Exploring Gigi Hadid’s Modern Mastery of Denim

Happy birthday, Gigi Hadid! Today, the model and trendsetter turns 24, and Vogue is lighting the birthday candles in her honor. But her distinctive style, which she’s particularly developed over the last several years, deserves equal celebration. Her signature move, for example, involves piling on the jeans. Much like her sister, Bella, Gigi is a true denim head at heart; she loves styling the all-American staple in a variety of ways. It’s likely thanks to her SoCal upbringing, where jeans-and-a-tee is pretty much the requisite uniform.

Though she has her signature, don’t mistake Hadid’s love of jeans for a one-note thing. Time and time again, and no matter the occasion, the model has proven that denim is her go-to staple: One day, she’ll do a mens-y take, where she’s slipped on a boxy blazer and embroidered Isabel Marant menswear jeans; the next, it’s a more sultry styling job, pairing a light-wash pair with a crop top for evening.

As spring arrives, allow Hadid to serve as your personal jean consultant. (As in, the styles she’s worn are bound to be the next trending silhouettes—so you better get your hands on them quickly.) Some to consider: high-waisted mom jeans, black boot-cuts with ripped knees (yes, grungy slashes are back), and denim cut-offs, which you can DIY or buy pre-distressed. No matter your taste level, just be sure to wear these trending shapes with flare—Hadid often offsets them with designer-heavy pieces, such as a Fendi tee, or a graphic Versace silk top.

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