Amal Clooney's trip to the 2026 Winter Olympics seemed to fly by as fast as Team USA figure skater Alysa Liu's short program. By February 8, the human rights lawyer already returned to the Milan Airport. She wasn't dressed in Olympics merch, either. Instead, a 2026 twist on the straight-leg jeans trend took the airport styling gold medal.
Less than 48 hours after she landed in Italy, paparazzi spotted Clooney in another travel-proof look. She traded Friday's matching Versace set—down to the leopard-print boots—for relaxed basics, beginning with a navy blue rollneck sweater and black peacoat.
The surprises continued with her first jeans in eleven months: an up-and-coming genre of straight-leg jeans. She slipped on a pair of not-quite-flared, not-quite-skinny pants, featuring a fresh-off-the-runway wash. Each leg hugged her thighs before slightly flaring out like the straight-leg styles of yesteryear. They stretched so far, Marie Claire couldn't ID her black boots. Clooney's handbag, on the other hand, was Chloé without a doubt.
Clooney's gold coat buttons matched the hardware atop Chloé's four-figure Camera Tote. Zip-fastening pockets were half the size of a buckled, top-flap pouch at the center of the east-west purse. The Sunday flight marked its public debut on Clooney's shoulder, but she's been shopping Chloé's boho-chic catalog for years. In fact, the last time she wore jeans out and about was with the brand's ultra-wide-leg pair last March.
Clooney's latest self-styling move might have been inspired by more avid denim wearers, like Jennifer Lawrence. Late last month, the New Yorker ditched classic Haute Couture Week dress codes for one of her fail-safe outfit formulas: a white tank top and jeans. Every element of Lawrence's Dior menswear pair—including the high-rise waist, elongated hems, and baby blue wash—was almost identical to Clooney's.
That same week, Rihanna tested the silhouette in New York City with a full-blown Canadian tuxedo. The straight-leg jeans stayed close to the star's thighs beneath the hem of her Saint Laurent bomber jacket. Then, the mid-wash legs widened just a bit to spotlight RiRi's tiger-print Alaïa pumps.
Celebrities are making the relaxed straight-leg style mainstream even before Spring 2026 collections hit stores. Since runway shows from Valentino, Loewe, Nina Ricci, and Bottega Veneta set the tone last September, it's no surprise the shape is having a moment right now. Just wait until Spring 2026 straight-leg styles actually become widely shoppable: They'll dominate denim drawers far and wide.
