8 best men’s denim jackets for every style and budget

Generally speaking, good clothing isn’t cheap and cheap clothing isn’t good. This denim jacket from Japanese retailer Uniqlo, however, is an exception to the rule. OK, so it’s not proper heavyweight raw denim, but it does a good impression of it looks-wise, and the slightly stretchy fabric is certainly a lot more comfortable straight off the hanger. As far as we’re concerned, you won’t find a better denim jacket for under £50.

We’re big fans of Asket’s minimalist approach to the whole menswear thing. It means the brand only creates the essentials, and so invests the rest of its resources in making them as good as they can possibly be. This denim jacket, for example, is spun from super-soft, organic, Italian-made denim, and the buttons are all made from recycled metal. It’s 100 per cent traceable too, which means you can see exactly where the garment came from and even how much it cost Asket to make. Peace of mind and plenty of style points to boot.

For those who are prepared to venture north of the £200 mark, this mid-wash option from A.P.C. offers all the good looks and quality you’d expect from such a respected brand. As is the case with most of the French label’s designs, this is a subtle twist on a classic; a traditional trucker jacket reimagined for a 21st-century, European, fashion-savvy audience. Fabric-wise, there’s plenty to shout about too. It’s made from a flexible 12.75oz Japanese denim and features a stonewash finish for added depth and texture.

Carhartt is probably the biggest and best workwear label on the face of the earth. No wonder, then, that its chore coat is such a beauty, with its rich, unwashed, indigo finish and traditional contrast stitching. It’s a heavy piece of outerwear that will be most at home in the transitional months as an outer layer. We’d recommend teaming it up with other workwear hero pieces like a thick flannel shirt and some sturdy boots to complete the look.

It used to be that America was the global capital of denim, but that title shifted to Japan shortly after the Second World War when it bought up many of the USA’s old shuttle looms (the machines used for producing high-grade denim). Edwin is the original Japanese denim brand and has a long history of producing some of the finest denim in the world. This particular jacket is made in Japan and features a simple, understated design that lets the fabric to the talking. We love its stripped-back looks and the fact that it’s currently £100 off in the sale.

Mango is one of our favourite high street shops for menswear. It doesn’t get too bogged down with jumping on every passing trend and focuses instead on the evergreen classics. Denim jackets are no exception and we love the light beige colouring going on with this one. It’s a classic trucker style in a summer-friendly shade and the fabric isn’t too heavy, which makes it perfect for throwing on in the warmer months.

When we hear “denim jacket”, we tend to think cropped fit, chest pockets and classic collar. That’s why we like this option from COS so much. Borrowing its shape from a traditional baseball jacket, it’s a breath of fresh air in a market where a lot of garments can end up looking very similar. If you want some denim outerwear in your life but fancy something a little offbeat, this would be an excellent place to start.

Levi’s trucker is arguably the ultimate denim jacket. It’s an iconic design from the brand that popularised denim and has remained unchanged for well over a century. Blue is classic but we really like this black version which can be dressed up much more easily than its indigo counterpart. It features that classic trucker fit and will look great with anything from black trousers, a rollneck and Chelsea boots to white trainers and a plain tee.