We found summer’s most perfect denim and it’s not what you expect

I love jeans, but in the summer, they don’t love me. Or so I thought until this weekend. Imagine this: jeans that are lightweight, breathable, drape like a dream, look and feel like actual jeans - and can be worn as easily and styled with the same clothes you would wear with jeans.

Sounds too good to be true, right? But the clever design team at Levi’s have made it possible with a clever new collection. How? They’ve played with the composition of their denim by adding linen to the mix, creating a new, lighter-weight fabric that is the answer on those in-between days when jeans are the solution, but might feel just a little too much to wear. And let’s face it, we have a lot of them in the summer!

Levi’s Linen+ collection has three main jean shapes, the “XL Straight”, a mid rise jean with a slightly baggy shape which comes in two shades of denim blue, and a rich brown; the “Baggy Dad”, a 90s inspired slouchy cut, avaliable in a mid-wash and dark-wash, and a “Ribcage Straight”, a waist-defining, leg lengthening cut which comes in two denim blue shades. Plus, of course, a pair of great denim shorts.

What makes them so clever is that by blending the woven structure of denim with linen, they’ve created a trouser that looks like jeans, but, crucially, doesn’t feel like jeans. Rather, they are airy, comfortable, and perfect for warm-weather dressing.

I snagged myself a pair of the XL Straight Jeans in ‘Crystal Grey’ in Levi’s sale at the weekend, down to £70, from £100, and put them to the test today, on my morning commute. Being squished into a carriage on the daily means I usually arrive at the office feeling sweaty and a little frazzled - however, this morning, in my brand new Levi’s, this did not happen, and I felt ready for the day ahead.

Below, you’ll find my edit of the best of the collection. From my crystal grey XL Straight Jeans to classic blue Dad Jeans and High-Rise Shorts - there’s a piece to fit into every wardrobe. And if, like me, you struggle to find jeans that don’t need shortening, the 29' length is the perfect fit for my 5'2 frame. Joy!