The meme sensation, Four Lads In Jeans, have predicted that skinny jeans will soon be back in fashion four years after they posed for a photo that launched them to internet stardom.
Jamie Philips, Connor Humpage, Kevin Rooney and Alex Lacey unwittingly became famous after posting a photo of themselves on a ‘boozy brunch with the lads’ in Birmingham wearing skinny jeans and tight tops.
Four years on, the friends posted a new photo showing off their updated look, this time with baggier jeans and cargo pants.
But despite the transformation, the foursome believe that skinny jeans might be back in fashion sooner than expected.
Kevin Rooney said: ‘The thing is that those skinny jeans will come back around, they’ll be back in fashion.
The ‘four lads in jeans’ Birmingham city centre donning tight cropped trousers and shirts in 2019 for that famous photo
The friendship group ditched tight jeans and chinos for edgier clothing items, such as cargo pants for the 2024 shot
Kevin Rooney, Alex Lacey, Jamie Philips and Connor Humpage (from left to right)
‘We had people asking why we were in skinny jeans in the first place but it’s fashion at the end of the day.
‘We’ve even had some people recently tell us they preferred us in skinny jeans.’
Jamie Philips added: ‘Oh yeah we’ll be coming out in shorts soon for summer don’t worry and then something again – you never know.’
The four friends explained that while they found fame for wearing skinny jeans, they were initially quite confused by all the attention.
Connor Humpage: ‘We literally just went on a lad’s boozy brunch and asked a random stranger to take a picture of us and then all of a sudden it went viral.
‘And what people don’t know is that the photo had been up before it became a meme so it was a shock to all of us.’
‘And we didn’t understand, we were just wearing what everyone else was wearing at the time.’
‘People have said that we were behind the times and wondered why we were wearing skinny jeans for so long but they’re only seeing a snapshot.
‘We’d stopped wearing skinny jeans basically as soon as the photo came out because the fashion had changed.’
Three of the ‘four lads in jeans’ squatted down in front of their new statue for a few promotional snaps
For their newest photo the internet sensations were invited to go shopping by Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre for a social media collaboration.
Connor said: ‘We just went down to the Bullring and did some shopping and had a laugh.
‘We basically just bought all the things we already have like I bought two more pairs of jeans that are the same as ones I have really – it’s all our own styles.
‘I think when people see the meme they think we’ve switched overnight but these photos are four years apart and we’re real people with our own lives.
‘Like we were before, we’re just wearing what everyone else is now and our styles shine through.’
Kevin added: ‘Yeah like I don’t think I own any skinny jeans anymore apart from the ones from that photo.’
The notoriety has certainly provided opportunities for the four.
They have featured on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge and appeared in ad campaigns for McDonald’s and Sony noise-cancelling headphones.
They’ve also been photographed with football legend and commentator Chris Kamara and bodybuilder Martyn Ford and even appeared in 2022’s Brit Awards in a skit alongside comedian and host for the night Jack Whitehall.
In August 2022, the lads were honoured with a statue in the spot where the famous photo was taken.
It was created by the artist William Douglas, also known as Tat Vision, who unveiled it outside All Bar One in Grand Central, Birmingham.
The sculptor said they made it from women mannequins in tight-clothing, with added papier-mâché and PVA glue, covered in bronze paint.
Before the great unveiling, the artist wrote on his Instagram page: ‘Come down and see my four lads in jeans bronze statue [on] Saturday outside All Bar One Grand Central.
Many X/Twitter users were left stunned by the transformation
‘A tribute to these lads inspired by them old Greek statues.
‘These four men ready for an adventure like the first bit in Homer’s Odyssey, before the adventure.’
Although they’ve been enjoying the fame this time around and have leaned into the joke, all four admitted that the unexpected fame four years ago took its toll.
Alex Lacey, a plumber and heating engineer, said his work work number got out and he was constantly battling a barrage of prank calls and trolls.
It got even worse when his mother’s Instagram account was discovered and trolls started commenting on photos.
He said: ‘They trolled my mum, they got her Instagram and would comment and troll her and make up stuff about me.
‘I’m getting married in a couple of weeks and my partner, it was difficult for her and it’s not been great.
‘At the end of the day we still all have our day jobs you know, I’m a plumber.’
Connor, a tattoo artist admitted that it’s more complicated.
After the initial photo he found his business was boosted with the help of social media.
He said: ‘I had people coming up to me and saying ‘I didn’t know you did tattoos’.
‘They’d come to my social media pages and comment ‘came for the meme stayed for the tattoos” and it was nice but also felt like I was still being linked to that one photo.’
‘But yeah I think people think we’re just the meme and they don’t treat you like people.
‘After the new one came you and I went to the gym I just had my earphones in because I didn’t want to speak to anyone, even after they had died I just used them to block people out because I didn’t want people to keep coming up to me.’
‘It was tough, you’d go round and hear people giggling and pointing behind your back.’
Kevin Rooney: ‘Yeah no one would ever say anything to our faces, just behind our backs. Just internet trolling really.
