Denim Maxi Skeptic? Let These Celebrities Show You the Light

Bella Hadid poses backstage prior to the Givenchy Womenswear SpringSummer 2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week
Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

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When I was seven-years-old, my mom bought me a dark-wash, glitter-dusted denim maxi skirt from The Children s Place and, bless her heart, I absolutely hated the thing. Eventually she gave up on her dreams of the skirt, but not before making me wear it out on one singular occasion. I ve been a dedicated denim maxi hater ever since.

But because my childhood grudges don t dictate fashion trends in 2023, the denim maxi skirt seems to be making quite a comeback; Burberry, Givenchy, MM6 Maison Margiela, Balenciaga, Coach, and Blumarine have all sent their iterations of the look down the runway. Vogue contributor Mattie Kahn referred to this new inclination toward a longer denim hemline as “Torah-teacher aesthetic.” (Even from my very limited Jewish schooling, I m inclined to agree.) While the skirt may be a great option for more modest dressing, many are still showing skin. Thankfully we can look to the stars for guidance on how to wear every iteration of the contentious trend.

A longer hemline can be a great foil to plunging necklines, like Glass Onion s Madelyn Cline modeled in a Tommy Hilfiger ensemble earlier this year. As did Gigi Hadid, whose crop top still allowed her to show off her abs while remaining covered up on the bottom. And if you want to show off your legs, or don t want to feel constricted in a denim tube, consider a skirt with a slit, à la Nicky Hilton, who has been strutting around New York in her maxi. In a testament to the skirt s versatility, Hilton has already worn it twice within the last week. 

The denim maxi is also a valid option for the low-maintenance among us, who love the idea of jeans, but don t feel like wearing pants. (Denim minus a wedgie is a very enticing proposition.) While admittedly, a denim maxi may seem daunting from a styling perspective, the celebrities below rock them in a way that makes even me, a lifelong skeptic, willing to give them a go. 

Bella Hadid wears a denim maxi and black velvet corset.

Bella Hadid in a dark-wash denim maxi. She completes her look with a black velvet corset, black boots, and brown leather fingerless gloves.

Neil Mockford / Ricky Vigil M
Jennifer Lopez wears a patchwork denim maxi and cropped beige turtleneck.

Jennifer Lopez puts a fashionable spin on art teacher-core, pairing her patchwork maxi with a cropped turtleneck and brown suede boots.

Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin
Madelyn Cline wears a denim Aline skirt and white blouse.

Madelyn Cline contrasts her plunging neckline and sexy red lip with a more modest Tommy Hilfiger A-line denim maxi and white pointy-toed heels.

Gotham
Nicky Hilton wears a denim maxi skirt with a slit white tank top black cardigan and Chanel slingback heels.

Noted denim maxi skirt enthusiast Nicky Hilton opted for simplicity, pairing her slitted skirt with a white tank, black sweater draped over her shoulders, a black mini Birkin, and a pair of Chanel slingback heels.

Gotham
Julia Fox wears an all black denim outfit in New York.

Julia Fox struts in an all-black denim 'fit, including a mermaid denim patchwork skirt.

Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin
Emily Ratajkowski wears a crop top with a denim skirt while taking her dog for a stroll in New York City.

Emily Ratajkowski tested out a lot of trends with this look, mixing her acid-wash denim maxi with cowboy boots.

Felipe Ramales / SplashNews.com
Naomi Campbell wears a denim jacket and matching skirt with a bubble hem.

Naomi Campbell offers her take on the Canadian tuxedo, wearing a calf-length denim skirt with a bubble hem.

GC Images
Gigi Hadid wears a light blue crop top long denim skirt and white heels.

Gigi Hadid matches her light-wash maxi with her baby periwinkle long sleeve and her white pointy-toe heels.

Gilbert Carrasquillo
Anitta wears a white sleeveless top and frayed denim maxi skirt in LA.

Singer Anitta walks the carpet in a denim maxi complete with a shredded hem. 

Steven Simione

Shop our favorite denim maxi skirts, below. 

Zara

asymmetric denim skirt

Zimmermann

Luminosity denim maxiskirt

Reformation

Tazz maxi denim skirt

Agolde

Hilla denim midiskirt

Agolde

Hilla denim midiskirt

Grlfrnd

Amara maxi skirt

7 For All Mankind

maxi skirt

Magda Butrym

denim maxi skirt

Valentino Garavani

flared denim maxi skirt

Burberry

pleated paneled denim maxi skirt

Rag Bone

liquid Miramar maxi skirt

Alice + Olivia

Rye denim split maxi skirt

DL1961

Asra low-rise denim maxi skirt

We the Free

Come As You Are denim maxi skirt

Reformation

Kass raw denim maxi skirt

Cynthia Rowley

jean denim maxi skirt

Isabel Marant

Vinea denim maxi skirt

MM6 Maison Margiela

denim maxi skirt

Self-Portrait

high-rise denim maxi skirt

Mango

denim long skirt