How to ‘do’ Denim
Fashion tends to be strongly associated with time and place; which is why so many styles look fantastic at the time, only to make us cringe when we look back years later. It’s not that the clothes didn’t look good, it’s just that we associate them with a part of ourselves that we’ve left behind, whether it’s the teenage angst reflected in our dyed-black hair and inch-thick eyeliner, or the time we thought asking for “The Rachel Haircut” at our local salon would instantly turn us into Jennifer Aniston.
Other types of fashion, however, are more about communicating a mood. Despite some dodgy 80s associations, denim has survived with popularity intact and cringe-factor admirably low for nigh-on thirty years now. The reason for this is that denim has come to reflect a mood instead of a time. Denim is relaxed, informal and effortless, something you just threw on without a second thought. It’s the material of day trips, a drink and a gossip at your local, and smart-casual office wear. You don’t tend to see much denim at weddings.
So, denim is a fairly low maintenance outfit choice. That doesn’t mean, however, that it doesn’t require a little bit of thought. To get the best out of denim, remember that less is more. It’s a perfect material for women’s trousers – see our range of classic jeans, but to add any more into the mix – a denim jacket for instance – is to run the risk of a double-denim disaster.
For best results, save your denim jacket for a skirt and leggings, or a polyester trouser. As for your jeans, as you know they can be worked in with most things, but some things to avoid include monotones – they’ll have the same effect as double-denim even if the material is different – and anything overly loud, which might contrast a bit too much with a neutral denim shade. A simple undershirt and cardigan combo, or a beautiful print dress should do the trick nicely for almost any informal occasion.