Never mind skinnies and cut-offs, the way to wear denim this summer is in anything but jeans. From dresses to shirts, skirts and waistcoats, the hottest pieces come in denim.
And they’re not just for throwing on at the weekend with trainers — stylish silhouettes, cuts and washes mean that they’re elevated and seriously chic.
Denim took on a new and luxurious appeal on the SS23 catwalks. At Stella McCartney, indigo shirts were teamed with leather shorts.
Chloe did denim trench coats, while Burberry threw it back to the 1990s with ankle-skimming denim skirts.
You don’t need me to tell you how easy it is to wear a great pair of blue jeans, but for something a bit different I can’t think of anything as effortless to slip on than Jigsaw’s zip-up playsuit.
Dress, £127, baukjen.com; boots, £230, boden.co.uk; necklace, £125, daisy jewellery.com
For something even breezier, try a smock dress, like the one from Albaray.
Lean into the 1970s flair with suede clogs.
And the styling note is ‘head-to-toe’, so don’t be afraid to play matchy-matchy with separates.
M&S’s jacket worn with a denim maxi makes a fashion-forward take on everyday dressing. Or try Albaray’s waistcoat and coordinating skirt.
Never mind skinnies and cut-offs, the way to wear denim this summer is in anything but jeans. From dresses to shirts, skirts and waistcoats, the hottest pieces come in denim
Jumpsuit, £270, 7forall mankind.co.uk
If that feels too Britney Spears circa 2001, add in a white T-shirt or shirt.
Of course, denim can be worn for almost every dress code (it has even been seen on the red carpet). A fitted jumpsuit is a fresh take on workwear.
Accessorise M&S’s belted version with sleek leather slides and a matching bag.
The darker the denim the smarter the effect. Layer Boden’s indigo midi with a classic button-down, adding loafers for a polished look.
Waistcoat, £55, and skirt, £79, albaray.co.uk; shoes, £95, dunelondon.com
Boiler suit, £89, marksandspencer.com; shoes, £175, meandem.com; bag, £395, aspinaloflondon.com
Dress, £120, albaray.co.uk; clogs, £110 boden.co.uk
Shirt, £130, with nothing underneath.com; skirt, £85, boden.co.uk
As we’ll be seeing plenty of denim next season, too, this is a worthwhile trend to invest in.
I’ll be wearing 7 For All Mankind’s all-in-one with Birkenstocks now, then pairing it with boots and a roll-neck underneath come autumn.
And when the weather can’t make up its mind, denim always fits the bill. Baukjen’s tiered midi will work with your trench and trainers, making tricky trans-seasonal dressing anything but blue.