Here’s 11 Unexpected (But Still Brilliant) Ways To Wear Denim

If the prospect of a denim belt feels a little Britney-circa-the-noughties, whipping a Levi’s lightweight denim shirt into a makeshift belt round your waist is the answer. It won’t hold your jeans up, but it will break up your outfit while hiding the bit of your ass and your hips that you’d rather not show off.

Try going for the opposite shade of your top – this faded denim shirt would work with a pop of colour or white denim.

Levi's Denim Shirt (Belted), £70

Wait, hear us out – light and distressed skinnies, a la here, are a totally acceptable way to introduce a little lightness into your usually dour autumn look without looking like Liz Hurley.

The key is to avoid brilliant white which is a little Desperate Housewife by going light grey – then pair with dark pumps or trainers (heels can feel a bit MILF ya know?). If you want to take it one step further, go for DIY rips at the knee.

Levi's Grey Jeans, £100

Ripped denim. Turns out, you don’t need to be Joan Jett to pull this look off. Who knew! The good thing about whopping great tears is that you can pick and choose to show off the best part of your legs. Us? It’s our calves (shout out, cyclists).

Rip where appropriate with scissors first, then manually, rubbing your finger along the cut to get the frays. Team with flats, something a little more refined on top (structured tees and blazers are a good start) and pretend you’ve heard of The Ramones. No one will know otherwise.

Levi's Black Jeans (which we then ripped), £80

High waist or low rise, the beauty of denim is that provided it’s slim fitting, they are no rules about Tucking Stuff In. Having a cake day? Go for something big, warm and slouchy like this gal.

This loose-knit cardigan is long enough to cover the bits you generally like to cover and even means you can unzip your flies should that be necessary. Best of all, it means you don’t have to wear a coat.

Levi's Knitwear, from £50

Double denim? Please. Why not try triple. Quadruple even. Here are some mathematical combos for you – jeans, shirt and jacket. Shorts, jacket and bag. We could go on but we won’t.

History has been unkind to wearing multiple denim - cheers, Brokeback Mountain - but wearing different shades of denim (black, stonewashed and indigo) and mixing up the cut – tight and slouchy – is a totally wearable way to do it. And totally cool.

Levi's Ripped Jeans, £130; Grey Jacket, £230; Denim Shirt, £60

Hands up if you‘ve tried this one. Thought so. Well now’s your chance. This is best if you keep the rest of the look feminine and relatively formal.

This cropped fitted biker jacket in black does the job nicely – covering and hiding just enough, with a serious zip if you suddenly freak out about the fact you’re not wearing a top. It’s relatively easy to pull off provided your bra is opaque and (we think) heavily logo’d (try a Moschino, a Sports bra or something monochrome by Calvin Klein) and a serious, statement jacket.

Levi's Jacket, £295

Denim skirts are the gift that keep on giving. Oddly smart, denim fabric is so stiff it creates a much better silhouette than, say, a body-con skirt and is far more flattering too. It’s also great if you need to wee in a bush.

This stonewashed version is TDF. Otherwise, have a go yourself by unpicking the inner seam of your jeans and trim the bottom until they’re a good, mid-calf length. Add some Converse, tuck in a blouse or tee, and it’s like grunge never died.

Levi's Denim Skirt, £50

Ooh but who doesn’t like textures? Double-layered denim can feel a bit… much for some of us. This look – which pairs a tailored denim shirt with a suede skirt (or shorts) is the answer.

Try spraying these shorts with waterproof show spray. Not because you’ll wet yourself - because, well, this is England.

Denim Shirt, £60; Levi's Suede Shorts, £90

Sometimes simple is best. The Levi’s Curve ID range is designed to fit like a glove and show off your assets. If you want to make your jeans the focal point of the look – and why the hell not – pair your slim cuts with a lumberjack shirt. Very Alexa Chung. Very Twin Peaks. Very now.

The best thing about this look? It takes about 90 seconds to throw together because frankly, you have better things to do with your day.

Lumberjack Shirt, £70; Levi's Jeans, £85

Statement T-shirts are the gift that keep on giving. Worn with low rise jeans and a leather jacket and you'll basically look down with the kids without seeming too political or having to pretend you know who The Ramones are.

If 'Frankie Says Relax' feels a bit hackneyed, then go for this one in black which is wacky enough to not look normcore.

Statement T-shirt, £30; Levi's Bomber Jacket, £295

We call this the Mullet Outfit. OK we don’t, but you get the idea: business up top, party underneath. Denim isn’t always welcome in the office but who knew a denim shirt could be smart?

Provided you keep the jeans simple (try a Slim Fit) with the right styling – a simple, chic cream patterned shirt, like this one – it’s definitely semi-formal enough for some workplaces if not, the evening.

Shirt, £70

; Levi's Jeans, £95