It finally happened, the guys from the "four lads in jeans" meme have bought pants that aren't unbearably skinny.
Alex Lacey, Jamie Phillips, Kevin Rooney, and Connor Humpage went viral for their unfortunate choice of outfits from a night out in 2019. The four British guys, from Birmingham and Coventry, became the target of ridicule because of their tight-fitting tops and ridiculously skinny pants. For many, their look reminded them of the type of "British lads" they'd rather avoid. But now they're back, and they've all made a noticeable improvement.
In partnership with Birmingham shopping center Bullring & Grand Central, the boys have returned with considerably wider-leg pants.
Are they the four most stylish men in Britain? No. But it's great to see that they've managed to keep up with trends and remain friends over the years.
Aside from them looking considerably more comfortable, they also look happier and more approachable. As they detailed in a TikTok post on their account @fourladsinjeans, they went on a sponsored shopping spree at ARKET, Levi's, Bershka, and Superdry. One of them even made a joke about wanting to try on Levi's skinny jeans, only to add his friends wouldn't let him.
It's also got to be a relief for the four guys because they can finally move on from some of the nastier comments they got when they found viral fame four years ago.
When they spoke with The Tab around the height of their viral fame, they admitted the comments online were "brutal." Their faces were subsequently associated with a particular kind of British racism, which they obviously weren't happy about. "The last thing you want your face associated with is racism," said Phillips. Humpage, meanwhile, had to release a statement to make it clear memes about Churchill statues and George Floyd were "by no means our views." He also worked on a drawing of Floyd around the same time
"They’re just trying to make us sound thick," said Phillips. "It’s a lot to do with Love Island, in my opinion. People come across as quite stupid when they’re on there, and we have that kind of look." He added that anyone who wanted to make fun of them for their choice of clothing could "crack the fuck on," but anyone who associated them with racism should cut it out. "I think people aren’t naive enough to think we’re racist," he said.
While some have praised the lads for taking ownership of their viral fame, others suggested the new photo is a great way to study fashion trends over the years. Perhaps skinny jeans, once and for all, have met their demise.
Check out a handful of reactions below.
