Alix Earle Is the New Patron Saint of Skinny Jeans

Fashion publications have been predicting the return of the skinny jean since 2022. A Google search for “skinny jeans resurgence” turns up pages worth of results ranging in tone from celebratory to positively dread-filled. So far, though, the silhouette has remained fairly siloed, championed by a handful of Indie Sleaze enthusiasts and trend-averse millennials. Until now.

Back in December 2023, Alix Earle got dressed to watch her boyfriend, Braxton Berrios, play football for the Miami Dolphins. Per usual, the 24-year-old documented her prep on TikTok, posting a video for her seven million followers pulling out a pair of black skinny jeans. “So many people were in an uproar in my comment section like, ‘I can’t believe she’s wearing skinny jeans,’” Earle recalls to W. Earle didn’t let it deter her. Instead, it inspired her. When she met with Frame’s co-founder and creative director, Erik Torstensson, that same month, she had a suggestion. “I brought up the idea of bringing back the skinny jean,” she says. “I didn't know if it was going to land and if it was a crazy idea or not, but he loved it.” And thus, the Alix was born. They launch today on Frame’s website with an Inez and Vinoodh-shot campaign starring their creator. Below, Earle discusses her eponymous jeans, as well as the short-lived TikTok shutdown and what she learned from the experience.

Why did you want to bring back skinny jeans with Frame?

I’ve always had a pair of skinny jeans in my closet, whether they've been in or out of style. I love them. I think they’re really cute. So I figured there may be other people out there who also love skinny jeans so we should bring them back and give them a moment because they never left my closet as a staple.

OK, we have to talk about TikTok, because after all that commotion last weekend, it only shut down for a handful of hours. What was that experience like for you?

I was definitely upset but, I’m not going to lie, also a little embarrassed since it came back within 12 hours. When it came back, I was honestly just stunned. I’d been preparing all weekend to shift everything onto another platform. So when it came back, I wouldn't even say I was overly excited. I was almost like, “What the fuck just happened?”

Was there any part of you that was kind of excited to have the opportunity to branch off into something new?

Definitely. I panicked and made a YouTube video and it made me realize that there are so many other ways of creating content, so many more things I can be doing. So I want to keep doing YouTube videos. I haven’t ventured into those longer-form vlogs as much and I think that will provide a fun and different way for my audience to see me. And I'll be more active on Instagram as well.

But now that TikTok is back, you’ll remain on there as well?

As long as TikTok is there, I’ll be there.

A lot of influencers were making confessions ahead of the shutdown. Did you consider confessing anything?

I didn't. I listened to the sound, and I was trying to think of something, but I'm just way too transparent online, and I couldn't think of anything I had lied about, so there was no confession for me.

You’re from New Jersey, but you’ve lived in Miami for years. Which city influences your style more?

Miami definitely influences my style a little bit more, especially because I've been there for the past six years while maturing and developing a sense of style. I also love a little bit of sexy with every outfit that I wear, but I don’t know if that’s a Jersey thing, a Miami thing, or an Alix thing.

What was your style like as a teenager?

It was all over the place. I was big on following the trends in high school, and I would just wear what everyone else was wearing. But then, as I got more comfortable around my senior year, I started branching out a bit more. I was very into Timberlands. I wore them with my skinny jeans, though I don’t think I’ll be doing that with the Alixes.

Your fashion evolution—at least since 2019—has been pretty well-documented on social media. Is there one outfit you look back on that really makes you cringe?

I don't know if there's one outfit in particular. There was a time—I would say around my sophomore year of college—when I was really all over the place with patterns and colors, my nails were so long, and I was wearing jewelry to the max. I was doing the most. So that whole era is not my favorite, but that's the beautiful thing about fashion. It's always changing, and your opinions on things change as well.

What about one look you really love?

The look I wore to the Sports Illustrated swimsuit after party for Swim Week. It was this pink, bedazzled dress with a corset and matching gloves.

What was your first major fashion purchase?

This guy gifted me a Chanel bag and it got stolen. So, when I first made some money, I bought it again, and honestly, it felt a lot better buying it for myself than having a man get it for me.

What is one trend you can't see yourself ever partaking in?

Those ballet flats that are see-through. I just don't love my feet, so I don’t like shoes that show them off. I love heels, but those flats just aren’t elevated enough for me. So those are probably always going to be a no for me, though never say never.