50 ways to wear

DENIM
lauren friedman

50 Ways to
Wear Denim
Lauren Friedman

Copyright 2016 by Lauren

Friedman.
All rights reserved. No part of this
book may be reproduced in any
form without written permission
from the publisher.
Library of Congress Catalogingin-Publication Data available.
ISBN 978-1-4521-4999-8
Manufactured in China

Design by Hillary Caudle

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com

To my father and brother,

who are as loyal and lovable as my favorite pair of jeans.

contents

introduction: A Love Letter to Denim

the school of denim
The Looks
1. the push off
How to Wear Skinny Jeans

2. the Siren

8
12

22
24

How to Wear Flare Jeans

3. the Off-Duty Starlet

26

How to Wear Baggy Jeans

4. the Peg

28

How to Peg Your Jeans

5. the Bon Vivant

30

How to Wear Straight-Leg Jeans

6. the Cornucopia

32

How to Wear Colored Jeans

7. the Captain

34

How to Wear White Jeans

8. the Midnight Poet

36

How to Wear Black Jeans

9. the Bold Italic

38

How to Wear Statement Jeans

10. the Second Skin

40

How to Break in Your Jeans

11. the Wasp Waist

How to Wear High-Waisted Jeans

42

 12. the Ankle Grazer

44

How to Wear Cropped Jeans

13. the Up and at Em

46

How to Wear Rolled-Up Jeans

14. the Wonder Woman

48

How to Wear Jeans with Boots

15. the Truest Blue
How to Wear Denim on Denim

50

16. the Baby Blues

52

How to Dress Your Eyes in Denim

17. the Essence

54

How to Wear Jeans with a White T-Shirt

18. the Rabble-Rouser

56

How to Wear a Jean Jacket

19. the Comrade

58

How to Wear a Denim Shirt

20. the Ringleader

60

How to Cuff the Sleeves of a Denim Shirt

21. the Curves Ahead

62

How to Make a Denim Shirt into

a Cross-Body Top

22. the Heartbreaker

64

How to Knot Your Denim Shirt

23. The Thunderbird

66

How to Personalize Your Denim

24. The Gamine

68

How to Wear Denim with Stripes

25. The Star Pupil

How to Wear Denim with Sequins

70

 26. The Meow Mix

72

How to Mix Denim with Leopard Print

27. The Country Club

Iconoclast

74

How to Wear Denim with Plaid

28. The Tigress

76

How to Mix Denim with Faux Fur

29. The Hi-Fidelity

78

How to Wear a Denim Dress

30. The Through the

Looking-Glass

80

How to Wear an Oversize Denim

Shirt as a Skirt

31. The Lucky Strike

82

How to Wear a Denim Skirt

32. The Countess

84

How to Tie a Denim Sash

33. The New Frontier

86

How to Wear Denim Overalls

34. The Prairie Wind

88

How to Wear a Denim Vest with a Dress

35. The Party Crasher

90

How to Wear Denim Shorts

36. The Catch of the Summer

92

How to Make Cutoff Denim Shorts

37. The Third-Wave Warrior

94

How to Wear a Denim Jumpsuit

38. The Cupids Arrow

How to Wear Denim with Jewelry

96

 39. The Left Bank

98

How to Wear a Scarf with Denim

40. The Sugarplum

100

How to Wear Denim on a Date

41. The Boss

102

How to Wear Denim to Work

42. The New School

104

How to Wear Denim with Athletic Gear

43. The Modern Redux

106

44. The Penny Edition

108

How to Wear Denim to a Dressy Event

How to Wear Denim When Running Errands

45. The Point-and-Shoot

110

How to Wear Denim When Getting

Your Photograph Taken

46. The Elements

112

How to Wear Denim in Harsh Weather

47. The Hobbyist

114

How to Wear Heavy-Duty Denim

48. The Flight School

116

How to Wear Denim When Traveling

49. The Weekender

118

How to Wear Denim with Loungewear

50. The Never-Ending
How to Recycle Your Denim

Story

120

The History of Denim

122
Suggestions for Further Reading
128
Acknowledgments 128

Introduction

A Love Letter to Denim

There arent many fabrics in our wardrobes that get better with age the
way that denim does. In fact, there havent been many items like denim
that have so substantially filled the collective closet of human civilization. Denim is democratic; it cuts across social and class lines. But
its also egalitarian in a sartorial sense: Most pieces in your wardrobe
would play quite nicely with a bit of denim. Its continuously fresh, yet
amazingly unchanged since it first entered mainstream fashion; what
looked good fifty years ago, by and large, still looks good today.

