Can light-wash denim be an evening jean? Style expert weighs in after viral picture sparks heated debate

A light-wash denim jean has become the most divisive piece of clothing on the internet, with some declaring it should not be worn as an evening look.

A recent post to X, formerly known as Twitter , sent fashionistas into a spin, showing a group of young women - presumably Gen Z - on a night out all wearing a similar uniform of loose-fitting light blue denim jeans with a plain colored black top.

While a pair of light blue jeans and a tee has long been an effortless model-off-duty staple - many questioned it as a look for an evening occasion.

'Does anyone have any theories as to how light-wash jeans became an evening jean?' the post by user read.

They continued: 'Past 6pm especially in the colder months you would rarely see lighter than an indigo.'

The replies were varied - with some agreeing the lighter denim should strictly be worn during the daylight hours, while others didn't see what the big deal was.

'I hate sounding like an old head it's absolutely nuts that everyone dresses exactly the same, we used to dress like sh** but at least we had some flair!!' one person wrote.

'I can't stand sounding like an old-timer, but it's wild how everyone dresses the same now! We may have dressed badly, but at least we had some PERSONALITY...! exclaimed another.

Another fashion conscious user theorized it was dark denim is seen as a 'working jean.'

'After work we free ourselves from these constraints and can embrace the lighter denims,' they added.

'Gen Z doesn't know about how to dress for times of day/evening yet,' chimed in another. 'This is just a middle of the road look now.'

'There's no way some people actually believe different colors of jeans go with different times of day,' a user argued.

According to New York based stylist Liz Teich, wearing a lighter denim after dark is a Gen Z trend that she sees with her younger clients.

'My generation (elder Millennial) has always viewed dark denim to be the dressy, evening denim, so wearing lighter denim as an 'evening jean' is definitely a trend among Gen Z,' she explained.

Teich went on to add that a popular going out 'uniform' for Gen Z's is the lighter wash denim and a black bodysuit.

'It's easy,' she explained. 'It has a slight nod to the 90's effortlessly cool look (a la Cindy Crawford ), and it is a no-brainer because it always looks good with black tops.'

According to Teich, Gen Z are splurging more on vintage denim - or at least denim that looks vintage.

'Light denim is also versatile and can be dressed up or down, so you don't need a separate wardrobe for going out, especially as many girls today wear sneakers in the evening,' she pointed out.

However, not all generations agree, with Teich recommending a darker denim for a sleeker evening look.

'However, if you're following trends or my age, dark denim is the way to go right now. It feels more elevated and polished, and acceptable for dressier situations,' the stylist suggested.

'If you feel as though it's too much of one tone with a black bodysuit, then try layering over it for contrast.

'You also don't have to wear what everyone else is wearing! One of the biggest trend predictions I'm making for 2025 is individualism in style.

'Find ways to make it feel like you, whether it's through accessories, or how you style your jeans!'