Denim is one of the most versatile pieces of clothing in your closet. It’s resilient, adaptable to various styles, and is easy to cut and modify. With so many ways to use denim, it can be hard to focus on just a few. So, let’s talk about seven easy ways that denim can complete your outfit of the night.

The Dark Denim Pencil Skirt

Talk about an instant way to class it up. The dark denim pencil skirt is all about presenting clean lines and exuding divine feminine energy. Fashion writer Catherine Jacobs suggests pairing denim with white fabrics and leather accessories, although with this skirt as the foundation, you can get away with a lot more. You might even pull off modern noir if you throw in a fedora or bowler hat.

Most skirts today are made of light to mid-weight fabrics like cotton sateen, jersey, and denim. You can also find an impressive selection of skirt fabrics like prints to leather and everything in between. If you have a slimmer figure, you should wear lightweight fabrics. A heavier fabric will cling to your body. Lightweight fabrics, like lace and silk, would work well.

If you are looking for something more versatile, denim is a strong fabric that is durable and long-lasting. There are many types of shoes and accessories to pair with denim, making denim a great universal choice.

Raw Hems and Heels

Unpolished hems on straight cut or loose jeans can provide the perfect frame for those expensive heels that you reserve only for fancy occasions. Check out In Style’s various examples of how distressed denims can go well with the nicest shoes. Give those fancy shoes a night out on the town every once in a while.

Dress Up the Denim Dress

You can’t go wrong with a simple yet classy denim dress. Pair it with your favorite boots and you’re good to go. You can also try a nice, big leather bag or a simple pouch. Casual meets sophisticated with the perfect denim dress and accessory combination. Experiment with a couple of looks but keep them clean and simple.

Smooth as Silk

Contrast rough, tough denim with a nicely fitting top that’s made of soft silk. An easygoing, casual look that won’t leave you under-dressed in the swankiest nightclubs. Pop over to Pop Sugar to see how well silk rides on a denim foundation. Long sleeve silk blouses are your best bet.

Patch Up

Remix your old denim jeans or jacket by patching up. The current cultural rebooting of 1980s vapourwave nostalgia means that patches are cool again. Look to thrift shops and specialty stores for patches featuring artworks, political statements, obscure bands, old-timey logos, or anything that strikes your fancy. A little sewing work can turn any ordinary denim jacket into the life of the party.

Take the Black

If there’s anything we learned from the Night’s Watch, it’s that black looks good. Follow this piece of advice and opt for jet black jeans. Denim brand BNY Jeans claim you should ditch the faded wash if you want a more polished look that can hold you through the night. It’s slimming, sophisticated, wearable everywhere, and goes with nearly every nice top you already have in your closet.

Colored Jeans

In our ‘Fashion Cheat Sheet for 15 Flattering Color Combinations’ article, we tackled several ways of using the different colors of denim jeans. Vibrantly colored denim is best paired with muted tops for balance. Pink jeans look good with teals and grays. Vibrant red denim jeans are best muted with white or beige tops. Or go all-out color crazy with green jeans plus light blue and yellow up top.