11:12 pm - February 22, 2025
The Super Bowl Halftime Show: A Fashion Moment for the Ages
The 2024 Super Bowl halftime show was a spectacle of sound and performance, headlined by the incomparable Kendrick Lamar. While the event itself was a celebration of music and entertainment, it also became an unexpected fashion moment, thanks to Lamar’s unconventional yet intriguing choice of attire. Unlike previous performers who have embraced elaborate costume changes and over-the-top ensembles, Lamar kept his look simple: a backwards cap and a motorbike-style varsity jacket. However, it wasn’t his jacket or hat that captured the internet’s attention—it was his jeans. Specifically, his flared, washed denim pants became the talk of social media, sparking debates about fashion, trends, and cultural relevance. This moment not only highlighted Lamar’s bold style but also underscored the power of fashion to ignite conversation and drive trends.
The Jeans That Launched a Thousand Takes
Lamar’s flared jeans were far from the exaggerated bell-bottoms of decades past, but they still made a statement. With their subtle flare at the knee and slightly dragging hems, they offered a modern take on a classic style. The contrast between Lamar’s pants and those of record producer Mustard, who appeared briefly in oversized, West Coast-style jeans, only added to the intrigue. While some praised Lamar’s choice as a fresh twist on traditional denim, others were less than impressed. Social media was flooded with opinions, ranging from jokes about Lamar’s pants resembling “Hannah Montana pants” or “women’s jeans,” to comparisons with celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and country singer Lainey Wilson. Others humorously suggested that Lamar’s jeans were a nod to millennials, for whom flares were a staple of teenage wardrobes. Despite the mixed reactions, one thing was clear: Kendrick Lamar had single-handedly turned a pair of jeans into a cultural phenomenon.
Fashion’s Flared Resurgence
For those who dismissed Lamar’s flares as outdated or gender-inappropriate, it’s worth noting that his jeans were part of a larger trend. designed by none other than Hedi Slimane, the former creative director of Celine, Lamar’s pants were a testament to the fashion world’s recent fascination with flared silhouettes. After years of dominance by baggy styles and Gen-Z’s preference for loose fits, boot-cut jeans—so named because they were originally designed to fit over boots—seem to be making a comeback. This resurgence was evident during the most recent Paris Fashion Week, where Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection, dubbed “dandy streetwear,” featured models strutting down the runway in a variety of flared pants. The brand even included a monogrammed denim pair in its Spring-Summer 2025 collection, further cementing the trend’s legitimacy.
Pharrell Williams, Louis Vuitton’s menswear creative director and a style icon in his own right, also embraced the trend. He wore leather flares during the show and later donned a denim pair at Sacai’s show in Paris. Other labels, from Rick Owens to Marni, have also put men in boot-cut pants on recent runways, while celebrities like Brad Pitt and Colman Domingo have worn tailored flares to major awards ceremonies. While red carpets and fashion week runways don’t dictate what happens in the world of hip-hop, Lamar’s endorsement of the trend could prove to be a turning point. As one X user aptly observed, “Kendrick single-handedly just brought back boot-cut jeans.”
The Blurring of Lines Between Streetwear and High Fashion
Kendrick Lamar’s influence extends far beyond the realm of music; he is a cultural tastemaker whose style choices carry significant weight. The divide between streetwear and high fashion has been blurring for years, and Lamar’s Super Bowl look was a perfect example of this fusion. His flared jeans, designed by a high-fashion icon like Hedi Slimane, yet deeply rooted in hip-hop’s sartorial traditions, exemplify this merging of worlds. By wearing them on one of the world’s most watched stages, Lamar not only embraced the trend but also brought it to a broader audience. In doing so, he demonstrated how fashion can transcend boundaries and connect with people on a universal level.
A Cultural Moment Beyond Fashion
The buzz surrounding Kendrick Lamar’s flared jeans is more than just a fleeting fashion moment—it’s a reminder of the power of clothing to shape culture. Tastemakers like Lamar don’t just follow trends; they create them. By choosing to wear flared jeans during the Super Bowl halftime show, he didn’t just reflect current fashion movements—he helped push them forward. Whether or not boot-cut jeans become the next big thing remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Kendrick Lamar has once again proven himself to be a trailblazer, both in music and in fashion. His bold choice of jeans will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most talked-about moments of the year, and perhaps even a catalyst for a wider shift in men’s fashion. In the end, Lamar’s look was a testament to the enduring influence of fashion—and the unpredictable ways in which culture evolves.