How To Wear (And Not To Wear): Light Wash Jeans

Summer is upon us (technically June 21st in the Northern Hemisphere), and brighter colors are, per usual during the spring/summer months, dominant. While dark washes are still as sleek as ever, light wash jeans and white jeans are ever chic and ubiquitous.

We all know that light wash jeans can be much less flattering than their dark wash counterpart, especially as we are faced with the popularity of boyfriend/slouchy cigarette styles. Many of us shudder at the thought of blaring white denim, accentuating our lower bodies in all the wrong places. Well listen up fashionista/os: here are our essential tips on pairing your light wash denim.

1. Light Wash Jeans with an Airy Top

Ashlee Simpson in Light Wash Jeans

Match the lightness of your denim with an airy, floral print top or a light and loose garment to match. Watch Ashlee Simpson balance the light airiness of her top with slim fit light wash jeans and summery sandals. Effortlessly whimsical, Ashlee is the epitome of summer style.

2. Light Wash Jeans with a dark blazer and heels

Gwyneth Paltrow pictured with Stella Mccartney in Light Wash Jeans

Lo Bosworth in Light Wash Jeans

As an instant way to chic, heels and a blazer with denim is simply a failsafe look. With light denim, a blazer and heels balances out the casual nature of the denim and helps it pop in contrast to the darker colors of the blazer.

3. Cuffed Light Wash Jeans

Eva Longoria in Light Wash Jeans

For an every day look, roll up your light wash jeans into a 2” cuff and pair with a pair of cute flats or sneakers, especially for petite women like Eva. Cuffing jeans helps elongate the legs and draws attention to your feet, so make sure to wear a cute pair of flats, sandals, or heels! Even if you’re not quite ready for boyfriend jeans and heels, you can still benefit from the better functionality and lighter look of cuffed jeans.

What NOT To Do: 

1. Make Daisy Dukes an Oopsie Daisy. While we would never discount any use of denim (well, ALMOST), Daisy Dukes are not meant for every girl (despite their newest advocate, Katy Perry). If you’re going to wear them, make sure they have enough coverage in front and back, aren’t ripped in embarrassing places, and that you balance them out with a more conservative top.

2. White Out. What is the point of wearing ALL white? Overkill much? Balance in fashion is key, so try to keep it to one or two white pieces with more subtle colors to match (especially if your skin tone is lighter!).

3. Wear 1/4 of a jean. Ripped jeans, destroyed jeans. What’s next? Jean scraps? If you’re going to wear ripped light wash jeans there is a fine line between radically ripped and getting a denim peepshow. Know the difference and you’ll be golden!

posted by: evan on June 18, 2010 at 12:50 pm
filed under: Trend Alert | Add a comment
TAGS: jeans, light wash jeans

Back to blog home

There are currently no comments for this entry. Be the first!