Denim stretches and softens much in the same way that we humans do
over time. For some of us, our favorite pair of jeans is like the security
blanket we clutched as babieswhen we wear them, we know that all
is right with the world. For others, denim is a talisman linking us to our
pastand not just our individual past, but also our cultural past. Denim
is durable and everlasting. Our connections to many of the denim
items in our lives probably hold the record for the longest-running
relationship any of us have ever had with a single article of clothing.
(Many of us have known and loved our favorite pair of jeans longer
than weve known our best friends!) Denim is by nature hardworking,
yet how often do we really thank it for faithfully serving us every day
that we reach for it in the closet or drawer?
This book, dear reader, is my love letter to denim. Denim and Ilike
you and your own denimhave enjoyed a lifelong relationship. There
were the overalls I wore back throughout childhoodwith knees that
were always dirty from building forts in the backyardthat were as
comforting as a hug from my mother. (To this day, I feel at once safe

50 ways to wear denim

10

and adventurous when I wear overalls.) There were the boot-cut jeans
I wore devotedly in high school until I slipped into my first pair of skinny
jeans. (The thrill of that moment was as memorable as my first teenage
crush.) And there are denim pieces Im devoted to todaydenim cutoffs, a pair of high-waisted flare jeans, an embroidered chambray shirt
lifted from my dads closet, to name just a fewthat always make me
feel like myself when I put them on.
Throughout the process of writing this book, I had the perfect excuse
to invest in new denim pieces, like a new denim skirt, a denim jumpsuit,
and a sparkling new pair of white jeans. But as I wrote and sketched, I
also fell more deeply in love with the denim items I already owned, like
my treasured jean jacket and a pair of untreated skinny jeans that I finally
set out to break in. (And yes, I did jump into the ocean with them on, all
in the name of research for the tips listed in look #10, How to Break in
Your Jeans.) This book is not intended to pressure you into buying new
clothes (though I dont blame you if you are so inspired!), but rather to
encourage you to recommit more fully to the ones you already own.

11

This book is also a head-to-toe fashion styling guide for wearing denim
every day, for every occasion, and as a means for every form of selfexpression you can imagine. Holding this book in your hands, you are
heralding in a new era of denim adoration in your life. As you browse
the looks and illustrations in these pages, picture your own cherished
denim pieces. Picture too, the denim pieces and ensembles of your
dreamsand make them a reality!
Let your creativity fly free.
Lauren

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The School of Denim

DENIM DICTIONARY

Get to know your denim! Here is a list of all the basic terms
regarding your favorite fabric.
Abrasion: the process of making jeans
look faded or worn by scraping, sanding,
or rubbing the surface.

Crocking: the process of dark denim

dye rubbing off and bleeding onto skin
or other fabrics.

Acid wash: a wash created not with

acid but with pumice stones and bleach,
patented by the Rifle Jeans Company in
Italy in 1986.

Garment-dyed: a description of
a garment that is dyed after it is made,
rather than a garment that is made from
dyed yarn.

Bar tack: stitches that provide reinforcement in areas subject to wear and
tear, such as pocket openings and zippers.

Honeycombs: faded lines seen at

the back of the knees on a pair of jeans,
named for their resemblance to a honeycomb pattern.

Chambray: a plain-woven, denim-like

fabric with a crisscross weave (rather than
the diagonal weave of denim fabric).
Cotton: the predominant fiber in denim
fabric.

15

Indigo dye: a naturally occurring

blue-colored compound found in plants
traditionally used to color denim fabric.
Loom: a device used to weave fabric.

Raw: a description of denim that has not

been rinsed or prewashed.
Ring-spun: a description of denim
that is woven on older looms; characterized by tiny knots, or slubs, that run
through the yarn.
Rivet: a small metal tab used to reinforce pressure points in denim garments;
first utilized by Levi Strauss & Co. in 1872.
Sanforize: a process that reduces
denim shrinkage by stretching and manipulating raw denim before it is washed;
developed in the 1920s and patented by
Sanford Lockwood Cluett.
Selvedge: a slim woven band on the
edge of denim fabric that prevents it from
unraveling; derived from the term self
edge.

Watch pocket: a small pocket often

seen above the front pocket of a pair of
jeans. Introduced by Levis in 1902, it was
originally intended for storing a pocket
watch, but got progressively smaller as
the use of pocket watches declined and
is now referred to as a coin pocket.
Weave: to construct fabric by inter-
lacing threads, often using a loom.
Weight: a property of a fabric, measured in ounces, based on the density
and heft of the yarn used to weave it.
Whiskering: faded horizontal lines
seen around the crotch and waist of jeans,
named for their resemblance to a cats
whiskers.
Yoke: the V-shaped area located under
the back waistline of a pair of jeans that
helps create a curved seat.

Stonewash: a wash created by tumbling raw denim fabric with large stones
that soften the denim, creating a worn-in
appearance.
Twill: a textile weave with a diagonal
pattern, as seen in denim, which is one
type of twill fabric.
Warp and weft: the two yarns
involved in the weaving process. The warp
runs lengthwise and is dyed with indigo.
The weft runs crosswise and is usually
undyed.

