If we had to choose one piece of clothing that could be considered truly integral to any wardrobe, the answer would have to be a good pair of jeans. Dresses and skirt trends may come and go (especially reliant on the weather), but the right jeans are a transformative wonder, changing your silhouette in an instant and managing to go with just about everything you pair them with. Straight-leg denim might be the current shape of choice, but looking back through the jeans trends of the last few years throws out some seriously good styles. Where would we have been without the mom jean? The wide-leg! The baggy boyfriend! The horseshoe and the barrel! No matter your size, shape or proportions, there’s a pair of jeans for everyone, but choosing what to wear with them can change as easily as our mood.
We already know that denim works well with “classics” (and we’ve never seen a cardigan and jeans outfit we didn’t like), but if you’re tired of wearing the same knit and blazer jacket on rotation, you may be looking for some new ways to wear your jeans over the next 12 months. Thankfully, outfit inspiration is our forté, and after sorting through the looks that we like and the looks we really love, we’ve come up with a few ideas that might just help you make up your mind.
So, if you too have jean fatigue and you’ve been wondering what to wear with them that doesn’t feel too “samey”, below you finally have the answer. Keep scrolling to see the 8 trends to pair with denim now, you may already have them in your closet.
1. SUEDE
Style Notes: If you were following us through autumn and winter 2024, you’ll know just how much of an impact luxe suede has had on our wardrobes. The beauty of this trend is that whatever it touches, suede has the power to make it look instantly expensive (including blue denim), so whether you’re throwing on.a suede jacket over a white tee, adding a suede tote to your outfit or stepping into a pair of suede loafers, you can rest assured that your everyday look will be dressy enough for even a smart dress code. What other fabric can do that so easily?
Shop Suede:
STOULS
Léoncino Cropped Suede Jacket
Imagine this with ankle-cropped jeans and boots.
Demellier
The Hudson | Mocha Suede & Mocha Smooth
Never Fully Dressed
Suede Jaspre Skirt
Perfect for tucking a denim shirt into.
& Other Stories
Large Suede Tote
The ultimate throw-on-and-go tote.
VERONICA BEARD
Suz Leather-Trimmed Suede Jacket
It may be on the pricier end, but you could wear this for years to come.
2. 90’s BASICS
Style Notes: On the days when you need convenience, there is a failsafe denim formula that always works. Jeans + minimalist basics = pared-back perfection, and this is an easy look you can wear all year round. Spring? Try a white tee. Summer? A tank top or cami will be your best friend. Autumn/winter? Bodysuits and stretch turtlenecks are a layering wonder. Calvin Klein’s vision for the minimalist ’90s looks as good the second time around as it did then, and it helps that it takes no more than five minutes to assemble.
Shop Basics:
COS
Clean Cut Regular T-Shirt
I have two of these in my wardrobe.
SKIMS
Fits Everybody Stretch-Satin Jersey Thong Bodysuit
This will go with every colour of denim wash.
Weekday
Strap Halter Tank Top
The spaghetti straps are a throwback, in the very best way.
Gap
Grey Long Sleeve Turtle Neck Top
Sleek, chic, sophisticated.
3. ANIMAL PRINT
Style Notes: Snake, leopard, zebra, mock croc—every year and every season we’re treated to a new animal print trend, a testament to the fact that these wild prints never go out of style. Whatever your preference, you may be tempted to keep things simple by pairing prints with black, but denim works just as well by acting as a neutral base to let faux skins do the talking. Leopard print coats and jeans are natural soul mates, but we also love Sabrina’s statement boot combination [pictured above] as an alternative to the expected black or brown.
Shop Animal Print:
Arket
Square-Toe Ankle Boots
I’m in love with these could-be-designer boots.
Ganni
Leopard-Print Denim Jacket
Ganni always gets leopard print right.
Sezane
Livie Belt – Brown Python Print
A subtle nod to the trend.
Khaite
Lina Snake-Effect Leather Crossbody Bag
How to spice up a t-shirt and jeans outfit.
Mint Velvet
Leopard Print Slim Jeans
Leopard print jeans tick two boxes at once.
