Denim Is the Fashion World’s Funnest Flex Right Now. Here’s How to Wear the Latest Styles.

Jeans will never not fascinate. Giorgio Armani once said they “represent democracy in fashion,” while Yves Saint Laurent, the world’s greatest couturier, famously declared they were the one thing he wished he’d invented: “They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity—all I hope for in my clothes.”

Sure, but how to wear them now? The downside of denim’s Zelig-like versatility is that it’s invariably the first thing to fall victim to fashion’s newest trend obsessions. Are we meant to be revisiting the ’80s stonewashed era, the oversize, hem-dragging ’90s, or the bootcut aughts—or, wait, is that actually more of a flower-power bell-bottom vibe? The answer is yes, and more besides. But forget all that: The good news is that, for spring, top designers have turned out a staggering amount of covetable denim options with, crucially, strong points of view on how to incorporate them into our ever-shifting wardrobes. To wit: Stòffa’s relaxed trousers made from upcycled cotton by a small family-run mill in Guatemala; Brunello Cucinelli’s superlative Western shirts infused with a hint of Yellowstone swagger; and an unexpectedly dapper, leather-trimmed mandarin-collar jacket from Loro Piana. Massimo Alba toyed with the material’s workwear roots via a lightweight carpenter-style pant (see right) and, for the daring, Prada presented funky-cool jean blazers.

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“We saw denim used a lot in preppy styling for spring,” notes Sophie Jordan, men’s buying director at online luxury retailer Mytheresa, “and back to being paired with shirts and ties. It’s a new, smarter take—but it’s still cool. It’s not a formal look.” Indeed, as the pandemic reordered the way we engage with office life, that extends to how we think about our workaday uniforms; a denim shirt worn with wool trousers and a sport coat is a way to acknowledge the increasingly blurry line that divides “formal” from “casual” attire (if that line even still exists) and calls to mind how Ralph Lauren often styles faded denim with tailored pieces such as double-breasted navy blazers or even tuxedo jackets. Jordan recommends mixing the material with more sumptuous natural fabrics (think downy cashmere sweaters and nubby tweed coats) for a pleasing high-low mix and textural contrast.

Andrew Weitz, a Los Angeles–based executive-style consultant who dresses Hollywood agents, professional athletes, and C-suite tech execs, says he has been guiding his clients away from the slimmer fits of yore and nudging them, gently, toward easier cuts, including those on offer from Zegna and Frame. “It used to be about tapering below the knee and hitting at the tongue of your sneaker,” he says. “Now it’s about more of a fuller look, with a bit of a break.”

But as the shape relaxes below the waist, the fit above must change accordingly. Weitz notes that the current look is moving away from trim, body-hugging tops and toward softer, more forgiving shirts and sweaters—which is not to suggest you should simply buy your favorite button-down a size larger than normal. Instead, look for brands intentionally designing with these freer cuts in mind, such as Loewe and Wales Bonner.

The fact that jeans are getting lighter and looser should be a welcome turn of events for many guys, as straighter cuts complement most body types, from Jacob Elordi to A$AP Rocky to Barry Keoghan, all of whom have been spotted rocking roomier styles of late. The spring runways were heavy on washed-out, sun-faded hues—see the Row, Missoni, and A.P.C.—as well as on white denim, as executed perfectly by the Italian brand synonymous with nonchalant cool: Boglioli. For those who like the thrill of the hunt, one can never go wrong with a pair of vintage Levi’s 501s, the Platonic ideal of straight-cut jeans.

Both Jordan and Weitz note that denim is now considered by all but the most buttoned-up to be such a foundational fabric that it’s unlikely to raise eyebrows in the majority of offices (law and finance being the notable holdouts). Pairing jeans with more classic elements—blazers, cashmere knits, and loafers, suggests Jordan—remains foolproof, with Weitz suggesting darker washes will deliver the most mileage. He also encourages thinking beyond jeans. “Denim shirts can work for a more outdoorsy guy,” he says, “but what I love doing, including for myself, is wearing a chambray shirt, where you can get that denim look,” but with a material that’s by nature lighter and more breathable. He adds that, as the weather warms up, denim trucker jackets and shirt jackets are perfect as functional, stylish layering pieces.

Or, if all else fails, you’ll never go wrong pairing denim with the other elemental pillars of every man’s wardrobe: a crisp white T-shirt, a pair of oxfords, and a killer overcoat.

Styling by Charles Bumgardner
Market Editor Luis Campuzano

Workwear’s Softer Side

It should come as no surprise that Massimo Alba, the man who dressed James Bond in a slouchy corduroy suit (in No Time to Die—you may have heard about it when it broke the menswear internet?) likes to play with convention. Case in point: these baggy denim trousers that nod to the material’s hardworking origins (oversize front patch pockets, horn-button fly) as well as more contemporary denimhead obsessions—the winkingly clever red-lined selvedge detail atop the right rear pocket—all in a featherweight and sumptuously soft cotton that looks like your favorite pair of jeans but wears far more luxuriantly. $380 Josh Condon 

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