Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

Head-to-Toe Denim for Real Life

by

When I wrote about the head-to-toe denim look last week, I meant it when I said, “Never say never.” I figured most people would pass on the often-unflattering Texas Tuxedo look of jeans and a denim shirt, but that something more wearable would come along. It came along fast! Check out the sophisticated denim looks of the latest Acne/Lanvin collaboration.

Acne/Lanvin dress. Click to shop.

Acne/Lanvin jacket and skirt. Click to shop.

The dress shown here is over $1,000 and the jacket over $2,000, but I’m sure all the fast-fashion chains will have inexpensive knockoffs before you know it. (UPDATED TO ADD: Knock yourself out here, but it looks like it’s worth every penny of $24.80 and not a cent more. And I got this denim dress last year but it’s no longer available.) As the look gets around, I wouldn’t be surprised by a revival of the denim jumpsuit trend that was big in 2001 after Jennifer Lopez wore a Frankie B. suit on the cover of her J. Lo album. Just last December, Lopez was slammed for slipping back into a denim onesie, but I say she was ahead of her time. One of the Beautiful People — actress, singer, model, blogger — will follow in her footsteps and the look will click. Laugh all you want, but remember the scorn heaped on leggings, harem pants and boyfriend jeans before those looks gained momentum. Once the eye adjusts, ugly turns into pretty damn desirable.

And that’s all the excuse I need to repost my favorite Jennifer Lopez clip. Hey, J. Lo, do you want to defend your outfit?

UPDATED TO ADD: Gorgeous blogger Midtown Girl points out a denim jumpsuit in Zac Posen’s lower-priced collection for Saks.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. ::coughs:: I um…kinda wanted that Frankie B denim jumpsuit. If this movement picks up, perhaps I can finally have my J. Lo moment.

    • Having seen your spectacular figure, I think you could be the Beautiful Person who relaunches the trend. Post a pic!

  4. I guess I have done head to toe denim before now that I think about it- a denim dress paired with (almost vintage at this point) bottega veneta denim booties.

    Love denim dresses.

  6. So true… the eye adjusts. Otherwise, fashion would never be allowed to change. I’m really diggin’ that denim dress. Did I just say “diggin’?” I believe so.

  7. i might have to break out my vintage denim jumpsuit. holla! i never say never, as i will almost always undoubtedly find myself in it at some point in time. haha. love.

    xxx
    t

    captcha: rotflmao. this in itself makes me rotflmao!!

  9. I love denim, always have. Now in my forties I thought I’d not wear double denim again, but last weekend found a jeans shirt with sweet little pearl buttons in the shops in Hampstead and wore it out that night with my dark denim 7 jeans. I felt very on trend at Shoreditch House. A great feeling.

    Might get that denim dress next.

    Helena xx

  10. I saw pics of the Lavin/Acne collaboration earlier today and was stunned at the sophisticated things they did with denim. You’re right about never saying never when it comes to new trends, though. 🙂

  13. Miss J is inordinately fond of the dress… You have to love J. Lo- she never does anything half-way. Personally, Miss J loved this look for her. The girl can rock head wear.

  15. now that I got my denim top I was almost brave enough to go out into the world with my Texas tuxedo but got embarrassed at the last minute and I changed. Doh!

  16. I’ve learned never to say never to any trend, because I inevitably end up eating (wearing?) my words. I don’t know that I’d be comfortable in jeans and a denim shirt, but now I’m wondering if I’ll find myself searching for a denim dress in the not-too-distant future…

  18. I wear harem pants (ducking to avoid tomatoes flying at my head). Took me a long time to embrace this trend. Used to wear head-to-toe denim in my youth, not sure if I’d go for it now, but that dress… Oh yesss.
    (Hi Wendy, I’m back from the sick)

  21. It really is all about the eye adjusting. One of the most crazy outfits I ever wore was a stretch shorts jumpsuit (a romper?) with a hip belt (also white). It had long sleeves and the shorts were basically hot pants. I wore it out one night in Montreal when I was in University. It must have been 1989. Now I was ahead of my time 🙂

  23. Pass!

    Though I did want to tell you, I updated my current post thanks to you (this update was actually meant to be apart of the original post but I was in a rush out of the door).

    <3

  25. I’ll wait for all of you to give me inspiration. I have a denim blazer that I’ve been trying not to wear with jeans. I just might accidentally slip it on some day.

  26. A Swedish man in head-to-toe denim and long white hair once hit on me so brazenly it was kind of offensive. Lol.. He was dressed just like the Gap girl. Acne/Lanvin are doing it way better. He might have had a better chance had he been wearing those 😉

  27. I LOVE, love the first dress, now that’s what I call dress Denim! Is it still a major NO NO not to wear denim with denim.. what do you think?

  28. I tried the double denim thing on my blog a week or so ago and it kind of worked. Maybe it just has different connotations depending on where you’re from?
    I am so in love with that dress! Mr. Elbaz is just my ultimate!

  31. Now THIS is how to do head-to-toe denim. I love that shift. I only hope the denim is drapey, or it’ll be too stiff.

    I can’t remember a time when I’ve liked what J.Lo has worn, but I really love her attitude about not defending herself. I respect her backbone about her own choices.

  32. I don’t think the dress counts as denim on denim, though, does it?

    I think dark black denim jeans with a light denim shirt would look really cool. xx

  34. oh my! that dress!!!

    i must confess that while maternity shopping a few weeks ago at h&m, i snapped up a swinging little chambray tunic to go over a pair of faded super-skinny jeans. at first i was like, “really? i’m doing this? i’m actually going THERE???” but honestly, it looked so cute and fresh that i did…I WENT THERE!!!

  37. Totally loving that denim Lanvin dress! Though still not digging the harem pants, at least not on me. I like it on a few others I’ve seen though. =)

  38. WendyB, it’s hard to believe that dress is denim! I wonder why the model looks mad at the world?

    Glad you like Tinkerbell’s latest photo. What did you think about Milton’s kitchen sink?

    Winona is the anti-spam word. There’s a Winona, Mississippi, where no doubt Spam is for sale in at least one local grocery store!

  39. It’s funny how fashion critics jump up and down when someone tries something new, and then next season they’re wearing it. It happens with every trend doesn’t it. I try not to be too critical of what others wear anymore, just enjoy the splendid flamboyance.

  40. lol i think it’s each to his own. i’d really like a chambray something or other for the spring and summer. it’s such a lovely warm weather fabric with its own history!

  48. Just this week, I learned that I should really never say never! I ordered a denim shirt online, and I never thought I’d see the day when I would pay hard earned cash to buy one!

    I swore I’d never wear a denim top again (after the 90’s), but well, here I go again!

Trackbacks

  1. […] denim, tencel chambray denim. But you get the gist. There’s been a lot of talk about the double denim…some say no way, but I say, ‘yeah, way.’ Ok, I haven’t done it yet, here on […]