After years of wide legs and barrels, narrow jeans are coming back in rinse, light wash, white and black, and the cut to look for is closer to a cigarette or slim-straight than the ankle-hugging version of a decade ago. SLVRLAKE's dark Isabel jeans, Khaite's mid-wash Daria jeans, Frame's dark Cigarette jeans and Gucci's split-hem skinny jeans show the range.

Slim jeans were made to be tucked into boots. Mother's dark Tripper Flood jeans and Christian Louboutin's black buckled Dianouchette knee boots do exactly that, with Junya Watanabe's pinstriped double-breasted blazer and Lié Studio's black calf hair Lou bag for a sharper finish.

A white shirt is the simplest partner for a narrow jean. Haikure's dark Chewy jeans and Citizens of Humanity's checked Kayla shirt keep it clean, Manolo Blahnik's black satin Nadira pumps dress it up, and Bottega Veneta's woven Alto belt marks the waist.

Pair black slim jeans with more black and the look gets sharper. Loulou de Saison's black cashmere-blend Sibyl turtleneck, Nour Hammour's leather Hadley jacket, Chloé's buckled ankle boots and Isabel Marant's studded suede Oskan bag all stay in the same dark lane.

A flat shoe and a striped shirt give slim jeans a softer, more French feel. Tom Ford's high-waist Melanie jeans and Matteau's blue striped poplin shirt meet Ancient Greek Sandals' houndstooth Aeropi flats, and Alaïa's yellow belted trench adds a bright layer.

Skinny jeans are coming back in a more relaxed form than the version most people remember. If you take one thing away, let it be that proportion does the work: a narrow leg looks best with a longer or bigger top, whether that is a blazer, an oversized shirt or a trench. We would skip the ultra-low-rise, super-stretch styles of the 2010s, which rarely look current now. A slim-straight cut in a dark rinse is the easiest to wear, and it works with boots, flats and heels alike. If you kept an old pair, try it with a longer jacket before buying new.