Light-Wash Jeans Always Look More Expensive When Worn With This Elevated Basic

By Kevin Harson28 March 2025

When I think of denim washes that look expensive no matter what you wear with them, light-wash jeans don't make the cut—in my opinion, at least. They tend to look more casual and less polished than darker washes. That said, there are things you can pair with light-wash jeans that actually do make them look quite expensive, and Zendaya just wore one of them.

This week, while out and about in Favignana in Italy (the Sicilian island where she's filming The Odyssey), Zendaya opted for a pair of straight-leg light-wash jeans, and she made them look just as expensive as their darker-wash counterparts. Her trick? She wore them with a basic that elevates casual outfits in an instant: a car coat. Also known as a mac coat or a single-breasted trench coat, car coats were initially given the name back in the early 20th century because they were designed to protect your outfit from the elements while riding in an open-top car. These days, owning one for that purpose certainly still works, or you can just wear them to make your light-wash jeans (and everything else) look expensive.

Keep scrolling to see how Zendaya styled her black car coat and shop trenches of that style and light-wash jeans to wear with them.