50 ways to wear denim

16

white

bleached

light gray

gray

stonewash

seafoam

faded blue

true blue

light indigo

dark indigo

raw navy

black

GUIDE TO WASHES AND FINISHES

This illustration shows the most common denim washes and finishes.
Originally, denim came in one huetrue blue!that resulted from yarn
being dyed with indigo before it was woven into denim cloth. Today
synthetic dyes and a variety of washes and finishes are employed
before and after weaving, resulting in a rainbow of hues.

50 ways to wear denim

18

TIPS FOR FINDING THE PERFECT PAIR OF JE ANS

When picking out a new pair of jeans, consider that most denim fabric
stretches out naturally over time. If youre between two sizes and youre
going for a fitted look, select the smaller pair, as it will stretch to your
natural curves with wear. And remember, the lighter and thinner the
weight of the denim, the more it will stretch.

19

CARING FOR YOUR DENIM

Dirt is a good thing when it comes to denimthe less you wash it, the
longer it will last! My jean jacket, which Ive owned for more than fifteen
years, has never touched a soap sud. It looks better than ever, and all
it smells like is me. If you must wash your denim, first turn the garment
inside out (to avoid fading), throw it in your washing machine, and
select the cold-water setting. Hang to dry.
Beyond the washing machine? The sun is a wonderful natural disinfectant. To harness its cleaning powers, turn your denim inside out (unless
youre going for a faded look) and hang it outside on a sunny afternoon. Others swear by putting their denim in a plastic bag and placing
it in the freezer for up to a week, which can eliminate unwanted smells.
50 ways to wear denim

20

the looks

 1
THE

PUSH OFF
How to Wear Skinny Jeans

Skinny jeans are the figureflaunting foundation on which

any outfit can be built.

With skinny jeans down below, theres nothing you cant wear up top. Try . . .

slouchy tees haphazardly

tucked into the waist,

tunics, either belted for

definition or left relaxed,

mens-style buttonups with the sleeves

pushed up,

oversize sweaters,

a long drapey scarf with

a statement overcoat,

or a bow-tied scarf
with a boxy blazer.

50 ways to wear denim

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 2
THE

Siren
How to Wear Flare Jeans

This look has legs! Flare jeans

are a traffic-stopping head-turner,
thanks to the way they elongate
your bottom half and flatter your
backside. Liberate them from
their hippie past with sleek,
modern points and angles.

Pair flare jeans with . . .

a V-neck (the V shape

adds additional
length to the outfit),

a cropped blazer
or jacket,

Tip: Pockets that are

proportionately scaled
to the size of your
tush and sit slightly
above the center of
each cheek create a
beautiful back view.

and boots that have a

slightly pointed toe.

Fun fact
The U.S. Navy
adopted bell-bottoms
into their uniform as
early as the nineteenth
century. The hems were
easy to roll up, which
was a convenient
feature for sailors
working barefoot on
the decks.

50 ways to wear denim

26

 3
THE

OFF-DUTY
STARLET
How to Wear Baggy Jeans

Even on their days off, starlets

dress to impressbut they still
want to be comfortable. Cue
baggy jeans! They are sweetly
seductive when paired with
feminine tops and accessories
and dont forget the lipstick!

Offset the relaxed fit of baggy jeans with . . .

a classic striped shirt and

a dainty pair of flats,

a gingham button-up and

plain canvas sneakers,

or a prim sweater and

lovely high heels.

Fun fact
This look is inspired
by leading ladies
such as Marilyn
Monroe, Lauren
Bacall, and Katharine
Hepburn, who led the
fashionable pack of
women wearing jeans
throughout history.

50 ways to wear denim

28

 4
THE

PEG
How to Peg Your Jeans

Its easy as 1-2-3! This quick trick

can rein in the slack of a baggy
pair of jeans or help spotlight a
fabulous pair of shoes.

Fun fact
Cowboys used the cuff
of their jeans to hold
a pack of cigarettes
or as an ashtray when
they roamed over dry
flammable brush on
the range.

For a great peg every time . . .

1 Pull the front of the

2 Keeping a tight hold

3 Repeat with the

pant leg away from

your body. Then fold it
toward your opposite
leg, creating a pleat.

on the front of the pant

leg, grab the bottom layer
of denim and fold all
fabric upwardonce, then
twice to secure the pleat.
Adjust the tightness of the
roll to your preference.

other pant leg.

Pair pegged jeans with traffic-stopping shoes, like . . .

lace-up ankle boots,

T-strap heels or
pointy-toed pumps,

or flats, mules, or slides.

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 5
THE

Bon Vivant
How to Wear Straight-Leg
Jeans

This debonair look says you enjoy

the finer things in life: good food
and drink, a thrilling performance,
sublime literature, andmost
importantan exquisite pair
of jeans.

Get this look!

Start with immaculately

pressed straight jeans.

Add a crisp
button-up shirt

and a classic menswearinspired accessory, like

a tie or pocket square.

Top with a pinstriped

blazer, letting the cuffs
of your shirt peek just
so from the sleeves.

Slip into a handsome pair

of shoes, like brogues or
wing tips, freshly shined.

The finishing touch

is a pair of vintage
tortoiseshell sunglasses.

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