Ask any fashion person, and they’ll tell you the same thing: Jeans are essential to a wardrobe—any time, any season. You can find them in just about every color (ecru has my heart), pair them with basically anything, and dress them up or down. Recently, Who What Wear Executive Director (and my boss!) Natalie Cantell told me she’s actually been scoring some of her favorite pairs from Walmart’s Free Assembly line. It’s her secret spot for finding denim that doesn’t hurt her wallet but still feels right on-trend. And given my budget, this is music to my ears. But it gets even better: This denim is also designed with the planet in mind. It’s produced in LEED-certified facilities using low-water-impact washing techniques and is made from mostly organic cotton.
With spring on the horizon, Natalie has already begun planning ‘fits around her new Free Assembly pairs. And luckily for me, she gave me an inside look. Ready for some major outfit inspiration? Keep scrolling.
“I’m very into the creamy denim that’s been trending the past couple of seasons. It’s the perfect lazy shortcut to a look that’s more intentional and polished without having to get any more dressed up. Nothing makes me happy like wearing yellow does, so for this particular look, I went with a more chill take on color blocking and played around with complementary tones instead of outright clashing from opposite sides of the color wheel. This would obviously be perfect with sneakers, but sparkly slides for no reason are really just where I’m at right now.”
“I keep waiting for the fashion world to get bored of a denim-and-blazer combo, but here we still are. This gingham blazer is a great weight for spring and truly reads much more expensive than its $45 price tag. And these light-wash, wide-leg jeans are just *chef’s kiss.* (Pro tip: Ignoring the sizing label can be the trick to finding the perfect fit.) Free Assembly really got the length just right for working with both flats and heels. I’ll definitely be wearing these on repeat.”
