Jennifer Saunders' straight-leg trousers are a flattering alternative to skinny jeans - and her quilted jacket brought an on-trend edge

This time of year many of us find ourselves wearing the same cosy jumpers and jeans or trousers on repeat, but the question of what silhouette to choose isn’t always easy to answer. Streamlined styles work so well tucked into knee high boots to create a smooth silhouette and yet they’re not always the most comfortable.

Wide-leg designs tick all the boxes for comfort, though they can sometimes look a bit too voluminous over ankle boots. Thankfully, there is an alternative that falls somewhere in between and Jennifer Saunders showcased this to perfection in October.

She attended the Dinard British and Irish Film Festival as a jury member and wore deep navy blue straight-leg trousers with a shirt and a very on-trend quilted jacket.

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Straight-leg designs have a looser fit from the knee downwards than skinny jeans or trousers, but have a similar smart feel. Jennifer’s trousers were high-waisted and full-length, draping over the top of her Chloe trainers.

Statement trainers are a big autumn/winter shoe trend, though trousers like hers would work just as well with suede or leather ankle boots. Because they’re more fitted than wide or barrel-leg items, they don’t obscure your footwear in the same way and you can really showcase your favourite shoes with them.

Straight-leg trousers or jeans can also be easily dressed up with a cashmere jumper and heeled boots, or down with a chunky knit and flat ones, as they don’t fall strictly into a “formal” or “casual” category.

The Absolutely Fabulous star went for a smart-casual outfit at the Film Festival in France and paired her navy trousers with a flowy black shirt and a black jacket. Her jacket had a boxy shape and was collarless, and the quilting brought a contemporary, fashion-forward edge to her ensemble.

These jackets are a coat trend for 2025 and the contrast of her chunky, relaxed outerwear against her tailored trousers was wonderful. During the colder months when layering is a must, textural style contrasts like this are so key in giving your looks dimension and helping each piece to stand out.

Jennifer also proved that black and navy do work well together and she added a subtle pop of colour with a khaki scarf and, of course, her white and tan trainers.

It was a very minimal look and one that is so wearable and easy to recreate, unlike many celebrity styles we might admire, but wouldn’t feel brave enough to try out ourselves. If tailored trousers aren’t something that would fit in with your other wardrobe staples then I’d advise taking inspiration from Jennifer Saunders and going for jeans instead.

Straight-leg jeans in an indigo wash would give a similar look with a quilted jacket and you could still make them smarter, if you needed to, with the addition of a blazer or longline coat.