How to Wear Double Denim: The Matching Shacket and the Denim Shirt

Double denim is a statement look that feels current this autumn, and our founder, Hayley Thomas, sees it as one that never really dates. This guide covers two ways to wear it: a denim shacket made to match its jeans, and a denim shirt with mid wash or rinse wash jeans. It also covers the layers that keep both feeling chic.

Matching your denim or pairing washes

Matching the denim makes a jacket and jeans read almost like a co-ord. The stylist Claire Lopez likes how a matching denim jacket creates a pulled-together look that does not feel too dressy.

A denim shirt works differently, and the classic combination is a mid wash shirt with another mid wash piece, while a darker rinse wash gives the same shirt a little more contrast.

Double denim with a shacket

The Sadie Denim Shacket is made to match the Frankie Wide Leg Jeans in rinse wash, in the same denim with tobacco stitching and contrast buttons. It is a chic, boxy shape, quite different from a casual denim jacket, and it is cut slightly shorter, so the width of a wide or barrel leg stays in balance.

That shorter length works with the Frankie, the Rosie Twist Front Jeans or the Billie Barrel Leg Jeans. With a barrel leg in particular, a jacket that ends at the fullest point of the leg only adds to its width, so a shorter shape keeps the jeans looking their best.

The Sadie also stands on its own, without the matching jeans. Buttoned to the top it becomes a smarter shirt, and worn open it is a light layer. The denim is not heavy, so a knit can go over the top once it turns colder. Under an open coat or the houndstooth Teyha Tweed Blazer, it adds contrast and depth to an outfit.

Double denim with a denim shirt

The Joni Denim Shirt was inspired by a trip to Paris, where women were wearing denim shirts in a chic way rather than a cool, relaxed one. A denim shirt can feel like quite a masculine piece, and the Joni is a little neater than a typical one. Its soft blue was chosen to lift the complexion, because a shirt sits close to the face.

For the classic pairing, the Joni goes with another mid wash piece, such as the Rosie or the Billie in mid wash. Worn open over something simple with the sleeves rolled, it feels casual. Rolling the sleeves and tucking in one side works well, or it can be tucked in at the front with a button or two open so it stays relaxed.

The Joni also layers well, over a fine roll neck such as the Gwyneth Fine Merino Roll Neck with the sleeves rolled, or under the Ora Cashmere Blend Drop Shoulder Tank in charcoal.

Denim for work

If your workplace allows jeans, a darker wash is the one to choose. Rinse wash suits a more casual office because it feels more formal as a denim, and it looks particularly good with a shirt.

The Joni can take a smarter turn too. Buttoned to the top and tucked in, under a navy blazer or the Teyha, it carries a smarter look, and its neater cut works in a more formal way.

A denim shirt as an accessory

A denim shirt also works as an accessory, knotted round the waist or over the shoulders, where it pares down a smarter outfit or makes the simplest knit feel a little cooler.

Worn open, it sits well over the Maya Rib Jersey Vest, and under a jumper such as the Camille Cashmere Blend Striped Jumper just the collar shows at the neck.

Colour with double denim

With so much blue already in the outfit, the colours around double denim work best when they either contrast or stay calm. Mid wash denim works well with brights and blues, such as a sky blue roll neck, while mid neutrals such as biscuit tend to suit darker denim, where they hold their own. For colour wash by wash, our article on finding the best jeans for women goes into more detail.

What shoes to wear with double denim

Boots tend to look best in a narrow shape that hugs the ankle, whatever the jeans, and with wide leg jeans they need a small heel so the hem stays clear of the floor. A slim trainer keeps double denim relaxed without adding volume at the hem.

Frequently asked questions

What is double denim?

Double denim means wearing two denim pieces together, usually a denim shirt, jacket or shacket with jeans, in matching or contrasting washes.

Is double denim OK to wear?

Double denim is fine to wear and still in fashion. It is a statement look that feels current, and one that never really dates.

Should double denim be the same wash?

Double denim works in the same wash or a contrasting one. A shacket made to match its jeans gives a pulled-together, almost co-ord look, while a mid wash shirt with mid wash jeans is the classic pairing and rinse wash jeans add contrast.

How do you make double denim look smart?

A denim shirt buttoned to the top and tucked in under a blazer looks smart, and so does a shacket buttoned up as a shirt. Darker washes such as rinse wash also read as more polished than lighter ones.

What shoes go with double denim?

A narrow ankle boot or a slim trainer both suit double denim. Boots worn under a wide leg need a small heel to keep the hem off the floor, while the trainer keeps the look relaxed without adding volume.

How do you wear a denim shirt as an accessory?

Knotted round the waist or over the shoulders, a denim shirt becomes an accessory rather than a layer. It pares down a smarter outfit and makes a simple knit feel more casual.