This summer I've been loving...

I hate being pessimistic. So despite the pet hates of the season, there have also been trends I have loved this summer. Top of the list: denim has to be the fabric crush of the year. Its versatility remains the USP that works time and time again - a light blue shirt makes for a breezy option and a summery shade, whilst a denim jacket is practical for showers and cool weather.

If denim was a person they would be annoyingly, effortlessly cool. The kind of person that everyone loves, who is so laid-back they are nearly horizontal, who is All-American beautiful and fabulous fun. In short, the kind of person who leaves a trail of envy wherever they go.

I'm not a jeans girl, and have never understood the allure of premium denim labels that charge hundreds of pounds for a pair of jeans. But that's the fabulous thing about denim - it's not just jeans; it can have a hundred and one different variations. Let me illustrate: denim skirts... (but do you want short, long and high waisted, frayed...? And will that be dark denim, acid wash or pale blue?), dungarees (short or long?), shirts (fitted or 'I stole this from my boyfriend'?), dresses, shorts (again - will that be hotpants or boyfriend style with turn-ups? Will they have frayed edges, or will they be high-waisted?) and not forgetting of course the holy grail of denim - the denim jacket.

Chances are the denim has been in your wardrobe all along. But when Ralph Lauren choose to honour it with a full-blown runway appearance it is time for it to come out and play. This summer denim has been given the fashion recognition it deserves.


I don't know how I managed to live without my denim jacket. I bought mine last summer, and have never looked back.
Like the denim jacket, I don't know how I coped without a denim shirt in my wardrobe. It has been a summer staple that I have worn with everything - either tied at the waist or worn loose and baggy.
I have lived my summer in these shorts. It took me ages to find a pair that didn't leave any bum cheek on display (not a good look) and that were slouchy enough to be comfy in hot weather, but once I found them I didn't take them off.

In the words of Coco Chanel, "Fashion fades, only style remains the same." If this is true, then denim is style. The favourite of nations, and the most durable of fabrics, it will always have a place on the fashion scene, and in our hearts.

Libby