There are certain items of clothing that have become classics. They can be updated and altered to suit the changing times and never go out of fashion. Like the little black dress, the denim jacket is one of these items. From its roots as a hard wearing work jacket to today’s catwalks, the denim jacket continues to be both practical and stylish. Little wonder then that is widely regarded as a classic design and even more widely worn.
Denim itself originated in France but became popular in America as material for working clothes in the 19th century. Although denim was widespread by then, it is a business man by the name of Levi Strauss who is credited with patenting the blue denim work clothes reinforced with copper rivets that are the basis of denim as we know it today. The same Levi Strauss’ company have been the center of the denim clothing industry ever since. Originally, popularised during the California Gold Rush of the 1850s, denim became the standard work wear for millions of Americans over the next 100 years.
It was not until the 1950s that denim began to be worn as a fashion item. Picked up on by the newly identified social group of “teenagers”, denim became synonymous with teenage style and rebellion. Teenage idols like James Dean and Marlon Brando gave denim an edgy, outsider feel but, like all rebellious styles, the style was eventually adopted into mainstream fashion.
Denim is an instantly recognizable fabric. A simple twill weave in cotton that is nearly always died in a shade of indigo blue. Although, like all classic materials, there are many variations on the theme, like a classic song, no matter how often it is re-invented, denim remains fundamentally the same. This simple, natural and durable fabric is the basic canvdas on which the savvy dresser can sketch a thousand styles.
Of all the clothing that can be made from denim, the denim jacket remains one of the most distinctive and useful pieces. It can be worn by both men and women in a wide variety of contexts and with a range of different clothes. Although the cut and the color change from time to time this amounts to little more than variations on a theme. The basic blue denim jacket is instantly recognisable. The very simplicity and familiarity of the denim jacket is a big part of its charm.
For men, the denim jacket can be either for work or for casual wear. Denim started as work wear with good reason, it is hard wearing, long lasting and easy to clean. For these reasons many men still find denim makes good work wear whether on a job or at home fiddling with their cars. Denim jackets are great for casual wear when they are out with the guys or can be used to dress down more formal clothes if they do not want to seem to stuffy.
For women, the denim jacket is being constantly updated by the fashion industry. It can be short and sexy, roomy and comfortable or detailed and feminine. The great thing about denim is its versatility and that it can be combined with so many other clothes. Many women have a favourite denim jacket in their wardrobe that comes out time after time when they want to wear something relaxed and familiar.
This website is a tribute to the denim jacket and a call to continue its central role as a fashion and cultural icon. Whether you are young or old, male or female, working or playing, there is a denim jacket for you. So please take some time to browse The Denim Jacket and see which one suits you.
The denim jacket may be a classic look and everyone seems to have one but lots of men have been getting in touch with me asking me the best way to wear a denim jacket. As I’ve said previously, men should keep it simple sartorially (KISS!) and stick to classic denim styles and plain colors. The simple blue or black denim jacket looks great on any man.
Most of the time you’re going to be wearing it as a casual jacket anyway. The only rule to remember, particularly for men, is to avoid the matching denim on denim look; the dreaded and derided “Texas tuxedo”. Having said that, I firmly believe that a denim jacket can be worn with non-matching jeans, that is jeans that are either a different color or a sufficiently different shade of blue or black that they are obviously not meant to be matching. However, there is a lot to be said for wearing a jeans jacket with a completely different pair of casual pants. Chinos, combats, cords, or cargo pants are all good. Even sweat pants can work for a very casual look. While blue and black do go with nearly everything, subdued colors are going to look best with them on a guy.
For a simple classic look it’s hard to beat a plain t-shirt under a denim jacket. Whether ice white or your favorite college tee it’s going to look good. In reality, most simple men’s tops will look fine this way. Simple shirts, sweat shirts and sweaters are all ideal and can be chosen to suit the rest of your outfit or according to the weather.
While primarily a casual jacket, denim jackets for men can be worn in smarter styles for when you want to look relaxed but neither too casual nor under-dressed. Darker and richer colors work better this way so choose either jet black or really dark indigo blue denim. Ideally, the jacket should be smart and new, or at least not too worn. Match a black denim jacket with black pants and a black turtleneck for a bit of European chic or try a smart take on blue and white with pressed khaki pants, a sharp white shirt and a deep blue jacket.
Really though, it’s possible to think too much about how to wear a denim jacket. Men in particular want a style that looks cool and easy. Most men are trying to avoid looking like they put too much time or effort in to dressing. So just try and find combinations of clothes you like that work well together. If you have a favorite jacket that you can’t match then decide what sort of look you would like and go out and search for the matching items.
This is where the internet comes into its own. You can use it to look for pictures of your favorite sartorial role models and see what they are wearing that might look good on you. You can then go and find the styles you like online. In fact, with some careful shopping around you may be able to find bargain priced versions of the same looks.