Denim never really goes out of fashion. Sometimes it's stonewashed, and sometimes it's dark; sometimes double denim is applauded and other times frowned upon; sometimes dungarees seem chic and at other times, they're just wrong. But though all of these factors are subject to trends, the fabric itself never strays from our hearts – or our wardrobes.

Why do we love it so? Well, first of all, denim's variegated blue mysteriously functions as a neutral, almost invisible colour, making it easy to pair with almost anything. You might live in an era during which it's a terrible faux pas to wear blue and black together, but you'd never think that rule applied to wearing a black jumper with your blue jeans. Denim, we can confidently say, compliments everything.

Secondly, it has a reassuring rough-and-readiness. It's tough and protective; it binds and envelops us. It's an effortless, reliable fabric, that asks for very little maintenance in return for looking fantastic, and we need as many of those in our lives as possible.

It's no surprise that a material as practical and seductive as denim has been popular for a very long time – which brings us to the third reason why we can't resist it. Denim has been worn by some of the most stylish women of the last 70 years. From Marilyn Monroe, who gave it a borrowed-from-a-boyfriend charm, to Jane Birkin, who set the template for generations of copycats with her scruffy-sexy jeans and messy hair – almost every woman whose style we admire had their own memorable take on denim. Click through to the gallery for a reminder of the best of them.

 

Follow me @hattiehattie