Denim jackets-- outerwear or sportswear

kkards

So I was shopping in a local boutique yesterday, and got into an interesting conversation with the owner regarding denim jackets, and I'd like to know what others think. I was looking at a navy Vince jacket, and asked her if she thought it was an outerwear piece. She replied that she thought it was like a denim jacket and could work as outerwear or indoor wear. I replied that I did think of denim jackets as outerwear, but as sportswear. I never reach for them as I would a coat, but more as a topper an outfit when I know I will need a warmer layer. So, now I'm wondering, do you think of a denim jacket as outerwear or sportswear or something else entirely.?

11 years ago

Dressing

13 replies

Latest reply was from rabbit

crutcher

Veteran

I think of my denim jacket as a completer piece, a third addition to an outfit, designed to set off the rest of what I am wearing...I think of my denim jacket as outerwear...certainly not sportswear..JMO

11 years ago

Melaine

(website)

Active Member

I don't think of any of my clothes as sportswear....so I may not be the right person to ask. I put true coats in the coat closet...and toppers in my closet because I think of them as part of the outfit. So jean jackets are definitely in my closet as completer pieces like pp said. But I dunno if it makes too much difference.

11 years ago

always trying

Veteran

To me, anything strictly as outerwear is heavy,with lining, that you do not wear indoors. Everything else is booth like cold AC or outdoor temp. when you need something to keep warmer. This puts everything from cardis, blazers, or any light weight jacket in that category.. Sporty, dressy,etc. depends on the outfit, like the denim jacket would be like just casual worn over a dress, but I would not just call it sporty.

11 years ago

Aquamarine

Veteran

Hmmm, I would consider it as outerwear since that's how I'd wear it...as a lightweight jacket for cooler temps.

11 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

The term sportswear confuses me, but I find my denim jackets -- and indeed many of my jackets -- useful as outerwear and as outfit pieces.

11 years ago

Veteran

I think of jackets (blazers or similar weight, with or without a thin lining) as toppers, along with my cardigans, and they're for indoor or outdoor use (I currently live in south Texas, so my blazers make for functional outerwear during most of our fall/winter). If I had a denim jacket, it'd be in that category. Outerwear=coats that I take off indoors/only put on when I'm going outside (trenches, wool coats, etc.). They live in the coat closet, while my jackets live in my regular clothes closet.

I'm not sure about the term sportswear. Do you mean it as in the casual, day time separates that become more and more popular in the 20th century & have no basically taken over fashion? Or as in something else?

11 years ago

Laura

Active Member

I'm not sure if I can think of a denim jacket as sports wear, at least not for most sports. For the sports I am active in, it would work for horseback riding but that's about it.

A denim jacket can look really fun as a fashion / casual item though.

11 years ago

Kristin L

Veteran

I'm not sure about sportswear, but I normally think of my denim jacket as a 3rd piece and as casual outerwear. I wouldn't wear it to work, but I'd throw it on to help keep warm if I was going out to meet friends.

11 years ago

Nebraskim

Veteran

Completer/topper/jacket. If it's coolish out, then bonus (I did, for example, buy my first white denim jacket at a Gap in Santa Monica while on vacation a few years back because it was unseasonably cool, so I did buy it for "outerwear" but it functions as a completer). But I wear my denim jackets as part of an ensemble. To me, sports wear is like gear (like a running jacket). Outwear would be a coat. But....I would need to see the actual piece you're contemplating to think about how I might use it.

11 years ago

Anonymous

An interesting point. It seems like it's only been in recent years that denim jackets have been considered and treated as indoor third completer pieces rather than outerwear. For years I had a Kut from the Kloth denim jacket that was very heavy and definitely outerwear. When I went to replace it I looked for another denim jacket and found that the denim jackets for sale were both lightweight and seemingly indoor completer pieces, and heavier outerwear. They just seemed all over the place in regard to how heavy they were.

11 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

It's rare to be able to wear my denim jacket in summer or winter. So I pretty much wear it in spring and fall for warmth when I am outside. I did wear it the other evening when we went to an old car show. It was a little breezy and near dusk. I wore it with cropped pants, a tee and Birkies (exactly what I wore to the juvenile detention center if anyone looked at that thread). I might take it if I'm somwhere I think I'll be blasted by AC.

11 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

Not sportswear, at least not for me. I have sportswear jackets designed for the task.

I think of denim jackets as a topper. It can be removed if I get warm.

11 years ago

rabbit

Veteran

I have one denim jacket and I use it almost interchangeably with a cardigan (usually with casual dresses and skirts in my case). It can casualize and add structure to an outfit. I wear it outdoors and indoors, but usually not in colder temperatures or underneath another layer.

11 years ago

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