3 Tips For Styling Denim on Denim
In the last how to style post, I showed you how to pull off a leather mini dress. This week I'm bringing you one of my favorite combos of the moment. While I can’t stand that this trend goes by the name Canadian Tuxedo (no offense to Canada or tuxedos, but seriously, why?) I have more recently become obsessed with the look of it. Chalk it up to all of the monochrome dressing on the FW18 runways (I see you Tibi) or blame it on Britney and Justin in 2001 (#NeverForget) but either way this is a trend that you’ll probably continue to see a lot of in the coming months. While it sounds like a simple concept in theory, when I actually went to get dressed in a denim on denim outfit, I found myself a little scattered when it came to choosing what pieces to pair together. Here, I’m sharing three tips so that you can pull off this look too—whether you want to go super bold or keep it classic and cool.
Pick your pieces wisely
Since denim is such a versatile fabric, there are tons of combinations that you can put together. You can pair a chambray shirt tucked into a pair of vintage jeans or wear a denim jacket with a classic mini skirt—and when accessories are added to the mix, you can even take things a step further. Think about what your wardrobe may be missing or what your go-to items are if you’re shopping for new denim pieces. Once you figure out what you gravitate to the most, you can experiment with different brands and types of denim (stretchy, sturdy, dyed, distressed) to find pieces you love that will mesh with your personal style.
Consider your palette
While we may picture traditional blue jeans when we hear the word “denim” there are so many different washes to choose from. My favorite approach for denim on denim is to mix colors that are close in shade but that are not an exact match. For this look, I went for two light wash pieces, the jacket lighter than the jeans, because it was a gorgeous sunny day when I shot this outfit with Sarah and I was feeling instantly brighter as a result. I love how it turned out. I think that denim on denim also looks great in a more classic denim color as well as black dyed denim. If you’d like to see an example of another denim on denim pairing, I wore this look when I went to Austin with my roommates.
Proportions are everything
When you select your pieces and your shades, take a look at how each piece fits on your body. Typically I find the most flattering proportions involve a balancing act. In this look, I’m wearing straight leg jeans with a fitted denim jacket, whereas in the look I wore in Austin I wore a body-hugging denim skirt with an oversized jacket. This isn’t to say you can’t go for a tiny-tiny or baggy-baggy combination if the spirit moves you to do so! But someone attempting this combo for the first time might find more solace in the simple balance of big and small proportions.
Photographed by Sarah Ratner | Follow Sarah on Instagram
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What is your favorite way to wear denim?
yours,
Austen