Move over jeans, Pippa Middleton’s denim dress is still the perfect alternative to wear on these sunny late summer days

Pippa Middleton’s denim dress is the chic alternative to jeans that we can all get on board with in this glorious late summer weather.

Once you’ve found the best jeans for your body type, many of us might be tempted to make them our daily uniform, as denim jeans are such a versatile staple to have in your collection. We’re already excited to wear our favourite pairs with items in our autumn capsule wardrobe as we start to plan for the change in seasons. However, in the hot weather the UK’s been experiencing right now, there’s another way to enjoy wearing denim without overheating. Temporarily put your jeans aside as a denim dress is a great alternative and one that even the Princess of Wales’s sister Pippa has been known to embrace in fabulous style.

We tend not to see her wear denim quite so much nowadays but that doesn’t stop us from still being inspired by Pippa Middleton’s denim dress from 2011. She was photographed out and about in London that July wearing a mid-wash denim mini dress from none other than Whistles .

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If you want a denim dress that can be smartened up for work and made more casual for outings with friends, this is perfect. It is a midi length, with a high neckline and elegant column shape. You could layer a shirt or long sleeved top underneath and add a pair of knee high boots in cooler weather too.

Available in petite, regular and tall versions, this midi length denim dress is the perfect piece to take you through into autumn. It has short sleeves, a collared neckline and an elasticated waist. The pockets are a handy detail and this would look amazing with sandals or wedges.

There are several ways you can wear this denim shirt dress - with the sleeves rolled up, with a shirt underneath or even with a knitted sweater vest over the top in colder weather. You can also adjust how many buttons are undone to create a split in the skirt.

Whistles is one of the best British clothing brands around and over the years Pippa has definitely championed a lot of homegrown designing talents. Her denim dress fell to just above the knee and was a skater style, with a fitted bodice and slightly flared skirt. There were handy pockets at the front, giving it a utility style feel and although the dress did button up right to the top of the crew neckline, Pippa left hers slightly open.

This made it a little more relaxed for wearing day-to-day in London, as well as lighter for such sunny July weather. Around the waist was a matching denim belt with a woven texture that secured in the centre with a silver-toned clasp. A belt of any description is a lovely accessory to add to dresses to give them a bit more shape and they can be incredibly flattering if you’re looking to accentuate your waist.

Pippa didn’t need to add a jacket back in 2011, but a denim dress like hers is so easy to pop a coat or jacket over on cooler days. You could also wear a white shirt, T-shirt or long sleeved top underneath if your dress has a similar, sleeveless design, or add a knitted sweater vest or jumper over the top. Their many styling possibilities make denim dresses worth investing in as they work beautifully instead of jeans for hotter weather but can also see you through to autumn/winter.

When it comes to accessories to put with a denim dress, you can go bold or neutral and both work equally well. Pippa Middleton’s denim dress looked fabulous with her Russell & Bromley wedges. They had a jute woven heel, with a tan upper and court shoe design. The stunning tan shade coordinated with her Modalu Pippa Medium Grab bag which she carried by the top handle.

The light brown colour of her bag and shoes contrasted nicely with the dress and kept the overall outfit very neutral. A pair of her best white trainers would also have worked here if she’d wanted to be a bit comfier and more casual. The Princess of Wales’s sister might not be spotted wearing denim as much now, though her denim pieces likely still get a lot of use outside of the public eye.

In 2017, Pippa wore mid-wash blue skinny jeans with a pretty ruffled blouse as she walked through Sydney Airport and jeans could perhaps still be her go-to travel outfit item years later.