Light Wash
In the 1970s, skinny jeans were a sign of rebellion for fashion-conscious renegades, but when they resurfaced in the early 2000s, they were a trend everyone (and their moms) jumped on. If you wore them, you had a major sense of style. And when you think back to your first pair, this is probably what they looked like. (Thanks, 2011 Cameron Diaz!) Light-washed denim was practically your uniform in high school since, well, you didn't really have many other options at that point.
Acid Wash
Following light and dark washed skinny jeans, acid wash came back from its 1980s grave. Before distressed jeans were mainstream, there was this style. It allowed you to toughen up your look without poking holes in your jeans! A 2011 Ashley Tisdale was all about it.
Low Rise
Like Lauren Conrad circa 2012, you most likely rocked low-rise skinny jeans first (and you also more than likely wore them with a pair of ballet flats). The lower the waist, the better during this time, but oh how the times did change...
High Waisted
High-waisted skinny jeans made their debut shortly after, but younger generations didn't welcome them right away. At the time, it was trendy to show midriff, and raising the waist of your jeans meant covering that up. Once they realized the style was flattering for just about every body type, the cut was embraced and the rest is pretty much history. Case in point: Chrissy Teigen.
Colored
Remember when colored skinny jeans were everywhere (and in every color)? Taylor Swift was on top of it. It stemmed from the punk era, but surfaced in a time of emo music. Did you have a pair? Answer is most likely yes.
Patterned
In 2009 Jenna Dewan-Tatum stepped out in this patterned pair. It was one more way to wear your skinny jeans yet have them different from your last pair. Polka-dotted denim was the most popular at the time.
Ombré
Shortly after colored denim was hot to the scene, designers started to really have fun with it. Enter this purple ombré pair Jessica Alba rocked with ankle boots! It was one more way to bring major personality to any outfit.
Waxed
If you wanted your skinny jeans with a side of edge, waxed denim was the answer to your prayers. It was an added textural detail that gave off the impression you were wearing leather pants when, in actual fact, you were wearing a comfortable pair of jeans. Every style from this point on is still alive today, thanks to stars like Kendall Jenner.
Cropped
Fast forward to 2010 when the skinny jean was officially the most popular style of denim. It was clear they would be around for a while; therefore, more variations would need to be made to serve different purposes. Take a cropped pair like Gigi Hadid's, for example. No matter the sneaker, sandal, heel or boot you decided to wear you would no longer have to roll your cuffs.
Ankle Zips
Ankle zippers hit the scene at the same time as cropped denim. The moto-esque style of skinny jean, worn beautifully by Jessica Biel, was one awesome way to show some unexpected style. Their practical purpose? They didn't really have one, but they sure looked cool.
Knee Rip
It's now 2015 and knee-cut skinnies are on the rise! (See Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's for inspiration.) It's a subtle form of distressing that doesn't distract from the overall look of the jean. It's an elevated take on the grungy, cheese grated style one you could even wear to the office!
Frayed Hems
As you already know, frayed hems are IN. So it's no surprise Miranda Kerr was spotted in them. The unraveled look is so 2016! And here's where this short skinny jean history ends...for now (because it's not going anywhere any time soon).