Wearing a denim shirt casually is pretty straight forward because that’s how we expect to wear it. Match it up with non-denim casual bottoms, add a few accessories and you’re good to go.  Flop proof.

But I like my denim shirt best when it’s matched with dressy items. That way I’m dressing the denim shirt up AND dressing the rest of the ensemble down. This is also a great way to stretch the wear of dressy pieces in your wardrobe.

So over the next couple of days I’m going to push the boundaries with some unexpected denim shirt ensembles. I enjoy the contrast that this creates. The interpretation feels new and fresh compared to the way I wore denim shirts back in the 90’s.

For this particular outfit I’ve matched a Gap denim shirt with a fancy sparkly cream skirt, casual studded belt and dressy baubles. I pop the collar and scrunch up the sleeves for extra textural interest. A black camisole picks up the black of the booties and fishnet hose. I tend to feel naked without a pop of colour, but a citron wristlet does the trick.

I wear this outfit on a normal work day, adding a coat, trench or jacket when it’s chilly outside. It might be too dressy for some, but it totally works for me. I guess it’s a smart casual outfit because of the denim element, but in my line of work I’m allowed to break the rules so it will pass for creative business casual.