4. DOUBLE DENIM
Style Notes: Tired of seeing double denim outfits? No, we aren’t either, and for any sceptics who needed further proof that double denim is actually one of the chicest pairings there is, take a look at Sylvie’s off-duty cool [pictured above]. So many other pieces could have worked here—cardigans, cable knits, blouses, and of course, the plain white tee, but there’s something about the slouchy fit of the shirt and matchy-matchy wash that makes this feel much more considered.
Shop Double Denim:
ALIGNE
Moto Collarless Denim Jacket
The collarless shape feels so elevated.
ALIGNE
Markus Barrel Leg Jeans
A subtle barrel with a roomy, wide-leg fit.
Damson Madder
Sailor Denim Jacket – Dark Indigo
How cute is that sailor collar?
Seventies silhouettes are always flattering.
You can layer this under knits and jackets, or open over tees and tanks.
5. BOMBER JACKETS
Style Notes: Spring is just around the corner, and with bright, sunny skies but inevitably low temperatures ahead, a good spring jacket is a wise investment. Handy then that everyone is wearing bomber jackets again, as now the market is full of options that are perfect for the transitional period. Size up for a slouchy fit that works particularly well with baggy jeans and sandals, or trainers on the days when comfort is king.
Shop Bomber Jackets:
Agolde
X Shoreditch Ski Club Tate Faux Leather Bomber Jacket
I thought this would be double the price.
AllSaints
Allsaints Belle Oversized Bomber Jacket, Black
I’d be tempted to size up again for an even more exaggerated fit.
DARKPARK
Lee Houndstooth Scarf-Effect Wool Bomber Jacket
The additional scarf detail is so good.
MANGO
Quilted Bomber Jacket
A great find in the sale.
& Other Stories
Boxy Zip-Up Jacket
This also comes in black too.
6. WESTERN BELTS
Style Notes: 2025 has only just begun, and already we’re picking up on belt trends left, right and centre. From skinny, understated belts to dressy, gold chains, there’s a finishing touch for every style, but the one I predict fashion people will wear on repeat for the rest of the year and beyond are western inspired belts with subtle details like studs and metal tips that help them stand-out from the crowd. Who said belts had to be purely functional anyway?
Shop Belts:
Another way to work suede into your wardrobe.
Massimo Dutti
Studded Nappa Leather Belt
Chloé
Rebeca Leather Belt
Chloé’s belt offerings are particularly good this season.
By Anthropologie
By Anthropologie Vintage Western Belt
You don’t have to spend four figures to look like you did.
7. DISTRESSED LEATHER
Style Notes: There’s something decidedly polished about dark indigo and black washed jeans, so it makes sense to opt for high/low styling and mix elegant jeans with the ultimate cool-girl staple: a distressed leather jacket. “Lived-in” looking leather never goes out of style (just like denim, now we come to think of it), so this combination might be trending now, but it will still look as good as 5 years time.
Shop Distressed Leather:
The unexpected grey is incredibly cool.
Topshop
Premium Real Leather Coat in Washed Black
Real leather at an impressive price.
Lioness
Lioness Kenny Brown Bomber
Soaked In Luxury
Fiorella Leather Jacket, Brown
Wear with just about anything.
8. BLUE SHIRTS
Style Notes: There’s a handful of key pieces I would expect to see in the British style set’s wardrobe: blazers, loafers, cardigans and t-shirts, but one thing that keeps cropping up in the modern French capsule is an oversized blue shirt. Given just how many style lessons we’ve picked up from our friends across the channel, this is one worth noting—blue shirts and blue jeans are a match made in heaven, and topping the look off with a pair of loafers or ballet flats adds that je ne said quoi that makes humble denim feel special.
Shop Blue Shirts:
MATTEAU
Organic Cotton-Poplin Shirt
The perfect shade of blue in my humble opinion.
A fresh new colour palette for spring.
Sezane
Tomboy Shirt – Blue
If you’re looking for French style, you’ve got to start with Sézane.
VICTORIA BECKHAM
Layered Cotton-Poplin Shirt
The layering is already done so you don’t have to.
Boden
Sienna Cotton Shirt
This comes in nine different colours and three different fits.
