Despite our long-term love affair with jeans, denim midi skirts are still proving plenty popular. In fact, only last week did curve clothing retailer Yours report a 507% rise in searches for the style, proving their popularity is definitely not slowing down. Styling them, however, can be a little bit tricky, as I recently found out the hard way, pulling every item of my wardrobe onto the floor trying to build an outfit.

Unsurprisingly, their revival falls under the ever-evolving Y2K fashion focus, alongside kitten heels, capri pants and wearing dresses over jeans. Back in the 2000s, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney and Dries Van Noten were among the designers who sent the denim look down the runway, and MM6 Maison Margiela, Masha Popova and Stefan Cooke all played a part in its return this time last year – there’s plenty of styling inspiration to turn to.

If however, you imagine you can wear a denim midi skirt as you would a pair of jeans, you’d be sorely mistaken. 

Denim skirts appear much larger in mass than jeans so they quite quickly become the focal point of any outfit and require a little more attention when deciding what to wear them with. Basics are a denim skirt’s best friend, with simple tees, shirts and bodysuits all being a great go-to. No need to spend hours trying to pick out an attention-grabbing top.

This larger surface area also makes them appear a little wider than your classic jean, so I’d suggest balancing out the shape with a tighter-fitting top or slim shoe to help even out the proportions. As someone who loves an oversized look, this trick took me a while to get used to, but as I’ve since learned from many a Pinterest scroll, it seems to be the best solution for achieving a balanced shape with every outfit.

So if you too are struggling with denim skirt styling inspiration, just keep scrolling to see my five favourite looks, all of which have won me compliments. My skirt in these pictures is from Rails (£218) although there are plenty of other options to pick from, including this shorter M&S style (£29.50) and Levi’s designs (£80). 

Shirts are among the most versatile pieces in any wardrobe. For a more formal fit, wear them buttoned up and nicely pressed, add a more casual flair by rolling up the sleeves, or leave them loose as a layering piece over a vest or tight-fitting tee. All of these will work with a denim skirt, making it look incredibly sleek, especially if you can pop on a pair of tonal shoes to match. 

Like all denim, these skirts can be styled for plenty of occasions, from more casual days to fancier, formal affairs. A sharp blazer will easily help you lean into the latter, especially when paired with a similar shade of shirt and shoes and will also help to add a layer of warmth on cooler days.

A boldly coloured tee will help to brighten up any look in an instant, especially a denim midi skirt. Although, you’ll want to pay attention to the shade to make sure it looks just as lovely with your denim. Then add a pair of trusty trainers or even layer a shirt over the top, and you’ll have an everyday errand-running outfit in no time. 

Waistcoats have quickly side-stepped from being a trusty piece of tailoring to a go-to top for all occasions. This neutral shade adds a simplistic style touch to the skirt that’s a little more formal in fit than an everyday T-shirt. Plus, it pairs perfectly with Birkenstocks (and socks) to keep it comfortable. 

Despite being a lover of oversized fits, one of my favourite ways to wear this denim midi skirt has been with a skin-hugging bodysuit as it rids the faff of continually tucking in a T-shirt. To make it a little easier to style, opt for similar shades of accessories – knee-high boots and a belt, in this case – to keep the look cohesive without requiring too much effort. The jumper over the shoulders also adds a preppy feel and is actually very practical given this changeable summer weather. 

Images: courtesy of Lauren Cunningham