Sienna Miller Just Revived The “Dated” Paperbag Trouser Trend

Whilst I’ve loved Sienna Miller’s style at every stage of her fashion journey, I think I’ll always have a soft spot for the outfits that lunched her into style-icon territory. Whilst Miller rose to fame in the 2000s, it was her mid-’10s outfits that secured her status as fashion trailblazer. Styling key silhouettes ahead of the rest, the actor helped pave the way we approached fashion during the decade. I was thus pleasantly surprised to see her revive a trouser silhouette that was key in this timeframe and that we subsequently haven’t seen around over the past few years.

Stepping out in London, Miller opted for a simple outfit comprising a black top, a long leather coat and ultra-high-waist paperbag trousers in a shade of deep blue. Featuring a belt closure and a pleated effect at the waistband, the paperbag trouser trend were a key silhouette during the late 2010s. Often worn with chunky knit or graphic tee tucked in, the trouser featured a cinched waist often with a belt in the same fabric, slight billowing around the knee and gentle tapering towards the ankle.

Whilst we haven’t seen this style around for some time, it does feel reminiscent of 2024’s newly-trending barrel-leg trouser. Featuring a similarly voluminous cut, both offer an exaggerated shape that often becomes the focal point of an outfit. With a similar versatility to that of the barrel-leg trouser, paperbag iterations look elegant when worn with a form-fitting knit or relaxed sweater French tucked when you want to look low-key chic.