Scandi Girls in Copenhagen Wore This Controversial Layering Trend With Jeans During Fashion Week

I just got back from Copenhagen Fashion Week, and let me tell you—no one does street style quite like the Scandi girls. Sure, the runway shows are great, but it’s the sidewalks that always end up setting the real trends. There’s something about the way Copenhagen girls mix practicality with cool, unexpected layers that makes even the most out-there outfit look completely effortless.

This season, one styling trick kept catching my eye—and I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s a little controversial and very 2025: denim as a base layer in lieu of a workhorse staple. Instead of wearing classic jeans and a T-shirt, the Copenhagen street style set paired minidresses, lace slips, and bubble skirts on top of their jeans. It’s the kind of styling move that sounds weird on paper, but on the street, it works much better than you’d think. Although this trend has been around for a while in the form of dresses-and-pants layering, skipping the trousers and going for jeans makes the overall vibe feel much more approachable and casual.

To be honest, the Scandi dresses-and-skirts-over-jeans look is perfect for transitional weather. Pairing denim with summery skirts and dresses lets you stretch your warm-weather favorites into fall without freezing the second the temps dip. Scroll on to see all the ways Scandi fashion girls nailed the look and, of course, where to buy the key pieces to try this trend yourself.

Lace Minidress + Puddle Jeans

Am I the only one who’s been seeing this layering trick everywhere? From my Instagram feed filled with effortlessly chic French women to the Scandis at CPHFW, the idea of layering a simple boxy tee, a lace minidress that barely peeks out, and classic jeans might seem foreign, but frankly, it works. Opt for trendy accessories (like a silk bandana or drawstring tassel bag) to be the object of envy for cool Substackers everywhere.

Urban Outfitters Out From Under Jena Sheer Lace Halter Slip

H&M Feather Soft Super Wide Ultra High Jeans

Lace Slip + Bootcut Jeans

Slowly but surely, It girls are all wearing the same lace-skirt-over-jeans combo. I spotted a few in Copenhagen, but the above look feels much more approachable and easy to re-create at home—a crisp button-down shirt, bootcut jeans, and a lacy black slip are all you need.

Wardrobe NYC Lace Tube Skirt

Madewell Relaxed Bootcut Jeans

Sheer Dress + Baggy Jeans

Who What Wear editors are no strangers to the sheer dress trend. While you’re fine wearing a barely there slip in the summer, by the chillier fall, it gets trickier. Instead, layer your see-through frock under a simple white long-sleeve and some low-rise baggy jeans. If you’re feeling extra bold, you can pair a sheer dress that’s meant for going out with some casual, everyday jeans to really play up the difference between both styles.

Reformation Narcissa Dress

Superdown Laya Baggy Jean

Knit Dress + Wide-Leg Jeans

Bought that cute vacation-ready beach dress for a tropical getaway and now don’t know what to do with it? Instead of tossing it in your summer-clothes storage bin, rewear your knit or crochet dress over a simple, crisp button-down shirt and your favorite pair of wide-leg jeans.

Sndys Tala Mini Dress

AGOLDE Low Slung Baggy Jeans

Asymmetric Skirt + Wide-Leg Jeans

If you’re in the mood to experiment with shape and silhouette, layering an asymmetric skirt over your tried-and-true denim is a surefire way to make your jeans look 10 times more visually interesting.

Zara Asymmetric Wrap Skirt

Gap Gap × Beis Knit Denim Baggy Jeans

Bubble Skirt + Dark Denim

Bought a too-trendy bubble skirt and feel like it’s overdone? Pair with some denim in a similar shade for a fresh look. It’s giving Miu Miu in my eyes. Accessorize with layered tanks and Bayonetta-style glasses to nail the cool-girl look.

Maude Club Capri Shorts

Gap Low Rise ’90s Loose Jeans