'A stylist dressed me in 5 outfits with the same denim set. Here's my verdict.'

There is nothing I find cooler than a denim set. 

They're chic, they can be dressed up or down – and they look so darn comfortable.

For me there was only one small catch: I have no idea how to style one. Like how many buttons do I do up, what other outfits can I wear with each piece of the set? I need versatility in my clothes, especially in this economy. 

Then The Iconic's Head of Style, Nicole Adolphe, offered to style me in one, testing out five different outfits using pieces in my existing wardrobe. I was in the hands of a fashion pro.

But first watch fashion crimes: festival chaps. Post continues below.

I was after outfits that were classic, versatile and used loads of staple items I already had in my wardrobe. 

Wearing the AERE Organic Cotton Denim Shirt ($130) and Denim Shorts ($100) set, here are five outfits The Iconic's Head of Style dressed me in. Plus, my honest thoughts.

Look 1:

We're starting off strong with the set on its own. For reference, the design and structure of this set is a more relaxed fit, so I chose to size down. For this look, I also decided to roll up the shorts slightly. 

Nicole recommended I try experimenting with how many buttons I do up.

First I tried with all the buttons up, and I really liked it – from my perspective, it's the more polished option. I also tried having just the top buttons done up and leaving the rest undone, Nicole saying a set like this works great if you show a bit of skin at the mid-section. 

Image: Supplied.

She also recommended a bunch of different shoe options to wear with the full set, such as a pointy-toe kitten heel for a dressy look, or a nice sandal and sneaker for a more casual look. I went for a pair of platform sandals.

Look 2:

This look is all about the shorts and keeping things nice and low-key.

"Belt the denim shorts with a simple belt and wear them with a plain tee or bodysuit. Fisherman sandals are cute as a shoe," says Nicole. "These denim shorts can pass as jorts (jean shorts) if they are baggier."

With this advice in mind, I came up with two options.

First, I tried a black t-shirt, a black belt I've had in my wardrobe forever, and some very dad-esque sandals that are perhaps the most comfortable thing I've ever worn. 

Image: Supplied. 

Another option was to go with a classic white t-shirt, a brown belt and one of my favourite pair of shoes – my Crocs. But these aren't a humble pair of Crocs, oh no – they are platform crocs. Thankfully when consulting with Nicole, she said either fisherman sandals or Crocs were good as both are very popular right now.

Look 3:

This look is quite similar to the first one, in that we've got both pieces of the set in action. But to spice things up a bit, Nicole recommended adding a cropped shirt or top underneath the open denim shirt. 

Image: Supplied.

I tried it with a dark grey crop and some black Converse, and then I also tried it with a pale grey crop and my very well-loved Lacoste white sneakers. Both outfits were super casual and comfortable.

Nicole also suggests trying this look with some strappy sandals, or a platform fisherman sandal, if the sporty sneaker style isn't for you.

Look 4:

I love this outfit. Very much.

This was one of the dressier options – think a fancy brunch or long lunch with friends. Nicole said a great way to dress up the shorts is with a classic blazer, belt and heel.

Image: Supplied/The Iconic.

And if you were interested to know what the shoe of the season is right now – it's the pointy-toe variety. With this in mind, I opted for a pair of my favourite pointy-toe mid-heels. 

I added my staple bag, and Nicole said a pair of fun sunnies would be the perfect tie-in for the street-style look.

Look 5:

Last but certainly not least, we're styling the denim shirt.

For both outfits, I wore a black silk slip skirt and the pointy-toe mid-heels. One option was the denim shirt done up and worn like a top on its own, the second was having the shirt open with a black high-neck top underneath. 

Image: Supplied.

Pairing the denim shirt with other black clothing pieces, says Nicole, is a simple yet chic option, as many of us have these monochrome items already in our wardrobes.

My final thoughts. 

This whole styling session has reinvigorated my love for fashion. It's made me have a good look at my wardrobe, be inventive and make use of items I already own.

Plus, it turns out a lot of things go with denim. 

I loved that with Nicole's fabulous expertise, I was able to come up with both casual or dressier options for the denim set. And receiving a fair few compliments after wearing some of these outfits didn't hurt either!

If you're looking for a denim set that could work for you, here are five options.

Araminta James Good Days Drill Shirt Vanilla, $129, Good Days Drill Skirt Vanilla, $189. 

Image: Araminta James. 

Dazie Dune Denim Midi Dress, $99.99, Balmy Nights Short Sleeve Denim Overshirt, $89.99.

Image: Dazie/The Iconic. 

PrettyLittleThing Plus Mid Blue Wash Corset Denim Jacket, $63, Plus Mid Wash Split Hem Jeans, $54.

Image: PrettyLittleThing.

Sportsgirl Ollie Denim Shacket, $89.95, The Patch Pocket Denim Short, $59.95. 

Image: Sportsgirl.

Atlas Relaxed Denim Shirt, $160, Atlas Denim Column Maxi Skirt, $180.

Image: Atlas/The Iconic. 

Feature Image: Supplied.