The rules of denim have relaxed considerably in recent years. While jeans were once meant for weekends or for jobs that require physical labor, nowadays even bankers are rolling into the office clad in denim. But not every type of denim is right for every occasion. And not every item in your closet is right for every pair of jeans. (Washed-out jeans and a hoodie might be good for a night out, but they won’t fly at most workplaces.)
The trick is knowing which denim to wear for which situation, and what to wear with it. From black jeans and a bomber for a night out to your favorite beat-up jeans and a tee for Saturdays in the park, here is the right way to do denim in pretty much any situation.
Dinner and Drinks
A night out for dinner and drinks—whether on a date or with friends—is a great opportunity to break out of the blue denim rut. You maybe don’t want to go bright red, but a nice, slim-fit pair of white jeans with a linen blazer, a tee, and minimalist sneakers will not only keep you looking sharp, it will separate you from the indigo-dyed herd.
Slim-fit white denim jeans ($235) by AMI, mrporter.com; beige slim-fit cotton and linen-blend blazer ($870) by Montedoro, mrporter.com; crew slub tee ($28) by Buck Mason, buckmason.com; steerhide tennis trainer low ($245) by Epaulet, epauletnewyork.com
Business Casual
Though you’re wearing jeans, you still want to stay as professional as possible. Which is pretty easy to do as long as you stick to a dark wash without any rips. Something like a raw pair of selvage jeans is perfect. Then simply pair them with a crisp white oxford, an unstructured blue blazer, and brown leather derbies or brogues.
Grim Trim dry selvedge jeans ($255) by Nudie Jeans, nudiejeans.com: white Oxford ($165) by Gitman Bros. Vintage, gitmanvintage.com; Blue Archive unstructured linen and cotton-blend blazer ($410) by Our Legacy, mrporter.com; Mulberry plain toe blucher ($550) by Alden, needsupply.com
A Lazy Saturday Afternoon
This is a denim look where comfort is as much a priority as style. You want your jeans to be good and broken in, and maybe have a slightly looser fit. Finish things off with a tee, a soft cotton sweatshirt, and some retro-inspired runners.
1967 505 jean ($225) by Levi’s Vintage, endclothing.com; pocket textured sweater in vintage white ($118) by Todd Snyder + Champion, toddsnyder.com; cotton crew tee ($16) by Everlane, everlane.com; Air Max 1 Ultra 2.0 Flyknit ($149) by Nike, endclothing.com
A Night at the Club
For a night at the club, you want to stick with dark and crisp. An unfaded black jean is your best bet. Keep the rest of the look fairly monochromatic with a black tee and black Chelsea boots, and then offset all that black with a light navy bomber.
Petit Standard black jeans ($210) by A.P.C., usonline.apc.fr; Driver crew-neck cotton-jersey T-shirt ($90) by Sorensen, matchesfashion.com; polished-leather Chelsea boots ($895) by Saint Laurent, mrporter.com; MA-1 shell bomber jacket ($180) by J. Crew, mrporter.com
At a Concert, Rock or Otherwise
You’ll want to grunge up your club look a bit, but still keep things stylish and cool. Actually, cool is priority number one. Instead of crisp black jeans, try something slightly faded. Add a striped tee, a black leather moto jacket, and tobacco suede Chelsea boots to complete the effect.
The Tellis in 7 yrs serge ($225) by AG, agjeans.com; The Moto Jacket ($895) by Buck Mason, buckmason.com; slim-fit striped linen shirt ($390) by Gucci, mrporter.com; tobacco suede Chelsea boots ($529) by Common Projects, endclothing.com
A Day In The City
Whether it’s meeting friends for brunch, hitting up a museum, or just stunting on the street, this is when you want to unleash a bit of your creativity. Who knows, maybe you’ll even grab the attention of some street-style photographer. Get your lightest wash jeans—with rips of course—and throw on a graphic tee, a dope jacket, and your most hype-worthy sneakers.
Slim-fit denim jeans ($820) by Gucci, farfetch.com; JQ Railroad Jacket ($640) by Neighborhood, unionlosangeles.com; printed cotton T-shirt ($420) by Raf Simons + Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, mrporter.com; NMD R1 ($155) by Adidas, endclothing.com
SOURCE:http://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/advice/g3278/ways-to-wear-denim/
