How to Wear: A Denim Jacket

One of the go-to items in my wardrobe when I need a little bit of warmth or a neutral cover up – be it over a dress or t-shirt – is my trusty denim jacket. It is such a versatile piece that I wear it weekly…

I’ve had mine for about 10 years and it’s become lovely and soft and worn – just like a denim jacket should be! But, alas, just last week I noticed that a hole had worn through in the elbow. Tragic!!

After a moment of mourning I realized it would have to be replaced, pronto! So off I trotted to my local mall on the hunt for the perfect denim jacket. One with just the right detailing, stretch, destressing and, most importantly, fit!

I thought I would be hunting for this essential wardrobe item for months, but within an hour of arriving at Edgars I had amassed an armful of great options to try out in the changing room from Kelso, Free 2 B U, Tom Tailor & Mango.

These are the denim jackets I found in one branch of Edgars –> clearly an on trend item, ideal for layering on those days when the weather doesn’t know if it’s Winter or Summer!

After a few rounds of trying on each jacket, and getting the changing room assistants to help me out with their opinions, I left with one that I think will become a much loved item over the years to come! (Scroll to the end of this post to see which one I chose!)

As I said, a denim jacket is such a great versatile outer layer, as it offers protection against chilly breezes (hello South Easter), while still being light enough to not overheat on the warmer days (hello 34 degrees!). And best of all, it goes with just about anything!

So, now you know you need a denim jacket in your life, but, how do you wear it, you ask? Well, here are a few tips on How to Wear a Denim Jacket to help you on your way!

Top 10 Ways to Style a Denim Jacket

1. Wear a worn-in denim jacket with a graphic top and skinny jeans for a sporty-girl look.

2. To keep things looking chic, scrunch or roll up the sleeves of your jacket to show off your stacked bracelets or watch.

3. Pair a distressed denim jacket with a pair of sneakers for the perfect daytime look.

4. Another great day time look is to wear your jacket over a simple white t and a pair of coloured jeans or jeggings.

5. Wear your denim with pops of primary colours in your accessories. Stick to the same colour throughout or mix and match eg. a yellow bag, turquoise belt, red shoes all worn with a little white dress!

6. For a cute day time look wear your jacket over a bright floral dress or an ankle skimming maxi dress.

7. To ramp up this look swop out the floral for a little black dress!

8. Wear your denim jacket with a pair of black leather pants or a pair of black jeans and some high heels for a super sexy look.

9. If you have a wild side that needs to be unleashed then pair this style staple with a little bit of leopard print!

10. For a night on the town wear your denim jacket with some bling jewelery and a pretty, sparkly top or dress. A fun mix for going out.

I also found this awesome guide by Lucky Brand on how to style ONE denim jacket into a multitude of styles… One jacket, 7 looks!

And I’ve also done a bit of research for you using my trusty stylist – Pinterest – on how to style your denim jacket according to a few of my favourite celebs…

As you can see this style staple is beloved of celebs esp some of my fave celeb mom style icons like Jessica Alba and Miranda Kerr. And it’s a timeless look as even Marilyn Monroe was a fan!

And finally… your ultimate style icon… me! Hahahaha I kid!

My lovely new denim jacket from Mango at Edgars was such a win on my recent trip to Zanzibar. It was the only “outer” layer that I took with me and it proved to be worth it’s weight! I wore it while flying and it not only looked stylish but it was super practical too – wearing the heaviest thing in my bag! Also, it doubled up as a handing “blanket” during the flight! Then at the resort we stayed at I used the jacket almost every night when heading to the various restaurants for supper. I paired it with a short dress, then with a maxi dress, with my coloured jeans and over my black and white printed pants. See what I mean by versatile! During the day it was quite hot and humid so I didn’t need it but should the weather have changed, I have no doubt it would have come in handy then too!

Here are a few pics of me rocking this latest addition to my wardrobe on my INTERNATIONAL travels 😉

So, do you own this timeless item? If not I suggest you add one to your wardrobe soon. You won’t regret it!

Leave a comment to let me know how you style your denim jacket or if you have any other tips…

Images: Pinterest

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Kathryn Rossiter

Kathryn is a South African lifestyle blogger and mom of 2 who has been blogging daily for over 9 years! She writes about travel, health, beauty, fashion, decor and family... but not food (unless it's food she's eaten made by someone else) as she is a hopeless cook. She only wakes up early for 2 things... a red-eye flight to somewhere exotic and early morning game drives. She has just finished an extensive home renovation and would prefer to never see another box again. She's never met a chocolate or glass of bubbles that she didn't like!