50 Ways To Wear Denim by Lauren Friedman explores the many possibilities of denim. It gives suggestions of how to pair different cuts of jeans with your wardrobe, how to accessorize with & for denim, & it gives hints how to express your own personality with your denim outfits. In short it is supposed to be a inspirational fashion book for denim lovers, sadly it leaves me not only uninspired but bored.
I give the author props for trying. Her illustrations are stylized & fun and first time fashionistas might be helped by her tips, but long time fashion fans will find few new ideas. Even old ideas can stand out if presented in the right way or with a new twist but the book is sorely lacking in that aspect.
Also the book would have been greatly enhanced by combining the fun illustrations with real world photos. For example the page on denim washes should have been actual photos of denim that show true color & texture rather than flat drawings. Sections like denim & sequins are inadequately show with a flat drawing, photos of the true sparkly fun of sequins would have been far more effective even if it was simply a picture of the fabrics together.
I liked the history of denim timeline section but here again it lacked appeal being only in text. Again a combination of photos & illustrations combined with the timeline would have added true viewing enjoyment.
In spite of the fact that the idea behind the book was interesting & the illustrations were well done I found this book to be a mediocre read, the overall whole leaving me underwhelmed & uninspired. ( )

I was so impressed by this little book. The artwork is phenomenal. Even more impressive than the artwork is the plethora of ideas that I acquired by reading the book. I absolutely loved it. Not only did it make me love my denim even more, it made me want to get some new pieces. I totally recommend this book. ( )

50 Ways to Wear Denim by Lauren Friedman is a fun and stylish little book about everyone's favorite clothing item. While some of the "ways" are obvious, the author still manages to include many fresh takes on styling denim. The book is printed in full color with attractive fashion sketches on nearly every page. ( )

As a teenager I loved jeans, especially the hip hugger style that was so popular when I was in high school. Wearing a pair of jeans with a pretty blouse or T-shirt was practically a school uniform for my generation -- but unfortunately my mother absolutely hated denim. She considered it something that farmers wore, and refused to buy anything made from it for me (she also made me wear dresses to school, for which I was suitably tortured by my peers.) That's why I got my first pair of jeans with some money I made babysitting, and since then have never stopped buying them.

Lauren Friedman's book is a crash course in how to wear denim jeans, shirts, jackets, vests and accessories to their best advantage. I had no idea there were so many different types of denim, or that you could pair them and wear them in such a wide variety of styles. With artfully drawn illustrations the author takes the reader through dozens of denim looks for every occasion, from dressy styles for work or formal events to the most casual of cutoffs and beach wear. She clearly identifies the types of washes and treatments designers give denim, something a fashion-challenged gal like me found very interesting, and offers several options on how to wear the particular cut or style.

In the back pages there is a short history/timeline of denim that I thought was delightful. I also appreciated the section on how to recycle denim, which provides some ideas on upcycling. Just as an aside, quilters often make heavy-duty quilts out of patchwork made from old denim, which I've always wanted to try -- only I'm too attached to my old jeans to cut them up just yet. My only criticism is the author's recommendation never (or rarely) to wash your denim. It may help preserve the fabric but I'm too much of a clean freak to do that. I also think that the more denim fades, the more attractive it becomes, so that may color my opinion here.

Since my daughter is young, hip and much more fashionable than I'll ever be, I asked her to take a look at the book and give me her take on it. Here's what she said:

She's not a huge fan of denim (she must get that from her grandmother) but it will always be timeless and popular.

The styles are well put together and very trendy.

It would have been nice to represent more diverse body types in the illustrations (her only criticism.)

50 Ways to Wear Denim is a fun read, and a great way to learn more about the fabric and how fashionably flexible it can be. I recommend this book for the jeans lovers or anyone who wants to get more mileage out of their denim garments. ( )

This is a great reference book for anyone that loves to work with denim. The illustrations are great, and explained easily. Perfect book for any age! 50 Ways To Wear Denim has two thumbs up from me! ( )