Oh, how I love the 70s. I was born in 1973, and even if I wasn’t a child of the 70s I swear I would find it as inspirational as so many people do. YSL, Gucci, Chloe, the creative directors of these iconic brands seem to refer back to this magical moment in time that provides endless inspiration for us all. Platforms, flared jeans, disco balls, shimmery eye shadows, deep jewel colours, velvet and suede, leather and lace. Perhaps it was the best time in our lives for music too that provides so much inspiration. The Rolling Stones, T-Rex, David Bowie; Elton John, Janis Joplin, Fleetwood Mack. How can so much come out of one decade, and continue to occupy our minds with such an endlessly creative melting pot of thoughts and ideas. A decade that makes us want to create, and recreate, over and over again.
Flares have been a big part of DONNA IDA since we launched in 2006, I am someone who is influenced by trends yes, absolutely, because I love fashion so much and find it refreshing and inspiring, but I am also someone who loves a shape, a silhouette, a mood. For me the mood that I return to again and again is the 70s and the iconic classic shape of a flared jean. Oh a flare, leg lengthening, leg elongating, such a cool look but so elegant and stylish too. A flare can be very casual and take on so many looks; are you a hippy? An uptown girl? A tomboy? Whatever your vibe there is one commonality here, and it is that we all want to look great in jeans.
But back to DONNA IDA, the year is 2006 and we had just launched in Chelsea in London, and we were a multi brand boutique at that point. Delivering the latest jeans to the coolest women on the planet. J Brand had launched the year before and Kate Moss had just been photographed wearing the Lovestory Jean. Suddenly, anyone who loved a flare but hadn’t actually bought a pair for a long long time was running into our boutique to get on board with this clean chic look. I was just as transfixed as anyone else and loved the shape. What I didn’t love was that they weren’t quite as comfortable as I would have liked but that didn’t stop me stuffing myself in (literally, hands down the waistband, stuffing).
Fast forward to 2025 and almost 20 years of denim loving later I look back and see how far we have come with a mix of gratitude and relief that I now know so much about denim production and design that I can and do make the best possible jeans for flared jeans lovers.
Top of my list is the Charlie style, named Charlie as they are inspired by Charlie’s Angels and the three iconic women who did Charlie’s bidding. Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith. There is an image of Farrah Fawcett wearing flared dark jeans, a blazer and holding a leather clutch that inspired the Charlie Jean. It moved me so much that I had to create a style that could deliver this look for me. Clean dark denim, tobacco stitching, a flare that opened from above the knee for the most flattering shape. Key to this was the denim, just the tiniest hint of stretch for comfort, but not so much that the shape is skewed by the stretch. Holding the shape is key. I am a shorter girl so generally I always have to have my flares taken up, and I always ask for an original hem, this means removing the original hem and having it reattached without the extra inch of fabric. I probably need two inches or more removed in all honesty. Another tip when you are having your flares hemmed is to wear the shoes that you intend to wear the jeans with, ensuring the length is perfect for you. My final tip here is to make sure the tailor is measuring the jeans from your heel, as this is where you want your jeans to fall. A break at the front is fine, but too short jeans especially in a flare is a shame.
Here is a list of my top 3 favorite flared jeans to consider, starting with the Charlie and ending with the Kate:
