Queen Mary of Denmark relies on tailoring and midi dresses as much as the other European royals, so on the rare occasions we see her in jeans it's always interesting to see how she puts her elegant twist on a casual staple. She recently re-wore her Hugo Boss pair to the 2026 LykkeCup in Herning and the flared silhouette is a perfect alternative to straight-leg denim.
This 70s-inspired shape is simultaneously retro and contemporary, as they've really had a resurgence in recent years. Many of the best jeans for women over 50 are flared or boot-cut and the 54-year-old Queen's jeans were mid-blue with a high-rise waist and a relaxed flared leg.
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The Reiss Mid-Blue Sakura jeans are cut with a contemporary flare and have two patch pockets at the front. Subtle pintucks from the waist to hem help to elongate the leg and they're high-rise. You can also get them in various other washes including ecru and light blue.
Queen Mary's trainers are a timeless shoe style, featuring the navy blue contrast heel. They're crafted with a full grain leather upper and a tonal rubber outsole. The three stripes are instantly recognisable and they're a mid-point between plimsolls and chunky trainers.
Available in various different lengths, these affordable flared jeans also feature patch pockets on the front. They're high-rise and are made from cotton with a hint of elastane for stretch. The gold-toned hardware adds a polished edge.
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Affordable and simple to style these jeans are made from denim-style cotton fabric with stretch to enhance the comfort factor. They're high-waisted and have five pockets and belt loops, so you can accessorise them easily.
Holland Cooper is a brand loved by so many of the British royals and these jeans come in several different shades, including this versatile mid-blue tone. You can get them in four lengths too and they're crafted from super soft stretch denim with gold-toned hardware.
White jeans are fabulous for summer and these ones are high-waisted with a boot-cut flare to the leg. The crease detail at the front gives them an extra smart feel and you could pair them with everything from an oversized shirt to a cotton T-shirt.
You can get flares which are very fitted around the waist and hips, though looser designs like Mary's are even more comfy and casual. She wore them with a tan belt to accentuate the waist and a red LykkeLiga T-shirt in honour of the occasion.
LykkeLiga is a national handball community for children and young people living with disabilities and the cup brings together over 900 people for a day focused on sport, community and joy. The Queen was there as chair of the Mary Foundation, who shared a series of snaps on the Danish Royal Family's official Instagram account.
Queen Mary fully threw herself into activities on the day, so it's clear that she finds her flares incredibly comfortable. Relaxed, breezy silhouettes like this are great to wear in the heat and since most jeans have at least some cotton in them, they can be remarkably breathable too.
With a more tapered top half, flared jeans also look great with tops tucked in or left loose over the top, giving you extra flexibility when it comes to outfits. The shape of them is also very leg-elongating and you can lean into this with your choice of footwear.
In cooler weather, go for pointed toe boots and in summer, pointed sandals or flats would pair so well with flared jeans. The Queen of Denmark took a different approach and wore white trainers which were practical and complemented the casualness.
Instead of chunky sports shoes, Mary's trainers were a little more fashion-focused as she picked a pair of adidas Stan Smiths. These had navy blue accents on them and the style scored highly in our Digital Fashion Ecommerce Editor Caroline Parr's Stan Smith review.
They're a classic in the world of trainers and you can get various different colourways besides the ones Mary owns. Like jeans, trainers aren't something we see her reach for a lot in general for public appearances but she's had these adidas ones in her collection since at least 2023.
When you want a failsafe combination for everyday, trainers and jeans are a winner and flares take this up a notch as something a little different. Though straight-leg jeans are incredibly classic, it's nice to switch things up and go for something a little more flowy and bohemian.
