Denim Jacket Review + Favorites
The denim jacket… one of my personal favorite wardrobe staples that will never go out of style. I think my first denim jacket was from Gap in 7th or 8th grade and I remember feeling so cool in it. You can throw it over a dress, skirt, leggings, heck- you can even do a denim on denim moment! A general rule of thumb that I’ve learned in the past is to mix your washes (so black or white denim bottoms with blue denim jacket) but honestly, anything goes. You could opt for dark denim and medium/light jacket, have fun with it! I previously shared four of my favorite outfit formulas to wear with a denim jacket here. It’s a great piece to travel in too, especially to warmer climates because you can layer it on the plane ride and wear throughout your trip, travel outfit inspiration here!
While the denim jacket has seen many updates, cuts, washes and distressing over the years, I think it’s important that you decide your preferences and lean into that! I prefer a light or medium wash and something with little to no stretch. Here’s why: the more you wear it, the more it “breaks in” and conforms to your body. I understand not everyone has this preference, so if you prefer something with a bit more stretch to it, look for something that has elastane in it (that’s what gives denim stretch). In regards to fit, I would never wear a denim jacket closed so I don’t really care that mine don’t perfectly close (especially with a fuller bust) but again, completely your preference.
If a denim jacket is too heavy for you, you could also consider a denim shirt which is a bit more lightweight and easier (in my opinion) to find one with stretch. I have an older post on four different ways to style a denim shirt here, if interested.
TOP LEFT, WEARING XL | TOP RIGHT, WEARING XL - USE CARALYN10 | BOTTOM LEFT, WEARING L | BOTTOM RIGHT, (EXACT JACKET IS 3+ YEARS OLD) WEARING XL | SIMILAR T-SHIRT (XL) | JEANS (L - USE CARALYN10)
A FEW OF MY FAVORITES
There’s no need to have more than one denim jacket but I have become sort of a collector, noticing certain cuts work better with different outfits. Here are my top four favorites.
TOP LEFT
I bought this Levi’s jacket a couple years ago and I didn’t love it at first because it was extremely rigid. However, the more I wear it, the more I like it. I’ve only washed it a few times (sorry if that’s gross) and the denim has softened really nicely over time. I wear XL and it also comes up to 4x! I also have this one that fits a bit more oversized (less cropped).
TOP RIGHT
I’ve heard people rave about the Merly jacket for quite awhile but I resisted because I wasn’t sure if it would work on me. I have the original wash and washed black (shown above) and have quickly become a believer. The denim doesn’t have a ton of stretch to it but it arrives pretty soft. I love the fit of it, it’s a bit shorter in the back and angled in the front which gives a really beautiful, elongated look. One thing to note is that the distressing does vary (mine is not ripped in the arm like it shows on the model). I wear an XL (up to 3X coming soon) and you can use CARALYN10 towards your order.
BOTTOM LEFT
While we were in Hawaii, I actually left my denim jacket at the first hotel we stayed at (I brought the top left). Luckily, I was able to recover it but in the meantime, needed a replacement because I planned the majority of my outfits around it. I purchased this oversized jacket which runs super oversized, has a good amount of stretch to it and roominess in the arms. I’m wearing size large.
BOTTOM RIGHT
I’ve always looked to J.Crew for wardrobe staples and their denim jackets do not disappoint. I purchased the one in the photos over 3 years ago and I’ve worn it a ton, as soon as I filmed this content this year’s version arrived and I can say it’s almost identical other than the buttons. I wear XL!
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
where to shop denim jackets
AT ALL PRICE POINTS
I hope this mini review was helpful! If you’re still looking, I put together a list of favorites for this season above that you may enjoy checking out. If you’d still like to shop, a few of my go-to destinations are below for a range of sizes and price points.
ABLE | AMAZON | GAP | J.CREW | KUT FROM THE KLOTH | LEVI’S | MADEWELL | OLD NAVY | TALBOTS
Thank you so much for reading! Feel free to leave any questions or where your favorite denim jacket is from below. xx CMK
