Arrive in style this fall with the Mac and Me high rise boyfriend jean with fixed cuff ($88) and the Dirty Laundry patent leather Mary Jane pumps ($80). Photos: Chris Emeott
Discover how a local boutique styles the most versatile wardrobe staple.
When it comes to denim, discovering that perfect fit is different for all of us. Whether you’re holding on to your beloved skinny jeans or always looking for the next big trend, we should wear what makes us feel the most confident. Anne Bunkers of Mainstream Boutique couldn’t agree more. “Don’t buy what the trend is; buy what fits your body type the best,” she says.
After being an avid Mainstream Boutique shopper for years, Bunkers, who previously worked at a different location of the boutique, took over the Woodbury and Mendota Heights locations last fall. Now, she gets to do what she loves every day: Helping women feel and look their best.
When it comes to denim, Bunkers says there are several things to consider when finding the right pair, including the style and wash, plus your specific body type.
Wide-leg jeans are here to stay, according to Bunkers. She says it is one of her favorite trends as of late. “[The wide-leg jean] has a place for everyone,” Bunkers says. “I hear a lot of comments like, ‘I’m too short to wear it.’ And it’s not true. It doesn’t make you look shorter. You find a pair that fits you and looks good on your body type, and that will be the staple piece.” She adds that the versatility of wide-leg jeans shouldn’t be overlooked. They can be paired with tall or ankle boots, sandals, sneakers and more.
Denim brands are traveling back in time—2000s-inspired denim has never been more popular. “Cargo jeans are coming back,” Bunkers says, adding that cargo corduroy is another popular wardrobe addition. Animal-print denim, like the once-favored leopard or cheetah print, is also back in style. Plus, Bunkers says she wouldn’t be surprised if a pair of low-rise jeans snuck its way back into the closet too.
Consider a traditional jean, such as the KUT Meg wide leg jean ($109), or go for a more autumnal-inspired tone seen in the Mainstream high rise fly front palazzo pant ($98).
Black, brown, gray and even maroon, Bunkers says colored denim is returning to the spotlight. But these aren’t the jeans of 2010—don’t look toward the technicolor tones that were once a hit. Instead, focus on muted neutrals that can accentuate a look rather than take it over. “That’ll be super exciting to add to people’s wardrobes,” she says. Bunkers has a personal tip for styling colored jeans. “I would bring in the black hues, and maybe a navy would be gorgeous,” she says. She adds that a black denim wash on the bottom could be paired with a dark brown on top. “It’s such a neutral color that you can pair it with a jean jacket, easily,” she says.
It’s impossible to forget the fan-favorite skinny jeans. Yes, they’re coming back in style, Bunkers says—but not as trending as other cuts. Straight leg jeans continue to be the more popular choice, alongside the high-waisted style.
Keep it simple with the KUT Catherine boyfriend jean ($99) paired with a Liverpool sleeveless boat neck top ($59) and Chinese Laundry black mules ($80). Delicate jewelry, including a No Whining ring ($36) and a stack of five Erimish bracelets ($35), adds a pop of shine.
Day to Night
Denim doesn’t need to be reserved for more casual events. Anne Bunkers says it’s easy to style denim for a day at the office or an evening about town. “I would suggest wearing darker denim,” she says. “Look for a wash that’s darker. We have this amazing black-blue wash that we carried last year, and we will carry it again this year.”
For daytime, pair that darker jean (sans distressing) with a fitted top, jacket or sweater, rounded out with an office shoe or “sandals or sneakers, even,” Bunkers adds. Take your look from day to night with a leather jacket, beautiful jewelry and boots—tall or short.
Denim on Top
Channel the ’90s with the Mysteree knit mock neck long sleeve top ($48) paired with the Fate flutter sleeve denim jacket vest ($84). Top off the look with jewelry from No Whining, including its magnetic bracelet ($36) and JJ tear drop necklace ($56).
There’s no reason to stick to denim on the bottom, Anne Bunkers says. Play around with incorporating the material elsewhere in the look. “Denim shirts will never go out of style,” she says. From jackets to button-down tops—and even boots!—there is a vast assortment of different looks to choose from.
For a denim-on-denim look that doesn’t give Canadian tuxedo, look toward pairing two different washes or even colors together. “People think that it has to match perfectly to pair it together,” Bunkers says. “It doesn’t … In my mind, denim goes together.” A few style combinations recommended by Bunkers include wearing a dark pair of jeans paired with a light wash denim jacket; playing around with patterns, such as a striped or floral top; or pairing a cream denim jacket with dark brown jeans. “Everything is neutral,” she says.
