Blue Jeans and a White Shirt Are Forever Cool

“I wish I had invented blue jeans. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity—all I hope for in my clothes.”

—-Yves Saint Laurent.

I was on a bus today and inadvertently eavesdropped on a conversation between two friends arguing about the most effortless cool outfits. Their suggestions were humorous, moot, and passionate. One of them called a bubu dress her Switzerland of outfits, while the other said a white top has never been a bad idea.

I smiled, glancing down at my hands, which were folded in front of my jeans, and wondered why neither of them had mentioned blue jeans yet. 

Blue jeans and a white t-shirt are the most democratic outfit of all time in my perfect opinion.  In our world of ever-changing trends, blue jeans and a white t-shirt have passed the test of time.

Ever since jeans were first conceived in 1873 by tailor Jacob Davis and fabric supplier Levi Strauss as versatile workwear for the working people of Western America, this fabric has since evolved. It has been repurposed into various styles and clothing pairings, the most dynamic of all being with a white shirt.

By the 1950s, jeans gained more popularity, transitioning from being a common workwear to a casual fashion staple. This transition can be attributed in part to actors James Dean and Marlon Brandon for making them cool. In 1955, James Dean starred in Rebel Without a Cause, and it became his most iconic reference, transforming the common identity of jeans into something of rebellion, individuality, and effortless cool. 

Some might dismiss this pairing as almost too simple to be considered worthwhile, but that’s where its genius lies. There is an understated beauty in a denim and white cotton pairing because they represent rebellion and refinement. It’s a contradiction that somehow works in perfect harmony. 

This iconic pairing has also been flipped around by countless fashion houses, proving that even the most forward-thinking minds return to these reliable staples. 

In 2023, during Paris Fashion Week, American model and actress Kaia Gerber opened the Valentino Fall/Winter Haute Couture show wearing loose blue jeans and an oversized white shirt with a plunging neckline. The Valentino collection was an excellent merging of high fashion with quotidian pieces, and a celebration of individuality. The jeans Kaia wore were crafted from gazar and bedazzled with tiny glass beads, exemplifying not only the beauty of haute couture but also this classic combo.

Speaking of quotidian pieces, the statistics speak for themselves for this combo. According to Statista and the Lyst Index, jeans and white shirts consistently rank among the top ten most-purchased clothing items globally. But numbers aside, what makes this combination so appealing?

First, blue jeans and a white shirt are the ultimate blank canvas. There are straight-leg jeans, wide pants, skinny jeans, and mom jeans, and the same goes for the other. Your white shirt could be a classic t-shirt, a simple round neck, or a tank top. You’re the artist, you choose what style you’re going for.

Want to look chic? Style with pumps and an overcoat. Perhaps you’re feeling funky and want to channel an off-duty model vibe? Then, throw on some chunky boots and oversized sunglasses. Having a flair for a French star vibe? Well, add a red lip and ballet flats. 

The possibilities are endless for this beloved duo. This is a relief in our trend-driven and highly saturated society, where finding an outfit that ticks the boxes of simple and classy might be harder than you’d imagine. In the past decade alone, so many trends have become fashion fads that would be considered cringe if worn today (taps sign: neon colours, flashy designer logos, chokers, skinny jeans, chunky sneakers).

People talk a great deal about effortless cool. To me, blue jeans and a white shirt embody that effortless cool we’re all secretly trying to achieve. It’s very hard to make this outfit look bad, often rewarding with that satisfying feeling when an outfit turns out as imagined in mind.

Another reason why this pairing is beloved is its democratic nature. Democratic in the sense that it looks just as good on your nine-year-old cousin as it does on a twenty-year-old navigating the thrilling journey of finding personal style, and it looks nice on your 50-year-old father. It works as a simple outfit to quickly don for your 8 AM lecture and just as great for casual Friday hangouts. This is why it’s the Switzerland of outfits—very neutral, very diplomatic, very universally respected.

There is a consumerism problem in our world today, driven by social media trends and a rush for newness that fizzles out as fast as its virality. This is why there’s comfort and familiarity in having this reliable, classic duo in the wardrobe. It’s like that one old song deep in your playlist that is a joy to hear every time it comes on shuffle. 

So next time you’re standing in front of your wardrobe having another “I-don’t-know-what-to-wear” crisis and with an exasperated sigh, you reach for that perfect pair of blue jeans and crisp white shirt, don’t feel bad! I promise you, you’re not alone in this fashion love affair.

As Diana Vreeland may or may not have said: when in doubt, wear jeans and a white shirt. It worked for James Dean, it works for Olivia Rodrigo, and it’ll work for you too.

Tell me, what is your Switzerland of outfits?