6 Budget-friendly Fall Denim Pieces You’ll Love

Fall denim is a fashion workhorse. It goes with everything, needs no ironing, provides enough warmth for cooler days, and can be dressed up or down as needed. Whether you’re a slave to a single pair of jeans or you enjoy a healthy rotation of silhouettes and colors to see you through dinner dates to weekend outings, you likely understand and respect denim’s versatility.

One way to honor almighty denim this year is to upgrade your wardrobe with a few new options. Read on for six fun ways to level up your fall denim collection.

Budget-Friendly fall denim picks

1. Denim babydoll dress

An easy denim babydoll dress will be ready for anything on your agenda. This one from Lookub has a relaxed silhouette that’s both flattering and wearable.

Wear this dress as is in fall’s earliest days, then add fleece tights or leggings as the temperatures drop. You could also open up that top button and slip on a long-sleeved t-shirt underneath. For dressier days, add a faux leather moto, ankle boots, and a pretty pendant.

2. The denim pencil skirt

Easy does it in this paperbag-waist skirt from Fashion2Love. The lean, below-the-knee length earns sophistication points right away. Pair this skirt with a sleek sweater plus sunglasses to achieve that enviable off-duty vibe.

You can also pull this off in a creative office. Try it with a silk tank plus a cropped, soft-shell blazer. Add pumps and you’ve perfected that polished-but-unassuming look that earns style points from coworkers.

3. High-waist crop jean

Since we’re all done with skinny jeans, why not a new shape to your rotation? Featuring wide legs and a cropped hem, these button-fronts from Sidefeel are utterly flattering for a key reason — that elevated waistline, which conceals trouble spots and makes it simple to rock a polished look.

Try this style with a boat neck top, blazer, and kitten heel ankle boot for a chic look. Or keep it simple with a simple tee and boat shoes.

4. Chambray in color

Did you hear the news? Bright colors are trending this fall. Make the most of it with a fuschia chambray button-down. You’ll be comfortable and stylish in an effortless kind of way.

Pair this top with light-colored bottoms (white, beige, or the lightest of blues) during the day, or black bottoms at night. For a casual evening with friends, for example, you could wear a shiny tank as your first layer, then add black jeans and ankle boots. A bangle or two provides a cool finishing touch.

5. Denim shoulder bag

Need a bag that holds everything and goes with everything? This may be your answer. It’s 17.5 inches deep and 15 inches wide — big enough to stash your phone, wallet, hairbrush, hairspray, 15 of your favorite lip colors, and a book. You could alternatively slip your laptop inside and use this as a work bag.

And how about that price tag? A steal, in my opinion.

6. Cargo jeans

If you want to invest in the trendiest fall denim, get yourself a pair of straight-leg cargo jeans. Don’t go too extreme on the relaxed fit, though. Although ultra baggy pants are having a moment, this is not a trend that’s going to last — or wear well next year.

Black is a versatile color choice in this style. You can dress a black cargo pant up with a silky blouse and an eye-catching necklace, or dress it down with a long-sleeved t-shirt and neck scarf.

Fun fall denim

Adding a denim skirt or dress to your fall denim rotation should give you more ways to wear pieces and accessories you already own — which is always a good outcome. The same is true for jeans, especially if you opt for silhouette that’s new to you. You might also enjoy investing in colored denim or chambray this fall, since you can keep wearing it until next summer rolls around.

Finally, if you only have room in the budget for a piece you’ll use daily, a denim shoulder bag is sure to make itself useful. And, if you later decide it doesn’t feel current, buy some Rit dye and darken the bag to black, which never goes out of style.