As a fashion editor, I see lots of trends come and go. Especially now, in the era of the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it micro trend. And it makes me appreciate the wardrobe essentials with true staying power that much more. As we charge ahead into the winter months and I once again reassess my closet, looking for gaps and opportunities to fill them (in other words: go shopping), I know the best place to invest is denim. It’s always denim.
It’s the timeless closet staple that just keeps giving. With the right pair of blue jeans or the perfect oversized denim shirt, you can create literally endless outfits. And who doesn’t want that kind of sartorial mileage?
And given we’re in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, with so much uncertainty, we want clothing we can rely on — not the novelty of passing trends.
That said, there is no one size fits all when it comes to denim. Jeans shopping, in particular, is highly personal, and everyone has a set of unique preferences that come into play when selecting what styles they gel with. There’s also an overwhelming amount of choice, and it can be hard to know where to start.
When I think denim, I think Calvin Klein Jeans. My mind goes to images of iconic campaigns featuring It-girls in their Calvins: Brooke Shields. Kate Moss. Kaia Gerber. The brand knows how to cut a great jean, for sure — but its broader denim section is also equipped with everything you need to kit out a wardrobe of cool, dependable staples.
So in the interest of helping us all find our ultimate denim ‘fit, here are 9 of my favourite, truly versatile denim buys this season — plus how I’ll be styling them.