Denim is one of those ever-popular fabrics that manage to make a spectacular "comeback" every season, morphed into a new stylish package. Whether we're talking skinny jeans, boleros or faded and studded jackets, denim never strays too far from the top trends of every season, as designers always find a way to insinuate it under one form of the other into their work and on our wardrobe shelves. As it is, we're now left contemplating whether or not we are dealing with a possible return of ripped denim on the big fashion scenes - and a tentative answer is yes, celebrities are slowly making ripped denim mainstream again.

Ripped denim has always been perceived as a rather too extremist a trend for most modern women, and as a result it never really managed to become as big as it once used to be - we're talking about the grunge days of the 1990s - until now. The perpetual trendsetter and style icon that is Kate Moss worked her magic yet again when she wore ripped denim shorts in a shoot for the April 2008 issue of Vogue Paris.

Gisele Bundchen was quick to follow, in a photo spread shot by Mario Testino. On the fashion runways, both Christopher Kane's S/S '08 collection and Maison Martin Margiela's collection contained a number of ripped and shredded denim pieces that gave this trend an even edgier look. Celebrities such as Lily Allen and Lindsay Lohan also wore this trend and exposed it to the photographers' unforgiving glare.

So, if you've got one of your mother's ripped denim skirts in mint condition somewhere in the back of your closet, we could say it's safe to take it out. However, we're not aiming to pass for misunderstood rebels anymore (unless you're going for a trendy emo style, in which case good luck pulling it off), so the heavy metal-style torn jeans or skirts will be paired up with ultra-fashionable, elegant tops and high heels to even out any "rebel" connotations and add a bonus of style to a funky trend. Ripped denim is all about being confident and enjoying life - so give it a go.