I lie firmly in the camp that says jeans are appropriate for a business casual environment.  Jeans are no longer just for the cowboys and the various cuts and colors they come in can be very formal.  Depending on the pieces you wear with your jeans you can take them from the office to a dinner seamlessly.  My main advice is to avoid wearing other “casual” pieces with them.  This morning I met a colleague for a breakfast meeting and paired my jeans with a tee, a tailored blazer, and some cute heels.  I think it worked very well ;).  I love the way the colors in my shoes and top give my outfit a bit of playfulness while the blazer pulls everything together.  I borrowed this blazer from my mom and when I put it on I had a flashback to trying on her heels when I was young.

What do you think?  Can jeans be professional?  Do you steer clear of denim in the workplace?  If you want we can also talk about how badly I need a haircut ;).