These Are the 2023 Trends I'll Be Wearing With Jeans

As the first month of the year draws to a close, SS23's most-talked-about catwalk looks have been distilled down and our Instagram feeds are now filled with snapshots of these trends in action. Whether it's a ’90s-style blazer or a lime green handbag, there are signs of 2023 everywhere you look. 

While social media makes even the most out-there fashion feel more attainable, I still sometimes struggle to incorporate trending looks into my own wardrobe. And I think I've figured out why: if it doesn't work with jeans, it's probably not for me. I wear denim 90% of the time, treating it as a foundation from which to build all my outfits. So, if something jars when styled with jeans, I have to put a whole lot more effort into making it work. I promise I'm not lazy—just a creature of habit.

After getting to know the sartorial proclivities of the Who What Wear team, and having some clothes-related chats with friends, I've felt reassured that I'm not the only one who's wholly dependent on denim. I'm sure a lot of you are, too. With this in mind, I've deducted exactly which 2023 trends work dreamily with jeans, to make all our lives easier.

Scroll on to see and shop on-trend outfits that don't require you to depart from your comfort zone. You're welcome.

1. Moto Jackets

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(Image credit: @raeannlangas)

Style Notes: Biker and motocross-inspired outerwear is this year's answer to transitional layering. And you don't have to work hard to make it look cool—just add jeans and trainers.

SHOP THE TREND

2. Ballet Flats

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(Image credit: @lizzyhadfield)

Style Notes: 2022 was the year ballet flats made a comeback, and 2023 is the year they'll settle into our wardrobes as a permanent fixture. I'll be styling my simple black pair with blue straight-leg jeans.

SHOP THE TREND

3. Ultra-Crop Tops

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(Image credit: @alllisonho)

Style Notes: Get ready to see super-cropped tops and bralettes everywhere as the weather warms, particularly worn with blazers and high-waisted jeans. So 2023.

SHOP THE TREND

4. Tall Boots

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(Image credit: @astyleedit)

Style Notes: Goodbye ankle boots, hello knee-highs. This of-the-moment footwear choice looks just as good with slim-fit jeans tucked in as it does with mini skirts, midi dresses, leather shorts... the list goes on.

SHOP THE TREND

5. Cross-Body Bags

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(Image credit: @smythsisters)

Style Notes: Ever since COS' unisex crossbody was first sighted on Instagram, the fashion world has gone crazy for this style of bag. The fuss-free design works in tandem with jeans to create a relaxed look.

SHOP THE TREND

6. Nostalgic Knitwear

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(Image credit: @emmanuellek_)

Style Notes: 2023's take on cottagecore involves cosy, homespun-looking knitwear. Think cable-knit cardigans and fairisle jumpers—both of which are easily modernised with the right pair of jeans.

SHOP THE TREND

Next, Our Editors Won't Buy Certain Items This Year, But They Are Considering These 5

Freelance Fashion Editor

Bébhinn Campbell is an Edinburgh-based fashion and lifestyle writer. After receiving an Audrey Hepburn box set for her 10th birthday and subsequently swooning over the actor’s wardrobe, Bébhinn felt pretty confident she wanted a career that involved clothes. She started her first blog at age 14—the title was a pun, but we’ll leave it at that—and went on to intern at print and digital publications in Berlin and London, including Dazed & Confused and Indie magazine


A job at a fashion startup took Bébhinn from Ireland to Scotland in 2019, where she now works as a freelance journalist and copywriter covering everything from travel and interiors to styling advice. As a contributor for Who What Wear, Bébhinn always keeps her eyes peeled for emerging trends and looks worth writing about. She prides herself on her ability to cut through the noise and identify solid investment buys, exciting new brands and updated takes on classic designs. 


While she still loves Audrey Hepburn films, these days, Bébhinn’s sartorial taste sits closer to Annie Hall’s and Alexa Chung’s. In her spare time, she’s likely cooing over cute dogs on rescue websites, playing folk songs on her guitar and browsing bookshops for new additions to her already-overpacked shelves.