MyDressSense: The Denim Jacket – A Style Staple You Should NEVER Ditch...

A denim jacket is perennial. It’s one of the most versatile and recurring trends fashion has ever seen!

Every season, the denim jacket is given a fresh twist – from boyfriend cuts and stonewash blue, to cut-outs, crops and embellishments.

The evolution of the denim jacket is a long story. It started off as a work wear item for American cowboys in 18th century. It started to have more mainstream appeal in the ‘60s thanks to Hollywood and Wild West cowboy films.

Denim jackets really came to the fore when they made iconic by heartthrobs like James Dean and Elvis Presley. Swoon!

Furthermore, the jacket has become one of most common unisex style items of today. Men may have started the trend, but women and the fashion industry picked it up and ran with it (whilst in heels obvs). The denim jacket is now a full on high-fashion item, being seen on catwalks from Burberry to Ashish!

Back on the streets and although the denim jacket was never created just to keep the cool kids warm, nowadays there isn’t an East London hipster without an oversized vintage Levi’s jacket around their shoulders or waists.

The denim jacket has continued to be a key style feature through nearly every decade! A denim jacket, distressed t-shirt and a rather dodgy haircut became the iconic image of the punk rock era.
Today, we just cant get enough of the a denim jackets dress down vibe! It continues to reinvent itself and move with the times. The style has become the canvas for new designers to doodle, print and embellish. Every fresh new take on the trend (even if you’re just covering the jacket in sequins) gives us hope that this wardrobe staple will be around for a good while longer.

[Madonna in New York, 1984. Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images. Leanne Walker 2015, Photo by Kirstin Sinclair/Getty Images]]
Denim jackets did have a brief fashion fail in the ‘90s.
Justin and Britney stepped out looking like they’d taken a bath in some superglue and then rolled around in a denim factory…and we all hung our heads in shame. Luckily fashionistas and celebrities such as Rita Ora have learned from the mistake and are back to rocking double denim and jackets in all the right ways!

Pop star and hip hop artists continue to rock denim jackets with the swagger that we can only wish to emulate. Rihanna has always been a fan, continuing to give it a high fashion stamp of approval. I’m sure Rihanna would agree with me when I say that when it comes to denim jackets - hoard, invest (or just borrow your boyfriend’s). Your denim jacket may fade but its effortless chic will never be out of date or out of style.