Anyone who says you can't wear denim in the summer is as mad as a box of frogs. They're probably the same friends who tell you leather will make you hot, or that cotton is the only fabric that lets your skin breathe – well-meaning but with the tendency to err into tosspot territory.
That aside, there's a very real danger, with denim, of heat-induced chafe in these, the British summer months. Like when you run the marathon and cheese grate your nipples to shreds (we haven't, but we have it on good authority) denim can give you the worst case of upper thigh carpet burn, without even seeing a carpet. This basically means, you must balance the proportions: wearing one piece of denim means one tiny and/or 'breathable' item. So you don't overheat and get unsightly sores.
Here's how:
Summetime = denim funtimes!
We're ob-sessed with cool Brit chick Lizzie King's emoji jeans, which were made for summer activites like Notting Hill Carnival and [insert name of any festival here]. The old school stiffness of the denim and extremely high-waist, however, means that you'll want a super-cropped crop top to let some ventilation in. This Mochi top – seen on Rita Ora, no less – is 2014's version of Sienna's peasant top, with a jazzy embroidery that calls for five margheritas at once. Off-the-shoulders is the new black. Olé!
Lulu Cropped Top, £81.17 Mochi, Emoji Jeans, £120 Lizzie King Natalie Sandals, £80 KG Kurt Geiger at Selfridges and Audacia Havana Sunglasses, £11.41 Spektre at Girissima
Palm Frill Crop Top, £24 Topshop, Black Chunky Strap Sandals, £19.99 New Look, Light Before Dark Blocked Mom Jeans in Blue, £60 Urban Outfitters and Asha Sunglasses, £26.27 Quay at Revolve
Wear your PJs with a DJ
DJ being a denim jacket. The high street is full of adorable patterned pyjama shortie sets which are begging to be worn outside of the bedroom. One of our favourite is Topshop's stripey offerings, which will make you look like a stick of rock when paired with a white denim jacket. Be gone to Brighton, be gone!
1969 Denim Jacket, £54.95 Gap, Stripe PJ Crop Top and Shorts, £22 Topshop, Shelina Sensitive Ankle Socks, £5 Falke and Nizza Lo Trainers, £52 Adidas Originals
Spot Pyjama Shorts £20 and Spot and Stripe Pyjama Vest, £19.99 both Oysho at ASOS, Cropped Denim Jacket, £59 All Saints and Kaplan Mesh Trainers, £45 Creative Recreation at ASOS
Try some long-line denim with knee high glads
Knee-high gladiators are back – but this time they're so much less offensive than all those patent leather ones you saw trotting on and off Cavalli's boat. Hit up Free People for the best bohemian statement summer sandals you'll ever find and pair with some super-soft denim board shorts. Because the bum cheek is so last season, yo.
MOTO Bleach Denim Culottes, £35 Topshop, Decibel Tall Sandal, £98 Free People and Mango jacket (sold out)
Denim Castaway Shorts, £28 ASOS, Krown Sandal, £120 Kurt Geiger, Only Star Jacket, £74.74 Nasty Gal and Jacquard Bomber, £29.99 Mango
Photographer: Laura Coulson
Model: Adesuwa at M+P Models
Stylist: Pandora Sykes
Art Direction: Anna Jay
Hair: Tiffanne Williams
Make-Up: Mai Kodama
Follow Pandora on Twitter @pinsykes
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.