My wardrobe is always changing with additions and donations! Regarding denim, I love and wear denim bottoms more than anything else, blue, black, white, and a few colors, and keep them for a long time. My latest additions have been high waisted straight Levi’s, don’t like the wider, cropped styles for me. I have never found a jean skirt that fit comfortably but did buy some in the past because I liked the idea of a jean skirt; won’t try again! I donated both jean jackets (blue and white) during a recent move. Just wasn’t wearing them, preferring cardigans when I needed a topper. I like denim shirts, button up shirts of all types is a constant for me; I bought a second to split wears and be sure I had one available. I have one pair of white denim shorts and enjoy wearing them in the summer; they go with everything and fit relatively well. Overall, I am maintaining my love of denim bottoms and shirts.

It’s completely essential but only in bottoms. I see the usefulness of a denim jacket and have an imperfect one that I throw on to go for a walk on those cooler summer evenings, but I have always found them to be one of those deceptive ‘simple’ ‘classic’ ‘basics’ that actually come in a large range of stylings & proportions which go in and out of style like anything else. I feel the same way about white denim as you I think, and purged mine years ago (no regrets). I love it with Angie’s colour and pattern rich wardrobe but that’s not my summer style currently.
It’s not totally clear to me if you’re asking for advice here so please disregard as needed - no, you don’t need to up your denim game to refresh your style right this minute (or season).

@Lisa yes! I bought them as a spring wild card and I LOVE them. Mind you, I don't love them as much when I see them after in photos but my solution for that is don't look at the photos haha. I think they are more flattering with a fitted top worn longer. Which blogger is it if you don't mind? I've actually got a couple of great workhorses from Dynamite (moto and striped dress)

I am definitely a jeans person, always have been. I wear them year round except in July and August when it is too hot. I prefer only a dark wash in which ever style is current. I have a denim skirt that I have had for 14 years and I love it in Spring and Autumn, although it is on it's last legs, just did some repairs to the back slit area. I have a couple of denim dresses, one has turned into a workhorse this Spring/Summer. I never realised that although it has 3/4 sleeves it is exceptionally cool. Prefering a bit more cover on my arms these days. Denim Jackets I used to love and have a few different washes but have 'grown out' of them in recent years, wanting a more grown up vibe.

I wear denim a lot, but not much in high summer. Too hot, as you say, and too heavy. Especially if you live where there is a lot of humidity and nights don't cool down.

This is my current denim collection. A couple of pairs of BF jeans in different sizes, a lighter wash slim straight and a slightly darker one, a dark wash boot cut, a couple of white jeans and a pair of dark shorts and white shorts, along with two denim shirts and a white jacket and a blue one (in my closet since I joined YLF!) Oh-- and a pair of trendier olive balloon pants -- I'm not really sure they qualify as denim since they have some linen in them or something -- they are not the same fabric, really, but fill the same function.

It's interesting -- I'd say denim is signature to my style in white and blue but I used to depend on it more for the trend factor than I have in recent years. Lately I've been wearing fairly conservative cuts. Not sure why that is -- it might just be pandemic related or might be related to what has felt comfortable on the body. Hmmm.

Suz, it was/is you and Angie that always come to mind when I think of denim. Interesting observation that yours are not filling the trendier role they once did.

Helena - she's called becomingclothesminded on IG. She's actually from Wpg but now lives in Airdrie, AB. She's a big thrifter too, which is always interesting to view . Best hair too

Jules, yes, we're on the same page. And I appreciate most advice - lol. Thanks for yours!

JamC - what do you wear your denim shirts with?

Honestly, I haven't really worn denim regularly since my early 20s. I just don't like it: I don't enjoy how it feels, I find outfits with it to be too plain, and it isn't something I reach for. Like you, I have tried denim in all sorts of incarnations, but it rarely works. I do have a peplum denim jacket I wear and a hot pink denim jacket that I wear, but otherwise I don't wear denim jackets, either. And I've probably tried 20 different chambray shirts, but I just simply don't wear them. Denim skirts are also not an option for me, as the shorter ones feel too young and the slightly longer skirts are associated with a certain brand of religiosity.

Fortunately, I'm trying to avoid shoving myself into some denim-shaped hole these days. I go with what works for me and leave the "classics" that I am "supposed" to have to others who wear them far better than I do!

I wore it daily year round, for decades, cutoffs in summer, found it very easy to dress up or down and that it added a trendy but utilitarian factor that was fundamental to my style.

I was a little shocked by the environmental impact of denim but I might have overrode that had I not also started to find it uncomfortable and more frumpy than flattering, the utilitarian outweighing the trendy.

