9 Fresh Ways to Style Your Denim Jacket This Season

Every editorial product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn commission.

Denim jackets are a fashion favorite for a reason. Whether you wear yours with jeans, paper-bag pants, or a dress, your outfit will almost certainly look complete when topped off with a denim jacket. Dress yours up with a few accessories — heels and a minaudière — or go the casual route with crisp sneakers. For spring 2022, oversize silhouettes are in favor, mostly in light, acid-wash finishes inspired by the extravagance of the '80s. On the other end of the jean-jacket spectrum, you'll find cropped and fitted designs that will complement a '90s-inspired miniskirt and platform loafers. "We have definitely seen denim jackets evolving to fit into the modern woman's wardrobe," Liane Wiggins, head of womenswear at MatchesFashion, tells POPSUGAR. "Right now, denim is not just about jeans, and our customer is connecting with a wider variety of jacket silhouettes. Alexander McQueen's peplums and leather layering speak to a more dressed appeal, and Saint Laurent's denim blazer and Rejina Pyo's belted styles are a great way to take denim to the next level with a more formal aesthetic we know our customers love."

Casual denim has also stepped up a level with leather patches from Loewe, playful pastels from Ganni, and geometric patterns from Ahluwalia. Five other fashion insiders also shared their latest denim-jacket favorites, including Net-a-Porter Senior Market Editor Libby Page, Shopbop Fashion Director Caroline Maguire, Madewell Senior Vice President of Denim Design Mary Pierson, Farfetch Fashion Market Editor Iman Alem, and Revolve Chief Merchandising Officer Lauren Yerkes. They all named inventive and asymmetrical shapes, logos, and varsity treatments as popular looks for this season. Alem confirmed that Farfetch has seen a 212 percent uptick in sales on denim since January 2022, demonstrating that shoppers are doubling up on denim-jacket trends — take this cropped Miu Miu piece, for example. With its boxy, frayed edge and appliquéd insignia, this item exemplifies the best a denim jacket has to offer. Ahead, learn how to style this outerwear staple so you can effectively channel all of 2022's biggest fashion trends.

How to Wear a Denim Jacket With Jeans
Getty | Claudio Lavenia

How to Wear a Denim Jacket With Jeans

In line with the current Y2K-trend resurgence, the denim-on-denim look is trending in full force. Buy a matching jacket-and-jeans combo in a set, or mix it up with your own pieces sourced from different places. Wear a turtleneck with eye-catching accessories, like chunky metallic jewelry and white stiletto booties, for an outfit that never misses.

What Pants to Wear With a Jean Jacket
Getty | Melodie Jeng

What Pants to Wear With a Jean Jacket

Not going for a matchy-matchy moment? Paper-bag-waist pants and futuristic sneakers convey a sporty energy, especially with a cropped denim jacket. You can also try a '70s-inspired wide-leg pant to balance out proportions with a more fitted jacket. If your jacket is oversize, on the other hand, go for a '90s grunge look with platform loafers and plaid trousers.

Jean Jacket With a Dress
Getty | Edward Berthelot

Jean Jacket With a Dress

Try experimenting with an '80s-inspired acid wash that cinches at the waist. Shopbop Fashion Director Caroline Maguire recommends draping one of these over a dramatic dress or floor-sweeping skirt. Meanwhile, Head of Womenswear at Matchesfashion Liane Wiggins suggests shapes like Alexander McQueen's peplum for a timeless, elegant silhouette.

Jean Jacket Outfits
Getty | Melodie Jeng

Jean Jacket Outfits

This season, Net-a-Porter Senior Market Editor Libby Page reports logo-embossed denim jackets from the likes of Loewe as top sellers. Meanwhile, the Gucci and Miu Miu logos are seeing success at Matchesfashion, as the Y2K-era trend of logomania continues to dominate among the street style set. A slip dress under a logo-filled jacket works with kitten heels and slip-on loafers alike.

matchesfashion.com

Wear your love for Balenciaga on your sleeve, quite literally, in the brand's Blue Logo-Print Denim Jacket ($1,750) that showcases Creative Director Demna Gvasalia's penchant for the relaxed, oversize silhouette.

ganni.com

Tap into a more tailored look with this Ganni Printed Laser Denim Adjustable Belt Blazer ($545), which is reworked with leftover workshop fabric. Wear with a streamlined pant and loafers or kitten heels.

