Classic Denim Jacket - Any Way to Look Current in It?

[CeRaVie]

The shops are still selling them and plenty of people still loving them with a midi/maxi dress. It’s easy.

My jacket has sentimental value, so I am keeping it but I just feel so naff wearing it. Is there any way to wear it and still look stylish? I know all about wear what you like, but I am not sure I do like to wear it 10 year after buying it.

i really like my black denim jacket, which sits well with wide leg trousers and a lower cut T-shirt or top
It’s not glam, never will be, but comfy and I feel good in that combo

Well Net- a- Porter would disagree with you. In the link upthread there were plenty of fitted jackets, including this one.
Net a Porter denim jacket

and Dries van Noten and Stella Macartney for example, don't agree either.

Stella Macartney
Dries van Noten
All Net a Porter

Oversized shirts and jackets never look stylish on me. I'll stick with my more fitted denim jacket.

I think a denim jacket with a black dress or black t shirt and trousers can look really good.

I bought a Jasper Conran (J brand) jacket in the sale in Debenhams nearly thirty years ago. It goes back in the wardrobe periodically for a few years and then I start wearing it again, currently with white/grey snakeskin print jeans or over a fitted striped summer dress.
A well designed and well fitting denim jacket is worth hanging on to. If the style is a bit dated it will soon come round again.

I wasn’t aware of the denim jacket/dress combo being a ‘thing’ and wore this (with white trainers) to Chelsea flower show last week. It dawned on me within the first 5 minutes of queuing to go through the gates that maybe there was something going on as I counted 9 other women in their forties wearing the same thing in about a 6metre radius… 😂😂

I continued counting through the day but lost track at some point. I like the combo and thought I was trendy but did feel naff looking like everyone else!!

my denim jacket is about 20 years old and I love it. I have done the double denim look with wide legged jeans (which used to be a sin!!!) also layered it up with a chunky cardigan over the top of it, a longer shirt underneath and always like having the sleeve rolled up to elbows.

Good morning! Thank you for all of your opinions.

The jacket is a standard Tommy Hilfiger one, beautifully soft, relatively fitted, similar on the photo. It sits a little lower on a shortie me. I am not modifying it in any way, it has sentimental value, long story.

Here is what I have concluded based on all of the above and research of the images.

My jackets is not “in” right now - all models cut similarly are cropped. The best way I can wear it now is with a slim vest like midi dress, or a floor length floaty skirt (do not have either but happy to look for).

Thank you.

The jacket

Just keep it and buy a different jacket for now? Job done.

Where do you think our old clothes go? That's right, they go to charity, Ebay or Vinted. Without people changing their wardrobes, there would be no charity shop etc clothes for all the clever "circular economy" people to preach about buying.
This is a good point from @CapitalAtRisk

As for denim jackets op, I’ve not worn mine for quite a long time, and sorry people but the flowery midi dress and trainers combo is one of my least favourite looks ever, maybe because it reminds me of lockdown. Which is totally irrelevant - as is my age - if you still like your jacket but it doesn’t sound like you do op, and no amount of lecturing changes that.

I’d try it in the combinations suggested and with everything else in your wardrobe to see if it sparks anything. If not, and if you have space, and especially if it has sentimental value, then I think it’s worth putting away. I still have mine somewhere because I’m sure at some point it’ll look fresh and interesting again. But otherwise donate or Vint it - you never know, maybe someone more righteous than us will find it.

I completely get this. OP we must be a very similar age!

Net-a-Porter is a shopping website.
Look at accounts like Watching New York. Lots of denim jackets, worm creatively, by arty, interesting people.

Style doesn’t come from shopping designer (though well designed clothes can be a part of it.) It’s more natural and fluid than that.

Agreed. I think classic Converse and classic DM boots fit into that as well. They sit outside of fashion imo.

Isn't a denim jacket always current? I'm 60, people have been wearing them since I were a lass

Please don't tell me you wear it with a loose-fitting flowery midaxi dress, white trainers and a cross-body bag?
Everyone in my town still wears this combo!

Yes! He was actually the first person who came to mind.

What if she does?

Well in the title of the thread the OP says she wants to look current.

OP can wear what she wants of course but on the whole denim jackets are not ‘current’ nor is the look with a flowery dress and white trainers.

Actually most of them end up clogging up the ocean in places like Ghana.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/jun/05/yvette-yaa-konadu-tetteh-how-ghana-became-fast-fashions-dumping-ground

Charity shops can’t shift stock anymore. There are just way too many clothes.

Fast fashion is a huge part of the problem, but a lot of what’s dumped is standard quality high street fashion.

Nice to see ageism and sexism alive and well. There is absolutely nothing wrong with looking middle aged.

Fair point.

It was the snidey tone of the PP I was responding to, in that there’s nothing wrong with that look, if you like it.

I don't think over- sized denim jackets, the traditional western denim or shirts ever look stylish. I think the cropped one i linked to is.

In any case the OP was worried about her one looking dated. Cropped ones are clearly in.

What if she does? People should just wear what they want without petty little digs like yours 🙄

No doubt you wear things that others would think are naff but that’s nothing to do with anyone else.

It's naff and does not look gorgeous, not even on the model.

@CeRaVie , last weekend I saw lots of women wearing trucker style denim jackets. They were different ages.

What you wear is carried off if you wear it with confidence.
If you don't feel confident in it, either put it away or pass it on.

There is nothing wrong with being or looking middle-aged.

I like your jacket and would wear it @CeRaVie . I'd not wear the Ner-a-Porter ones or something called a shacket, or anything described as midaxi.

I’m not cool, but I’d wear it with wide leg trousers. I think avoid with floaty dress for a couple of years.

the floaty floral midi dress was very fashionable, then standard wear and has tipped into a bit dated, but give it a couple more years and it’ll have moved on from dated to being a neutral style.

(I am struggling with what to wear over floaty summery dresses when it gets a bit cooler)