how to wear a denim jacket for guys

If the title of today’s #OOTD has you scratching your head and asking,”Why are we talking rugged henleys in spring?” … bear with me here. After all, there’s really no reason that a slim henley — the style essential every guy should have — isn’t fit for the warmer temps of spring. The key with today’s ensemble involves re-thinking how you wear your henley. While the crisp temperatures of fall and early winter call for layering your stylish henley with tough pieces like a waxed trucker jacket, the breezy days of spring call for a lighter approach all the way around. And that lighter approach starts with the henley itself — today’s well-made, well-crafted and lightweight Flint and Tinder slub henley is just the piece you need to switch up your spring layering game. It’s wearable with your favorite chinos, it works with slim selvedge denim and well … I’ll leave the rest of these tips for the remainder of this post. But again, think lighter colors and fabrics, think spring and get ready to buy your new favorite henley — or at least, steal some #menswear inspiration from this post. If you’ve got questions, I can be reached 24/7 on Twitter or via email — well, nearly 24/7. At any rate, shop away and enjoy!

We’re lightening up your spring henley and pairing it with classic staples fit for warm weather.

The Henley: Flint and Tinder Slub Henley in Vintage Pewter, $58 — Just as I mentioned above, you can’t beat this Flint and Tinder slub henley, especially in a welcome, spring-like shade of pewter. The slub cotton is lightweight, breathable and ideal for layering — get on board with this one, folks.

The Jacket: Levi’s Trucker Jacket in Rinse, $70 — Does it get any more classic than a rugged denim jacket for spring? Particularly one in a crisp, dark wash as done by Levi’s? Buy this one now, and break it in a ton this season.

The Chinos: Abercrombie and Fitch Cropped Chino Pants in Cream, $68 — Want to really go for this whole spring style thing? Try pairing some light cream chinos with a similarly light henley — it’s monochromatic style that’s nicely broken up by the denim jacket.

The Sneakers: Gola Classic Comet Plimsoll Trainers, $60 — Yours truly was pleasantly surprised to stumble across the crisp, sporty and vintage-looking Gola plimsoll trainers seen here — excellent looks, great styling potential and more than a century’s worth of British sporting heritage to back ’em up.

The Socks: Darn Tough No Show Ultra-Light Cushion Socks, $29.98 — If you’re rolling your chinos and sticking with classic spring sneakers, you’re bound to need effective no-show socks — like these Darn Tough no-shows.

The Belt: La Matera Corbina Belt, $145 — The similarly light colorplay between the chinos and that Flint and Tinder slub henley necessitates adding a shot of color and pattern — the La Matera Corbina Belt is the way to do it.

The Watch: Form-Function-Form Horween Leather Chronograph, $118.98 — When you’re pairing up rugged essentials like a classic denim jacket and a slim slub henley, you need an equally tough watch; the handsome Form-Function-Form Horween Leather Chronograph as seen here should be your go-to casual watch.

The Everyday Carry: This Is Ground Leatherback Writer, $74.98 — Never underestimate the importance of an essential everyday carry piece to stow everything from notebooks to pens & extra headphones — this is a good one to buy.

Alright – that’s a wrap on this spring layering #OOTD. See, wearing a spring henley isn’t as difficult as it might seem — right? Hopefully? It’s admittedly taken some time for me to incorporate my beloved henleys into spring style ensembles, but I’m confident that if you start with a great Flint and Tinder slub henley, you’re going to be inspired to put together quite a few looks. Take a classic, inky blue denim jacket and pair up your new favorite henley with cream chinos, to start. Sport-inspired sneakers can add a nice dash of color to any spring ensemble, particularly a more monochromatic outfit like this one. And you can never go wrong — never — with durable accessories like the Form-Function-Form Horween Leather Chronograph or the visually interesting La Matera Corbina Belt. Before you step out the door though, don’t leave behind a handy everyday catch-all like the This Is Ground Leatherback Writer. OK, all good? I, for one, am ready to get out and try a few spring-centric looks. Follow along on Instagram, and drop any questions via our comments section below.

Thanks, as always, for reading!

-Beau

Pairing the Levi’s Trucker Jacket in Spire with seasonal essentials. Short-sleeve Henley by Abercrombie & Fitch. 505C Denim by Levi’s. Expedition Watch by Timex. Buxton Boots by G.H. Bass. Glasses by Frameri.

Welcome to Saturday, folks! We’ll tell you all about the classic Levi’s Trucker Jacket today — kick back, relax and enjoy. After all, there’s no question that it’s among the best denim jackets for guys (at least in my humble opinion). Yes indeed, as the weather continues to warm up — with the occasional burst of breezy rain — I’d say there’s no more essential piece of stylish spring outerwear you need more in your life than a rugged denim jacket. Why’s that? Well, bear with me here. We talked a few weeks ago about the need for hard-wearing transitional outerwear for spring — be it an edgy leather jacket or a on-trend bomber jacket — and the denim jacket just might be the new style you need to try. Especially when you pick one up from a well-respected brand like Levi’s, you’re getting a relatively affordable price, great fit and terrific quality. And with its use of lightweight cotton denim, the Trucker Jacket at once comfortable and yet substantial enough to keep you warm on a breezy spring night or on a spring road trip. As seen here, it works on a cloudy day with an Abercrombie & Fitch henley, slim Levi’s denim and tough G.H. Bass leather boots — that’s just for starters. And the great thing about a classic silhouette is the plethora of options you get from a brand like Levi’s.

Not into a faded denim jacket? Pick up an inky blue trucker jacket and break it in yourself. Want to channel a bit of a rock n’roll edge? A light wash denim jacket (like the “Spire” wash seen here) could be the way to go. And like other classic spring style essentials – a short-sleeve chambray shirt, a marled henley or leather loafers — it can be mixed and matched almost effortlessly (yes, even with jeans).

Yet another way to wear a denim jacket for spring. Trucker Jacket by Levi’s. Jack in Indigo Star Shirt by Taylor Stitch. Henley by Pistol Lake. Roma Messenger by Brothers Leather Supply. Military Watch by Timex + Todd Snyder. Explorer’s Cap by Huckberry. Glasses by Frameri

The trick when it comes to dipping your toes into the denim jacket pool? Focusing first on fit – you should be looking for a trim fit through the shoulders and arms, with a fit that hits right above or at your belt line. It’s a different silhouette for those of us who might be more used to wearing something like a slim field jacket through the spring months, but that’s all the more reason to pick up – and wear – a stylish denim jacket this season. And when it comes to pairing it with other types of denim, focus on differentiating those washes – for example, a light wash denim jacket works with everything from slim black denim to dark denim.

A word to the wise: Only fellas like the legendary Julian Casablancas can reliably pull off wearing two shades of light wash denim. But, hey … maybe someday. Someday … (see what I did there?). At any rate, a denim jacket in either a light or dark wash also works with seasonal essentials like slim stone chinos and suede Chelsea boots, and can even serve as a reliable blazer replacement. Oh, and another handy tip – in the right fit, you can layer up your denim jacket under a piece like an olive green field jacket for style that’s designed to beat the weather and look great. So, if you don’t yet have a denim jacket … hopefully, this is a helpful starting point. If you need inspiration on how to wear a denim jacket, follow yours truly on Instagram and check out The Style Guide in the coming weeks for a new #OOTD entry. Cheers!

-Beau

The Style Guide

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Tag / how to wear a denim jacket for guys

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