Easy mix and match outfit building with a denim jacket.
In 1873, Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss inadvertently forever changed fashion and pop culture by patenting a pair of sturdy work pants made from indigo cotton corduroy, reinforced with copper rivets. Blue jeans, as they’ve come to be known, have become such a universal symbol of casual style it’s hard to imagine what the last 100 years would look like without them.
As denim’s popularity grew, it quickly extended beyond jeans to create another wardrobe essential: the jean jacket. First introduced by Levi’s around 1880, the jean jacket has since become a cornerstone of effortless style, valued for its simplicity and ease in pulling together outfits.
Jean jackets are a wardrobe staple for good reason – their decades-old, straightforward design makes them incredibly easy to wear, no matter the occasion. Whether you’re dressing down with a t-shirt and jeans or layering it over a sweater for cooler days, a jean jacket instantly adds a touch of casual cool to your look.
What you think of when you hear “jean jacket” is actually a specific style, that originated as the Levi’s Type III Trucker Jacket, introduced in the 1960s. The Type III, known for its cropped, waist-length cut, slim tailored fit, chest pockets with pointed flaps, and iconic “V” stitching, represents a more specific style within the broader jean jacket category but there are other styles that can work just as effectively, like my denim chore coat in a few of the outfits below.
The best part about denim jackets, like their blue jean cousins, is that nearly every brand in every price range makes one. Like the simple t-shirt or chino, the jean jacket is classic style democratized.
To help you make the most of your jean jacket, we’ve created an outfit “swipe file” featuring our favorite jean jacket looks from Primer over the years.
If you’re new to the concept, a swipe file is a curated collection of ideas or examples that you can save and refer to whenever you need inspiration. Originally used in advertising and design, swipe files have become a handy tool for organizing creative ideas across various fields.
→ In this case, it’s a collection of jean jacket outfit ideas that you can keep in an album on your phone, Pin to a style board on Pinterest, or organize in a more elaborate system with a tool like Notion or Evernote for easy reference. Whereas a moodboard is intended to visualize an overall feeling of a style in total, a swipe file is designed to be used individually as a template.
These outfits can be recreated exactly as shown, but they’re also meant to be flexible starting points—whether you’re experimenting with color combinations, layering techniques, new fits, or specific pieces to pair with your jean jacket.
Jean Jackets Over T-Shirts:
Resin rinse denim trucker jacket over olive henley worn with light gray jeans and tan suede boots
A denim chore coat over a cream t-shirt with loose green chinos
A faded jean jacket over a classic white pocket t-shirt worn with khaki shorts
Or swap the shorts for chinos, tuck the shirt, and add penny loafers
A black jean jacket over a striped long sleeve tee and dark gray chinos
A light wash jean jacket over a gray t-shirt worn with white jeans and suede desert boots
A black jean jacket over a dark gray henley
Faded denim trucker jacket over layered t-shirts with teal dock shorts
A medium blue jean jacket over a white pocket t-shirt with navy chinos and low profile white leather sneakers
Or swap the navy chinos for olive
A medium wash jean jacket over a faded black pocket t-shirt and worn with green olive chinos and brown chelsea boots
Swap the colors of those two and you’ll get a light wash jean jacket over a light gray t-shirt worn with dark gray jeans
Jean Jackets as Layers:
A denim jacket under a red rain coat with white jeans
A denim jacket worn under a tan field coat with a plaid flannel shirt
Jean jacket worn under a waxed canvas coat with gray chinos and Red Wings
A jean jacket underneath a dark top coat worn with a gray sweater and charcoal jeans
An M65 fatigue jacket layered over a light wash denim jacket worn with a striped t-shirt and light tan trousers
A solid charcoal flannel shirt and t-shirt under a denim jacket
Jean Jackets Worn Over Hoodies
A camo t-shirt layered under a gray zip up hoodie and light wash jean jacket worn with black selvedge denim and brown boots
A dark denim jacket over a black zip up hoodie and thermal shirt worn with olive chinos
A faded black denim jacket layered over a green hoodie and blue oxford shirt with black chinos
A shearling collar jean jacket over a black hoodie worn with a white henley and light gray jeans
A jean jacket over a red hoodie worn with shorts and sneakers
Dressier Outfits with Jean Jackets:
A dark denim jacket with a white dress shirt and textured gray pants
A denim chore coat worn with a white oxford shirt and OG107 pants
A dark denim jacket with a checkered dress shirt, dress pants, and brown dress boots
A medium wash jean jacket over a striped oxford shirt with blue chinos
A dark rinse jean jacket worn over a tan v-neck sweater with a gray oxford shirt, textured charcoal pants, and minimalist white sneakers
Outfits with Jean Jackets Over Sweaters & Sweatshirts
A light wash denim jacket over a light gray marled sweater with charcoal jeans
A tan jean jacket over a marled gray sweatshirt with faded black jeans
A medium blue trucker jacket over a white and navy striped sweater with gray chinos and black slip-on sneakers
A dark denim shearling jacket over a black thermal shirt with faded black jeans and brown Iron Ranger boots
A denim jacket over a tan cashmere sweater worn with black work pants and brown boots
A dark shearling jean jacket over a classic gray crewneck sweatshirt worn with a black beanie, faded black jeans, and high top sneakers
A resin rinse jean jacket over a black cashmere sweater with gray dress pants worn with white sneakers
Got a jean jacket out you love? Keep the list going in the comments below!
