What to wear this weekend: FEMAIL picks out the best smart casual jeans

What to wear this weekend: FEMAIL picks out the best smart casual jeans for effortless style this season

  • Dinah Van Tulleken shares advice for embracing the smart casual jeans trend 
  • British style editor says high-rise jeans pull you in at the waist and lengthen legs 
  • Here, Dinah reveals a selection of retailers currently stocking the trend 


THE NEW SMART CASUAL

Denim — the most enduring of fabrics and trends — is the ultimate wardrobe staple. A good pair of jeans is the foundation for a huge range of outfits. And these days, they’re just as important when dressing up. Yes, smart jeans are no longer an oxymoron — as long as they’re beautifully tailored.

DESIGNER DENIM

Post-pandemic, even the most unlikely brands have been turning their attention to sharp denim. Last year saw Erdem, known for his floaty feminine florals, team up with Universal Standard to create a denim range that included a gorgeous boiler suit, frayed-edge skirt and straight-leg jeans.

At Hermes, creative director Nadege Vanhee-Cybulski went for blanket coats, co-ords and dresses all in dark tailored denim. Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior also got in on the action, sending elegant front-pleat jeans down the catwalk.

Dinah Van Tulleken shares advice for embracing this season’s smart casual jeans trend at any occasion. Pictured: Blazer, £227, maje.com; knit tank, £75, boden.co.uk; blue jeans, £49.95, gap.co.uk; loafers, £195, russellandbromley.co.uk

GO WIDE, NEVER SAGGY

Some simple rules: don’t go anywhere near skinny jeans — their time is up. You don’t want anything ripped (the 1990s are back and with them ripped denim — fine only for teens who don’t remember the last time around), loose or low-slung. A structured wide-leg is what you’re after, ideally with a high waist. You want to feel comfortable but secure, cool but grown-up.

MADE FOR BLAZERS

When it comes to colour, anything goes as long as it’s blue. For the adventurous, try a stonewash, such as the Gap design I’m wearing here. Or you can’t go wrong with a deep indigo like The Outnet pair below. Oh, and a blazer will finish the look perfectly.

NOW SHOP THE TREND…

Frame at matchesfashion.com

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Wandler at net-a-porter.com

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk