crowd, (i.e., eyeing the young ladies and trying to think of ways of incorporating the latest slang into the conversation) would you still be judged if you were wearing the trendiest and tightest skinny jeans paired with the latest Jordans?

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Realistically though, from what I’ve seen, the average man isn’t spending ridiculous amounts of money on designer shirts and jeans to fit in with the cool crowd. I suppose it’s not a question of should a man over 40 wear skinny jeans, it’s more of a question of how he can make it look smart and stylish. Turning 40 shouldn’t be the end of a man’s fashionable years. The right jacket, shirt, and shoes paired with skinny jeans can make any over 40 gentleman look like a million bucks (see Idris Elba and David Beckham).

I’m of the opinion that you should wear what’s comfortable and what makes you feel confident no matter what the latest trend is. Find your personal style and what works best for your body type and most importantly your budget. And nothing enhances an outfit more than confidence.

What’s your take about men wearing skinny jeans, especially if they’re 40+ years? Share in the comments below.