Denim lover here. And yes for me it’s both a personal style issue and an environmental norm. A few years ago, before we were allowed to wear jeans to the office I owned 2 or 3 pairs. Now, I own and regularly wear dozens. All kinds of blue and a white. I don’t wear black jeans. I’ve tried, but they just don’t work for me. Like others have mentioned I rarely wear jeans in the summer. I own 1 pair of denim shorts, which I love and wear a lot. but I find denim shorts harder to find than denim pants, because I like them to be loose on the leg, and 100% cotton. And I like length but not to much. Yup, I’m kind of picky

I love my denim, and it makes up a lot of my wardrobe and I wear it every day. I'm fascinated with how it changes as it ages. But I only have pants. No shorts or dresses, skirts or jackets or blouses at the moment. I don't find denim jackets comfortable, though I have tried. And since I always have denim bottoms, it's too much denim. My eight pair of denim are straight leg and tend toward wide leg and I can turn them up, no hemming required.

I do envision that I might wear less denim someday, who knows! I've always loved denim and workwear since I was a teen when we had to buy mens. I'm currently hunting the perfect pair of wider leg chino's. We'll see if I find them, and then, if I actually will end up wearing them! I also find myself craving some wide leg cropped corduroys for fall/winter.

Funny thing is, the heat wave here in the PNW had me wearing one of my two dresses. I bought a short kaftan in black linen this winter that was half price and I'd looked at for months. It's perfect, not too long, nice and loose, but not too loose. And it turns out I DID wear it, thought I might not, and I DID wear it around the house too. No AC and it felt great!

YKK- there is plenty of denim that holds colour ( which is also a result of how you as the wearer cares for a cleans it ) and isn’t heavy or coarse . There are many seaming options too .

Sharan - you’re another with whom I associate denim and your collection is indeed always current .

Kkards - I nodded along with your age / generation signifier that denim jackets can represent . Maybe that’s really why I don’t wear them . They serve a really valuable purpose for those who wear dresses a lot and need something other than a formal blazer or ubiquitous cardigan for protection from AC . But I think I’d personally prefer an interesting casual linen blazer or moto style jacket which I had on my radar to purchase this summer and haven’t found. .

Maybe I should give myself a denim/jeans challenge.

Jeans are super essential to me in three seasons — in summer, not so much. It was actually a treat to be able to wear my COH Emerson’s a couple of times last week in Maine. My denim style is pretty basic and not terribly trendy because a lot do trends do not flatter me — I stick with mostly mid rises, boyfriend, straight or bootcut styles, and mostly mid to darker washes. White jeans are just a fail on me.

I have a couple of pairs of denim shorts and they are mostly just for around the house. I do have some Jag denim Bermuda shorts that I can tolerate facing the world in.

I have several denim jackets and they don’t get worn a ton, but when I need them, nothing else will do. They get worn with skirts and dresses in warmer weather in the evening, and sometimes layered for transitional weather, but never worn with other denim — I can’t do the denim tuxedo thing either.

I have a denim pencil skirt in my holding zone — I’m about 10 lbs over the right weight to wear it. Not sure if I’ll be in the mood for it if/when I lose the weight. I think I last wore it around the time I turned 50, and I’m about to turn 57 — LOL. It may need to go.

I gave up on chambray/denim shirts — too stiff and/or too heavy for summer. I did just get a lovely gauzy Rails shirt that does the trick instead.

Denim is a significant player in my wardrobe. I wear jeans more than any other bottom. In mid-summer, I wear my baggy jeans. A denim shirt is something I grab to wear with shorts when I am walking the dog. I wear my denim jackets with my non-denim bottoms. I don't do the Canadian tuxedo. I will wear my white denim jacket with blue denim jeans.
This is my current denim capsule. I am looking for another pair of jeans.

I have no denim at all, although I did try on a denim jacket recently. But it never has been a big part of my wardrobe.

This is an interesting and thought-provoking discussion.

I don't have denim jackets any more, and I've never had a denim shirt.

I wear long jeans only when the weather is chilly or cold all day. And then only when I want some easiness/dress down/non-attention-getting in my outfit. (Or for working outside.) Jeans aren't my favorite for sitting so I avoid them for working at a desk, travel, or lots of driving.

My denim favorite is jean shorts. I practically grew up in them and still feel totally at ease in them. My currently-worn favorites are a model with stretch denim in back and non-stretch denim in front. I stumbled on them on clearance at Kohl's, bought 3 pair in 2 sizes, and never found any more. They're wonderful.

I used to wear jeans every day in cooler weather. Now I wear nylon hiking pants around the house, which suit my usual activities - such as gardening and playing with dogs.

I have lots of pairs of jeans - bootcut, wide leg, cropped, and boyfriend in blue, black and white. I never wore skinny jeans. I wore white cropped jeans just yesterday. It was forecasted to be cooler. And it was - it was only 100. I changed to shorts the second I got home.

COH light wash - love them!
Mother - Frey weekender - love them year round (2 pairs)
I have 2 pairs of kut from the cloth white that I wear often
and a few others - gap girlfriend for at home wear only - they stretch hugely and I sized down 2 sizes!
WHBM girlfriend jeans in a light wash that I have worn a lot this summer as they are lighter weight.

my lifestyle is super casual!

