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recommend a denim jacket

misapb

I am a new member and have been lurking for a few days. My wardrobe is in urgent need of a denim jacket to wear with skirts, maxi dresses, etc. I am a large-busted apple (5'3", 140#) and I have hesitated buying a denim jacket because over concerns that it would be too boxy and that the pockets would make my bust look even larger. I live in San Francisco with year-round transitional weather so it would be a great investment for me. Recommendations? Advice?

Dressing

18 replies

Latest reply was from viva

N-Marie

Veteran

I have the Jag Jeans Rupert and have been happy with it. I am petite (5'2) and fairly busty and it's a good fit on me, open or buttoned (although I almost always wear it open). I often wear it over dresses as a transitional item into and out of summer (see photo)

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Jag Jeans 'Rupert' Denim Jacket (Petite)

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Joy

Veteran

I have more than one denim jacket, but a favorite is the Gap 1969. It comes in different washes. I have the darker one.
Target has some traditional faded jean jackets for under $30 that are just a bit longer and made of a light weight denim. They are in the Juniors section so you need to size up by at least one size. My best fit was a Large and my Gap jacket is XS. A woman looking at them with me said she wears a medium and bought this one in XXL.

1969 denim jacket

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Jjsloane

Veteran

There are so many options! I have 6 jackets and 1 vest. Gap is classic with many styles and washes and J Crew has great ones too (albeit pricier). You need to decide on wash and if you want it shorter or longer. I think if you wear it open the bust issues are not so much. I've found many of mine at consignment stores for much less (if budget is a concern).

Glory

Veteran

I have one from American Eagle

DonnaF

Veteran

I've found that jeans jackets are all over the map when it comes to length, stretchiness, and boxiness, not to mention color and wash. I found mine at Goodwill, but I had to sand it in a lot of places because I hated the fade pattern and wanted a more uniform color. It worked. Sorta. Be sure to try on the proposed jacket(s) with the dresses or skirts you plan to wear with them; otherwise you may find that the proportions are off.

I believe Angie has said that oversized jeans jackets are trending. I am short so I have to be careful that anything oversized does not overwhelm me or look like I am borrowing from my husband in a bad way. YMMV.

lisaflex

Veteran

KUT has a great one! i have it in white - got it last year at nordstrom rack but i think they are still online
i also got a dark wash one from chicos that i just adore!!!

Runcarla

Veteran

I have a white one from Sears, the Jessica line, and a dark wash from Marks Work Wearhouse. I have been wearing them steady since I got them last summer. Was wondering if they were still on trend...and yes they are! Maybe now in the realm of iconic?

The jean jacket over dress (especially a maxi dress) was a look I saw over and over this summer. I'm not a fan of the maxi myself, but so be it.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I got this boxy denim biker from Gap last year and this is the denim jacket I reach for much more often than my fitted jackets. I don't know how long it will stay current but for now I enjoy it a lot (and for the price I am OK if this is just for a couple of years).

K. Period.

Veteran

I love love love my slightly cropped light blue denim jacket from American Eagle (high five Glory!). It was cheap and it is fabulous. I'm a little taller than you, but I bought it when I was approximately an equivalent weight for my height to you, so it should work great on you too. Mine is a lighter rinse than this, but pretty similar. AE is always running promos--so you don't have to buy for full price.

HJ

I have multiple denim jackets, they're perfect for Arizona, but the two that I wear the most are from White House Black Market. WHBM adds subtle, girly touches to their denim jackets that I feel makes them go with dresses and skirts really well.

Anonymous

I'm also large-busted and petite and I have the exact Gap jacket Joy linked to. I like it a lot and definitely recommend.

misapb

Thanks ladies! many options to try. I'm fascinated by many of you who have multiple jackets. I live in a 650 sq ft house with my partner and toddler and have never considered owning multiples of one item due to lack of space. But it would be a good experiment to have a few denim jackets to see which one I favor. PS. Does everyone remember when they were called "jean jackets"? Denim sounds so much more sophisticated.

N-Marie - love the jacket, esp understated seams and pockets. You look so fab in the picture I thought you were a professional modeling at a photo shoot.

DonnaF - great suggestion to try jacket on with the dresses.

April

Veteran

With dresses, a shorter style is more flattering. It doesn't have to be super cropped, but a classic, boxy "trucker" style (I think that's what Levi's calls them) is better with pants. I know the trend now is toward boxier fits, but if you don't care for that on your shape, you can try buying a size that fits in shoulders and bust and having the waist altered.

One caution: I have attempted to have many denim jackets taken in over the years, and only two were able to be altered. There is something about the way different jackets are seamed that makes some of them impossible to take in without dismantling the entire jacket.

Best advice: leave the tags on until you consult with your tailor.

Diana

Veteran

I have the American eagle one as well, in both faded blue and white. It's fantastic, seems to look good on everyone, and is a really good deal. The only consideration is that it's on the short side (which is great if you're short waisted like me and generally wear your denim jackets with dresses and skirts, but if you're looking for the longer, boxy type this is not it.)

This is the current version. The version I have runs true to size, although my blue one is snugger than my white one, and one inch shorter, so I think there's some slight variation between versions.

http://m.ae.com/web/browse/pro.....1_1836_901

shiny

Veteran

I'm a petite (5'0) apple as well. I got my jean jackets several years ago, but if I had to replace, I'd go the same route: petites! The fit and detailing is more precise for us shorties.

I have a white jacket from LOFT, a dark wash/slightly faded from LOFT, a light blue cropped style from Old Navy. All get plenty of wear. I wear the LOFT ones the most year-round, whereas the ON jacket gets a ton of wear in the summer, because it's very lightweight. It was also the cheapest so I don't baby it as much as the LOFT jackets, routinely getting balled up into my beach bag, getting sunscreen all over it and then sending it through the wash and the dryer, whereas the LOFT ones never go in the dryer, because I'd cry if they shrunk! My daughter who's very busty and 5'3" has the exact same ON jacket as well.

I'd suggest focusing your search on LOFT petites, GAP petites, Banana Republic petites, and Ann Taylor petites.

shiny

Veteran

Links -

http://www.loft.com/petite-den.....584&c

http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/.....=977347002

http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/.....=610900012

http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/.....=385356022

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

And here are more suggestions. Don't go too long, or too shrunken and fitted. It's more current to wear a denim jacket that is fluid (or tailored at its tightest).

1969 denim jacket

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Hudson Jeans Stretch Denim Jacket (Rinse)

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Laundry By Shelli Segal Faux Leather Sleeve Denim Jacket

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BCBGMAXAZRIA 'Nikki' Faux Leather Sleeve Denim Jacket

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viva

Veteran

I traded out a fitted Gap jean jacket last year for a supersoft worn and more fluid one from JCrew factory. I haven't reached for it much, so I need to do that more (thanks for the reminder!).

But you know, I cannot imagine not having a jean jacket in my closet! I think I have had one, of one kind of another, for the last 30 years anyway. To me, it is an iconic piece of American sportswear that will always be in style to some degree.