Spring Blues: The Denim Trend

Denim is the quintessential wardrobe staple for most of us, and its reinvention over the past couple of seasons has made denim into a not-so-basic basic. For Spring/Summer 2016 there have been a lot of great new pieces that make wearing denim way more fun than just pulling on a pair of pants. From fabulous footwear to gorgeous handbags, and of course great jeans to wear, denim is having a moment. Its all about rule breaking too: pairing denim on denim is big and is a bit like mixing prints, it works together when you keep things contrasting, in this case the washes, so they compliment each other. It was hard to choose, but here are a few of my favorite denim pieces for summer:

Denim x Alexander Wang Trap Crop Boot Cut Jean

STRIPED DENIM PANTS
These Denim x Alexander Wang Grey Aged Black Striped Trap Crop Boot-cut Jeans are kind of off the hook. (And so is the long name!). Cropped flares are big for summer, and this pair takes it to the next level. I love the grey stripe but if you prefer it in indigo denim, Intermix has them and they are just as cool. I would pair this striped denim with these IRO Nilow Leather Ankle Tie Strap Flat Sandals and a white t-shirt or blouse to make those fabulous jeans be center stage.

3.1 phillip lim small solei bucket bag

FAVORITE HANDBAGS
I am a big fan of Roger Vivier—his classic yet modern shoes and bags with the signature buckle are on my wishlist. When I styled the Spring Trend Show for Neiman Marcus this year, I chose this Floral-Denim Marguerite Buckle Wallet as a clutch for one of my looks because it is just the happiest little bag ever. The 3.1 Phillip Lim “Small Solei” Denim and Leather Bucket Bag is both edgy and polished, with a simple silhouette and fantastic details like a silver snake-chain strap and frayed edges on the denim. The Rebecca Minkoff’s handbags are always on trend, beautifully made and are a great way to wear a style without breaking the bank. The Denim Love handbag is a really chic little bag that is a real standout.

Norma Kamali Trench

A REIMAGINED TRENCH
I bought this unstructured Blank NYC Trench Coat this past fall and I have loved it. (I bought it from Shopbop and it is now sold out but its on sale at 6PM, click on the link above). The darker wash of my coat shown above looks really good paired with my FRAME distressed denim in a lighter shade for a great denim on denim look, which is how I often wear it. This Norma Kamali Trench is also a really killer topper. The white rough edges and wide belt give it a super chic look. I can see wearing it over a LBD or with sneakers—it is a really versatile coat.

Madewelll Flea Market Flare Overalls

OLD FRIENDS~NEW TRENDS
Madewell has a laidback cool way of doing the trends, and I love the store’s vibe--it’s not just for whippersnappers. Overall have been around forever, both in and out of fashion. I love these Madewell Flea Market Flare Overalls with their cool criss-cross straps and flare legs. You can skulk about in them wearing a casual pair of sneakers or….you could put on a sexy pair of heels and a silk shirt and go out to dinner. I wore black leather overalls, a high neck white lace blouse and my favorite Miu Miu crocodile pumps to an auction this year and it was one of my favorite outfits. Consider a cute denim pair of overalls to jazz up your summer closet. I also love this Madewell x daryl k® denim shirt—I like to go dark with denim when it comes to a denim shirt, especially if it has a western look to it—it keeps it more street style and less rodeo. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Joshua Sanders Denim Bow Slip On Sneakers

SHOES THAT HAVE THE BLUES
Handbags are one way of giving the denim trend a nod, but so is a snazzy pair of shoes. I am a little picky about denim shoes because they can easily come off as cheap and icky instead of groovy and fabulous. You don’t have to go for the Jimmy Choos, (although these Verni Tie-Up Sandals are awesome), but finding a unique feature with your denim shoes will help you stand out. Literally. I love the cheeky giant bows on the Joshua Sanders Slip On Sneakers, and the cool dark denim of these sweet Vince Robin Espadrilles. For a stylish wedge, go for the Vince Camuto Zigzag Platform Denim Wedge Sandals. 

Madewell x daryl k® denim shirt with contrasting denim pants

Exploring trends can add some fun to your closet, even if you know that some things are going to come and go rather quickly. Knowing when to investing good money into a piece that is on point or to take the “cheap and cheerful” route can sometimes be tricky. I believe that some of the pieces in this latest denim trend really are worth investing in because they will turn out to have longevity in your closet despite the fact that they are of the moment now. Denim will be reimagined yet again, but great pieces will always remain in a happy place in your wardrobe.

Still not convinced that the denim trend is a worthy investment? Here’s a little inspiration from fashion icon Iris Apfel. The uber stylish 94 year old is the new star of the Melbourne company Blue Illusion’s digital and print campaign for Fall 2016, set to launch Monday. Go Iris!