We’ve already dissected the hell out of Kendrick Lamar’s incredible Super Bowl halftime show, from his amazing backup dancers to his decision to end his powerful set with a mic drop-worthy performance of “Not Like Us.” But while Kendrick’s special guests included greats like Serena Williams, SZA and Samuel L. Jackson, one of the real stars of the show that people can’t seem to stop talking about are his flared or bootleg cut jeans. When we say people can’t stop talking about the jeans, we mean women who have been sporting these jeans in recent years with sambas and pointed boots, but as for men—crickets.
Kendrick’s long time stylist Taylor McNeill dressed him in a pair of flared jeans from Celine for the big show. The Marco Jeans go for $1200 on the brand’s website. Some, who loved Lamar’s look, think he’s bringing back a trend.
“Every man should immediately be ordering flared jeans,” wrote one person on X.
Some even thought Kendrick’s fashion choice made his Drake diss cut even deeper.
“Destroying a man while wearing flared jeans is all around diabolical,” wrote one X user.
Kendrick isn’t the only star who has been spotted in the style. Boot cut jeans have been music mogul and trendsetter Pharrell Williams’s go-to lately, and he has popped out at movie premieres and Paris Fashion Week runway shows in various pairs of flares.
So has Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DaVonta Smith.
And we can’t leave out the OG, rocker Lenny Kravitz, who has been serving us in flared leg pants since practically the beginning of time. And looking damn good while doing it.
But ladies, if you’re worried that the man in your life might be coming for your closet, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Most mainstream retailers aren’t ready to get guys on board with boot cut jeans just yet. Baggy, cargo and straight-leg style jeans still make up most of H&M, GAP and Levi’s inventory.
We should also point out that not everyone was feeling Kendrick’s look, and the internet wouldn’t be the internet if people didn’t have a few things to say about it.
Check out this TikToker who did a parody performance mocking Kendrick’s Super Bowl jeans:
Another user on X warned other guys not to try to imitate Lamar’s look if they don’t have “the charisma or the temerity to pull off flared jeans.”
While we spent hours searching for guys who wanted to take a stand on the boot cut debate, we had a hard time finding any men who cared enough to comment – which means they’re probably happy in their 501s right now.
We guess the moral of the story here is, if you ain’t Kendrick Lamar or Lenny Kravitz, guys, wear flared jeans with caution.