Poor Jessica Simpson. On that fateful day in January 2009, when she stepped onstage in a too-tight, high-waisted pair of jeans, her world was shook. Suddenly the phrase “mom jean” was everywhere and Simpson’s denim fit was the main talking point—unfairly and brutally so. But since that memorable moment (one that the singer previously told Oprah was one of her lowest), the mom jean has become a popular choice for women of all shapes and sizes. Think of the vintage Levi’s that every fashion girl hopes to find in the consignment bin. Alas, even though the mom jean found glory, it has remained one of the most ridiculed cuts on the market. But that conversation seems to be shifting. Mom jeans no longer incite a double take when we see them on Kim Kardashian West, Kendall Jenner, and other mass fashion catalysts. Now, it’s a pair of pedal pushers or bike shorts that give us pause.
Bella Hadid has worn both this month. In early July, she stepped out in a pair of pedal pushers, a crop that rises slightly higher than a classic capri and rests just under the bottom of the kneecap. Last week she put on a pair of skintight denim shorts cut at the very bottom of the thigh. As her stylist Elizabeth Sulcer explains, “pedal pushers are flattering because they show off your legs in a different, more discreetly sexy way and they look great with heels.” This can certainly be true, especially when you have a body like Hadid’s. But Sulcer is also quick to point out that “pants are a wardrobe piece that is really individual to your body and shape.”
For those of us who don’t look like a supermodel or have perfect, Flat Tummy Tea curves like Kardashian West, the thought of wearing tight bike shorts or pedal pushers is a scary one. When fellow Vogue fashion writer Liana Satenstein was asked how she felt about the two pant lengths, she quickly replied: “I feel bad.” Another, Emily Farra, explained, “I don’t think you could pay me to wear pedal pushers or bike shorts right now. That being said, I did wear bike shorts every single day as a kid in the early ’00s and I had some bright floral printed pedal pushers for ‘dress-up occasions,’ too; suffice it to say both looks should be reserved for the under-12 range.”
Nostalgia is a big draw for fashion nerds at the moment. Pedal pushers remind many of Audrey Hepburn and her iconic take on the style. They also remind others of the Limited Too or J.Lo’s mid-2000s line Sweetface. Britney Spears wore a lavender pair in one of her famous “Got Milk” ads. Before Kardashian West or any of her sisters put a see-through corset on with black lycra or jean bike shorts, a ’90s Cindy Crawford was posing in similar denim cut-offs and a lace tank. Still, knowing the origin of these cyclical trends isn’t enough for many. Skeptics may still throw shade at, say, Kristen Stewart in her pedal pusher jumpsuit at the Chanel Fall 2017 Couture Show, but there’s no denying that both cuts are experiencing a revival (they also made an appearance on the Spring 2017 runway at Dior).
Whether cropped just above the knee or slightly below, the debate surrounding these styles is sure to rage on. The important thing is to be comfortable, should you choose to try on a slightly odd trouser length. Find confidence in the questionable trends—if you’re going wear a polarizing pant, you better push through.