Here’s a history lesson for you: we got denim and chambray from the French. It’s believed that chambray fabric originated from Cambrai in France in 1595, and although it can be dyed into different colors, its most common iteration is blue from indigo dye. Denim fabric came from the French town of Nimes. (Get it?) The California Gold Rush saw the popularization of denim dungarees (A.K.A. jeans), and chambray shirts became standard-issue uniform tops for the U.S. Navy through World War II. And thus classics were born.

Today, blue is typically voted as the number one favorite color in the world, fifty-three percent of flags in the world contain blue, and everyone from Kate Middleton to your mom has worn chambray and denim at some point. But more than anything, we especially love it when ladies turn what used to be primarily menswear into something more than just “borrowed from the boys.” Check out our collage of women pairing chambray and denim into dozens of unique looks.

Sara Dal Monte