I Ditched Jeans for a Week—Here’s What I Wore Instead

Confession: I wear denim in some form 95% of the time. Maybe it’s becauseI grew up in L.A., but I find myself relying on my collection of vintage jeans and denim jackets more than I care to admit. They’re the foundation of the majority of my outfits, and I actually struggle to branch out from my favorite fabric. As devoted to denim as I am, I do admit that it becomes rather stale after a while.

I decided to take a personal growth wardrobe challenge and force myself to think outside the denim box for an entire week. This meant taking the jeans and denim jackets out of every outfit equation and putting more thought into my looks. Since I’m sure I’m not the only one who suffers from denim exhaustion, I documented the outfits I created to help inspire others to branch out. From pretty skirt-and-cardigan combos to all-black linen looks, below are the five non-denim outfits I wore during my week without jeans. And don’t tell my jeans, but after this experiment, I’m definitely feeling inspired to come up with more creative outfit ideas through spring.

For the first day of my experiment, I chose this little skirt suit set to take the guesswork out of figuring out a top and bottom that don’t include denim. I paired the set with my new favorite boots from IRO that I’ve been itching to wear.

I wear this cropped blazer both with the matching skirt and as a top with jeans (when I’m not playing this game, that is).

The said matching skirt also looks great with sweaters.

This is a bold statement, but these might be the best black boots I’ve ever owned. The heel is low and wide enough that they’re beyond comfortable, and the zipper detailing just makes them feel more special than your average boot.

The next outfit I got a bit more creative with, pairing a cozy fall cardigan with this printed Ref skirt and sandals. This outfit was beyond comfortable and definitely a combination I’ll be wearing on repeat throughout fall.

Finally a thick sweater that’s not itchy.

If you want one a little more on the thin side.

This skirt is shockingly comfortable and actually goes with almost everything. I’ve found myself pairing it with graphic tees, sweaters, and even bodysuits.

This was by far my favorite outfit of the week because it felt chic and pulled together but, dare I say it, I was actually even more comfortable in these linen trousers than I typically am in jeans. Expect to see me in this look on repeat.

PSA: This is the best bodysuit I’ve ever owned.

I can’t even begin to describe how comfortable these pants are—or how many compliments I get on them.

I wrote an entire story gushing about this sweatshirt—it’s that good.

Thursday I attempted an evening look sans denim and chose this one-shoulder printed bodysuit and a pair of paper-bag trousers. I’m really into the bodysuit-and-trouser combo (as you can see from my previous day’s outfit as well) as it’s both polished and comfortable at the same time.

The brushed material on these make them ultra soft.

This outfit was a no-brainer for me—a comfortable knit midi dress and mules are basically all I want to wear to work every day. I would wear this combination pretty much anywhere, from the office to happy hour to date night. I’ll be repeating it throughout fall by simply layering a sweater over it.