Jeans can be so much more than your standard weekend staple. Pick the right style, add the right accessories and you’ve got yourself a sharp, fresh look
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funny thing happened at the Venice film festival this year: Julia Roberts turned up in jeans. A film festival red carpet usually means chiffon and sequins, bare shoulders and sweeping hems, but Julia – look, I feel like we are on first-name terms at this point – wore dark Versace jeans with a pale striped blouse and a tailored blazer. And, yes, it is probably important to acknowledge here that when your smile alone could stop gondola traffic your clothes have less heavy lifting to do – but still. It was a moment. A new era of looking smart in jeans has begun.
Most of us feel a bit conflicted about jeans. They are our default setting on a Saturday, but when we need to look smart, we reach for something else. But jeans, worn right, can take you to the office or a nice restaurant with flair to spare. And most of us don’t need to worry too much about the red carpet, after all.
Let’s start with the basics. If your jeans sag at the knees or drag on the ground, no amount of silk blouse wizardry will save the outfit. Smart jeans are about clean lines, good tailoring and a fit that complements you. The extra-wide, extra-long denim that is everywhere at the moment can look great dressed up for let-loose parties. But for a look that reads as semi-formal, a straight leg hits the right tailoring-adjacent note, and the hem should sit just at the top of your shoe. Straight jeans are helpful because they know how to behave themselves in company. If straight jeans had a personality, they would be punctual and polite, very Type A. This is why they are your friend here.