I also have 2 white denim jackets - dont get worn too often. I added a light wash oversized this past year and did wear in Florida during the month of February.

I have a darker wash kut from the cloth denim jacket that is a shorter length that gets worn often in spring and fall with dresses.

no denim shirts for this gal.

You are preaching to the choir, friend. I haven’t worn jeans regularly for at least 2-3 years. Gaining weight And changing body shape has something to do with it - so did the fact that I just refuse to do the amount of try ons and returns I need to do to get have that fit properly. I need things I can order online easily. Add that to the fact that I find jeans constricting on the belly, uncomfortable, and sausage like - and I’m out.

I have a couple of the slouchy girlfriend cuts your mention and I don’t mind them with heels. But I never wear jeans in summer - I prefer wide leg culottes, edged up with funky footwear (a trick I learned from you.) and in winter I find dress pants with a little stretch much more comfortable and flattering.

Here is the last time I wore jeans - in early spring - with a sparkly tuxedo blazer and Refined burgundy combat boots for Mother’s Day.

ooh - nice outfit Roxanna - and great to see you again ! xo

Echoing LJP. I miss your fab outfits, and thrifting reports Roxanna.

I have lots of pairs of jeans in all washes and styles. In the winter I still reach for the skinny jeans out of laziness, they are so easy to stuff into boots and wear during wet or snowy weather.
I have two pairs of cropped wide legs one in blue denim and one in cream denim. The blue denim are worn more as the cream pair are too wide for me at the top of the leg on the thigh and look stupid. Why don't I donate them I now ask myself.
The cropped flare jeans don't get worn much as they are slightly tight and I find hard to style with footwear .
White jeans, I wear out in the evening during the summer. My blue denim doesn't get worn in the summer.
Denim shirts - I have two they don't get much wear. I don't wear double denim and I now that I've read other fabbers posts I also think the shirts are probably too masculine a look for me which I why they sit in my closet.
Denim shorts- I have one pair from Old Navy that I bought this summer after not having a pair for about 8 years . They are surprisingly comfortable and I wear them up at our house in The Thousand Islands NY, its super relaxed there. I will probably never wear them out of the house here in PA
Denim jackets, I have 3 two blue and one white. I take them with me to places just in case I'm cold. I have a J Crew denim skirt that gets worn about 6 times per summer, I also struggle with the tops for skirts, to tuck or not to tuck.
None of my jeans are really current I'd like some straight legs and some full length flares if I can figure out the fall/winter shoe situation.
I do wear ponte pants quite a lot but only have black, wish I had other colors.

Denim is perfect for my casual lifestyle and weather, and I wear it most days all year long. I've added a few pair of jeans each year for the last five years and wear them all. The oldest are skinny jeans but as styles have changed, I added wide leg, flare, straight leg and overalls. They are comfortable and can be dressed up or down. I have a few pair of pants but they don't get worn much.

Wow - Bonnie , nice collection ! I admit to loving that yellow denim jacket - fab colour . How do you wear your denim jackets ?

I love denim and wear it often (jackets, skirts, jeans and denim shorts), particularly in combination with some of my more dressy pieces. My jeans are not trendy but are worn often. I usually wear my jeans at least 2 days a week unless in high summer weather. My statement denim pieces that I own and wear on high rotation are in finds, I am wearing the pink skirt today!

When it comes to denim, when I get it right, I live in the item (whether they are jeans, a jacket etc). The challenge for me is to be really picky about what I add to my closet and thinking about what wardrobe hole is being filled and not just buying another pair of jeans simply because they fit and are somewhat flattering. I tend revert to my old favourites... trendy denim is not for me.

Thanks LJP. I'm happiest with my light and colorful denim jackets. I got shoes to match them and wear them with sweaters, jeans, pants, and dresses. I'm not sure why but the black and dark blue jackets are harder for me to style satisfactorily. I've added an inspiration photo I like a lot of styling a black denim jacket but mine is oversized so that won't work. My dress is a wild card that is way out of my radar but it was bought to support Ukrainian women and children relocating to other countries

Bijou of course you have the coolest pieces - lol! But smart thinking about not just buying another piece of denim "just because". That's going to be my mantra for jeans going forward .

LJP I think of my denim shirts as an essential wardrobe item for me but not really worn as a fashion statement. I wear shirts with collars and buttons often; more than tees or knit tops. I seem to wear the denim shirts two ways, buttoned and untucked or unbuttoned over a tank or tee. They are part of my very casual and comfy outfits paired with dark, black, colored, or white jeans or joggers. In the winter I do wear them under chunky unbuttoned cardigans. They have occasionally been worn tucked into a skirt with the sleeves pushed up or paired with a plaid trouser to make the outfit more casual. In my very casual life I find them very versatile; like jeans they can go with almost anything. Not sure that would work for you!