Amal Clooney’s trip to the 2026 Winter Olympics appeared to fly by as quickly as Team USA figure skater Alysa Liu’s short program. By February 8, the human rights lawyer had returned to Milan Airport. She wasn’t dressed in Olympic gear either. Instead, a 2026 spin on the straight-leg jeans trend won the airport styling gold medal.
Less than 48 hours after arriving in Italy, paparazzi caught Clooney in another travel-proof outfit. She ditched Friday’s identical Versace outfit—down to the leopard-print boots—for comfortable basics, starting with a navy blue rollneck sweater and black peacoat.
The surprises continued with her first pair of pants in eleven months: an emerging style of straight-leg jeans. She put on a pair of not-quite-flared, not-quite-skinny trousers with a clean-off-the-runway wash. Each leg gripped her thighs before gently fanning out like the straight-leg fashions of the past. They extended so far that Marie Claire couldn’t recognise her black boots. Clooney’s purse, on the other hand, was undoubtedly Chloé.
Clooney’s golden coat buttons matched the hardware on Chloé’s four-figure Camera Tote. Zip pockets were half the size of a buckled, top-flap pouch in the center of the east-west purse. The Sunday flight made its public debut on Clooney’s shoulder, but she’s been browsing Chloé’s boho-chic catalogue for years. In fact, she hasn’t worn jeans since March, when she wore the brand’s ultra-wide-leg pair.
Clooney’s recent self-style move could have been inspired by more obsessive denim wearers, such as Jennifer Lawrence. Late last month, the New Yorker abandoned traditional Haute Couture Week dress guidelines in favour of one of her go-to clothing combinations: a white tank top and trousers. Lawrence’s Dior menswear ensemble, complete with a high-rise waist, lengthened hems, and baby blue wash, was nearly identical to Clooney’s.
That same week, Rihanna put the silhouette to the test in New York City, wearing a full-length Canadian tux. The star’s straight-leg jeans hung close to her thighs beneath the hem of her Saint Laurent bomber jacket. The mid-wash legs were expanded slightly to highlight RiRi’s tiger-print Alaïa shoes.
Celebrities are popularising the comfortable straight-leg design even before the Spring 2026 outfits hit stores. Since runway presentations from Valentino, Loewe, Nina Ricci, and Bottega Veneta set the tone last September, it’s no wonder that the shape is popular right now. Just wait until Spring 2026, when straight-leg designs become readily available: they’ll take over denim drawers everywhere.
