I Tried on a Load of Colourful Jeans—These 5 Shades Looked the Chicest

Whilst I appreciate the many brilliant dresses that abound, I've always been more of a trousers girl. That's not to say I don't bare a little leg every so often, but if you wanted to place a bet, more often than not I can be found wearing trousers—more specifically, jeans. So far I've found my perfect pair of blues, explored every cut from wide-leg to skinny and secured my favourite black jeans in washed and true shades, but that's where I've drawn the line. Well, until now. 

Like many of you, I've been putting the work in to build a forever capsule wardrobe, stocked with the very best basics that will support my outfits year after year. There are classic white tees, beloved black, wide-leg trousers and Breton-striped jumpers galore, and whilst my blue and black jeans will always have reserved spots in my wardrobe, the lingering grey days have me craving an infusion of joy in the form of colour. And of course, I'm here to share it with you. 

Quickly, before you recoil with flashbacks of the fluoro skinny jeans of the 2010s, I want to assure you that this edit is definitely not about those. This is a guide to introducing colourful denim into your wardrobe, in shades that accent our capsule wardrobes and liven up our daily uniforms, without an American Apparel-esque purple acid-wash finish in sight. Yes, this is a guide to colourful denim for the minimalists; those looking to rejuvenate their wardrobes with a new shade here and there whilst still retaining that understated feel. 

My biggest takeaway from this exploration of coloured denim? It's actually much easier to integrate these shades into my wardrobe than I previously thought. No matter the hue, every pair I tried seemed to fall into two styling categories: back to basics or tonal dressing. For the first, you'd call upon that capsule wardrobe you've been building and let your neutral shades of white, black and navy do the hard work. The latter category is all about mixing similar hues for an easy way to style more "daring" jeans colours which also feels very intentional. 

To get the most out of this try-on, you should know that I'm 5'2" and take a 28/29-inch waist in jeans. Some of these pairs came up too long on me, but don't let a great pair pass you by simply because of this. Many styles come in petite lengths, or you can turn to your local dry-cleaner who can take a few inches off in no time.

Want to see how I got on with the colourful jeans trend, and explore the styles I'm backing for 2024? Scroll on.

How to Make Colourful Jeans Look Chic

1. Dark Brown

Acting affiliates editor Florrie Alexander wearing Reformation Cary High Rise Slouchy Wide Leg Jeans in Vintage Espresso (£168) in size 28 . 

Style Notes: The fashion world has fallen back in love with brown. The elevated feel of the shade makes it so appealing, and I found that adding silver accents made the hue feel even richer. 

SHOP BROWN JEANS:

2. Red

Florrie wearing Seventy + Mochi Mabel High-Waisted Wide-Leg Jeans in Copper (£110) in size 28.

Style Notes: Red has been a major colour player over the past few seasons, so I knew I had to include at least one pair in this try-on. Naturally, you can reach for your classic white tee or cosiest black jumper, but I found this navy shade was particularly complementary with the bold jeans. 

SHOP RED JEANS:

3. Green

Florrie wears Free People We The Free Jayde Cord Flare Jeans in Dried Basil (£88) in size 28. 

Style Notes: In recent months I've found myself ever more drawn to green shades, and I don't just mean a desire to surround myself with plants, as you can see above. Free People's bold flared style was one I couldn't stop thinking about, and by calling on two of my go-to staples (a black shirt and classic black boots), I found this pair surprisingly easy to style. 

SHOP GREEN JEANS:

4. White

Florrie in Maeve The Denim Colette Cropped Wide-Leg Jeans in size 28.

Style Notes: Despite being a denim devotee, I admit I've never actually tried white jeans. All that's about to change though, as I realised that a white pair can be easily swapped in place of blue or black to add a spring-ready twist. Of course, you can keep it classic with your favourite tonal shades, or go bold as I did and sandwich your jeans between a vibrant shade. For this specific pair, I would probably try the size up as they have a more structured waist. 

SHOP WHITE JEANS:

5. Beige

Florrie wearing Aligne Miso Long Straight Jeans in Clay Dye (£89) in size 28.

Style Notes: This pair pretty much inspired this entire article, as the colour struck me as so unique. For this outfit, I opted for tonal brown shades to allow the lighter hue to take centre stage. 

SHOP LIGHT BROWN JEANS:

Next Up: It's Official: Fashion People Will Live in These 9 Specific Jeans Trends in 2024