Getty | Timur Emek

Achieve a neon, rocker-inspired look with an oversize, acid-wash denim jacket that amps up an electric-yellow outfit that's tailor-made for your next concert. Or for a more everyday ensemble, tone down the acid wash with neutral leather and a classic tee.

shopbop.com

The R13 Denim Trucker Jacket ($895) features a faded wash that gives this piece a vintage feel. Other details, like the buttoned sleeves and elastic hem at the back, incorporate more personality than your typical denim jacket. Style with leather pants or jeans in a coordinating tone.

madewell.com

Senior Vice President of Denim Design at Madewell Mary Pierson told POPSUGAR that The Oversized Trucker Jean Jacket in Fitzgerald Wash ($138) is a bestseller this season, in part because it's so easy to style with different washes of denim and styles, from '90s-era shorts to micro minis.

Getty | Edward Berthelot

Give an old denim jacket new life by cutting it into a cropped shape, which has been spotted on the runway at Miu Miu, Retrofete, and Rag & Bone. You could button yours up and wear it as a top — going bare underneath — or layer it over a blazer on a cooler day if you have enough room in the sleeves.

revolve.com

The Retrofete Chelsea Jacket in Atlas ($365) has a frayed trim for that cool, lived-in look. The slightly exaggerated shoulders make it a statement piece that transitions easily from day to night, whether styled with a matching coordinate or a high-waisted trouser.

zara.com

Zara's Cropped Denim Jacket ($50) has a similarly unfinished appeal with its washed effect and unfinished hem. Button it up and wear with a straight-leg jean, boots, and a colorful handbag.

Getty | Melodie Jeng

The asymmetrical denim jacket, popularized on Loewe's runway, is trickling down to the mainstream, with many brands offering deconstructed takes that become statement pieces in their own right. Net-a-Porter's Page points to Agolde as one such denim brand employing this unconventional approach. Should you choose to invest in an asymmetrical denim jacket, balance out the look with neutrals and let the details on your jacket take center stage.

us.thahab.com

This E.L.V The Twin Denim Jacket ($398) has a distinct shape with its angled hem and two-tone coloring, making it an instant conversation starter. Pair with a black tank top, white jeans, and strappy sandals for a look that works almost year-round.

Getty | Edward Berthelot

Varsity-style denim jackets are big this season, according to Revolve Chief Merchandising Officer Lauren Yerkes. The sporty appeal of the stripes and mixed materials pairs well with ankle-skimming trousers, oxford loafers, and tiny sunglasses.

revolve.com

Channel multiple trends in one piece of outerwear with the EB Denim Varsity Jacket ($495), which features white leather sleeves and a faded patchwork finish.

macys.com

Cotton fleece sleeves give this Levi's Denim Jacket ($98) plenty of texture and visual interest, thanks to the two-tone treatment. Wear with a graphic T-shirt, cargo pants, and sneakers for an everyday look that's just pulled-together enough.

Getty | Christian Vierig

Denim meets leather in the form of crafty patchwork this season, providing a luxe touch to a classic wardrobe staple. While some jackets are updated with just a simple pocket, others have more involved leather panels that you can accent with your accessories, whether it's a brightly colored purse or metallic boots.

matchesfashion.com

The Alexander McQueen Black Nappa Leather and Denim Basque Jacket ($4,850) is a work of art. With cropped sleeves, a defined waistline, and zipper embellishments, this piece may be a splurge, but it'll be unlike anything else in your wardrobe.