6 Ways to Rock the ‘Coated Jeans’ Trend but Is It Worth the Crazy Price?

Coated denim jeans (also known as "waxed denim") are super stylish and just the right amount of edgy to still be wearable for the average person. They have the sexy look of leather jeans, without actually BEING leather jeans, which are just a little too much (and too impracticle) for me — at least on about 354 days of the year. The drawback? Coated jeans are fairly pricey: You can find bargains, but a quality pair that actually looks they way they're supposed to look (and not just cheap and shiny) is probably going to set you back close to $100. And if you get into the designer arena, think double, triple or quadruple that!

So, is a good pair of coated denim jeans really worth it?

I say, if you can swing it, yes! For one thing, this trend has already been around for a little while, and it's not going anywhere soon, so it's not like you're spending money on something that will look totally outdated by Christmas. For another, they're really flattering and hot looking, without being over the top. And last but not least, they're JUST as versatile as regular denim, if not MORE, so you'll get a lot of use out of them.

Here are some tips on totally rocking your investment:

1. Make sure they fit you really well. The wax coating makes these jeans not as stretchy as most denim is these days, so you won't have as much forgiveness if you size down. The benefit though, is they'll keep their shape really well. Try them on, and don't settle for a pair that you don't love!

Madewell

Madewell skinny ankle coated moto jeans ($135 at Madewell.com)

2. Get over your need for jeans to be ultra-comfy. Yes, sorry to say, but these just won't be as soft and snugly as your favorite, go-to pair of jeans. But that's OK because they look great!

 

elie Tahari

Elie Tahari Azella waxed denim jean in "midnight dream" ($228 at elietahari.com)

3. Dress them down. You can pretty much wear your coated denim jeans in place of a regular pair of jeans, but your whole outfit will be just a little hotter. (And by hot I mean HAWT.) A casual tank top and sandals; a long-sleeved tee with ballet flats; a printed blouse with ankle boots … all of these would look great with your slick denim for a slightly revved up but still casual look.

Victoria Beckham coated denim

Victoria Beckham "stovepipe" jean with a "slight wax finish" (Marked down to $194.40 from $317.34! Um, yay?)

4. Dress them up! Take the same pair of coated denim, add a pair of sparkly high heels or sexy sling-backs and a slinky top, and you're ready for va-va-va voom date night.

waxed G by Guess

BARGAIN! These G by GUESS Women's Suzette Coated Black Jeans are on sale for $34 at Amazon. They could be our steal!

5. Wear them to the office. Unless you have a really, super strict corporate dress code, you can wear coated denim jeans to more than just casual Friday. A sharp pair of coated denim black jeans  will look sleek and put-together with a blouse, blazer, and low heels.

6. Go for (muted) color. These NYDJ "Sheri Skinny" coated denim jeans in oxblood are on my fall wish list. SO on trend and chic. ($130 at NYDJ.com)

What do you think about the coated jean trend? Can you see yourself in a pair?

Image via NYDJ