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Rewrite the following article into original, high-quality English.
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Article content:
Jeans and a nice top is a failsafe outfit formula for good reason. Think about it, how many times have you replied with exactly that answer when your bestie has asked what you’re wearing somewhere?
But, if your look is feeling a little tired, it’s actually pretty easy to give your whole ensemble an instant refresh thanks to this season’s top-half trends. We’re talking tops in every variety, knitwear and even jackets (because a jacket can totally function as a top). All you have to do is make one simple switch for a brand new combo and a *big* impact on your overall ensemble.
Below, find inspiration for a whole host of new ‘jeans and a nice top’ outfits to try right now with the best upper-half trends of the moment.
Everyone’s clicking on…
A lace blouse
Lace has slowly but surely infiltrated the fashion sphere over the past few seasons, dominating Chloé’s SS25 runway before featuring in Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney and Chanel’s AW25 collections. The delicate fabric is set to go nowhere thanks to Wuthering Heights-core renewing its dark romantic connotations, and unsurprisingly, the high street is currently flooded with elegant lace blouses that add instant drama when paired with jeans. Bonus points if your blouse of choice also features ruffles. Hey, if it’s good enough for Margot Robbie…
A knit vest or sleeveless cardigan
We can’t help but look ahead to spring and are filling our wardrobes with transitional items that we can wear now *and* through next season, with just a few clever styling tricks. A sleeveless knit does just that! Whether you opt for a sweater vest or a button-up cardigan-style design, wear yours over a base layer (we’d suggest a long-sleeve tee, puff-sleeve blouse or basically anything that will give you a bit more warmth) to face the single digit temperatrues. Then, when it does warm up, all you need is a bralette or vest top underneath.
A satin camisole top
The ultimate in date night dressing, a satin camisole top adds just the right amount of sexiness, balanced effortlessly with elegance in one design. Lately, asymmetric hem styles have been trending, but you can’t go wrong whether you favour lace trimmings, slightly sheer fabrications, or any colourway under the sun. Throw on a blazer, cardigan or leather jacket on top and you’re good to go.
A shirt and tie
The boundary between workwear and weekendwear is blurring, giving rise to the latest aesthetic of ‘power dressing’ that prioritises looking smart and sophisticated always. Sure, a classic button-down shirt dresses up even your baggiest jeans for a polished ensemble, but knotting a tie around your neck gives an extra fashion edge we love.
A military jacket
Make your jacket the top, and what better jacket to opt for than this season’s surprise comeback? We called it in our 2026 Trend Report (published in Cosmopolitan UK‘s February/March 2026 print issue), military jackets are the latest 2010s trend returning to the zeitgeist. While Wuthering Heights‘ Alison Oliver layered hers over a classic white button-down shirt, we’ll be styling ours closed with just a vest top or plain tee beneath. A tweed jacket also works if you can’t get on board with the indie sleaze revival.
A collared polo top
This silhouette is closely associated with rugby tops, a trend that peaked last summer and is looking set to return based on the spring collections from our favourite high street brands. While there are many striped iterations around, a clean colour block design offers extra polish, elevating this casual combo to ‘jeans and a nice top’ territory.
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Alexandria Dale is the Digital Fashion Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from the celebrity style moments worth knowing about to the latest fashion news, there’s nothing she loves more than finding a high street dupe of a must-have designer item. As well as discovering new brands, she’s passionate about sustainable fashion and establishing the trends that are actually worth investing in. Having worked in fashion journalism for six years, she has experience at both digital and print publications including Glamour and Ok!
