Shades of Blue and the Jean Jacket

The funny thing about me is that I never used to wear the color blue. Ever. I always tended toward the warm side of the color palette, sometimes crossing over for green, but never blue. But I guess part of growing up is learning what you like!  In this year-long style journey I’ve been on, I have learned that some of my very favorite shades to wear are navy, chambray, and even cobalt. My mom (who favors red and orange) is still shocked. Up until recently we shared the same color palette. And while I still love the oranges in a beautiful sunset sky, and bright, coral roses, I prefer to wear shades of a muted and cool palette.

Though I am not actively shopping during this summer capsule (unless helping out my lovely friends), I have been keeping an eye out for an update to my much worn and loved jean jacket that I’ve had for a few years. It’s very soft and stretchy and also rather form fitting. For the last several months I have been itching for an updated denim jacket that fit 3 criteria:

• a relaxed, looser fit
• copper buttons
• a lighter wash

I have tried on many, many jackets, and purchased and returned two! I finally settled on this one last week while assisting my dear friend in her wardrobe overhaul. We were at the swanky Levi’s Store in NW Portland and I knew I had finally met my BFF jean jacket.

The first jacket I bought and returned was a men’s Levi’s jacket (this was before the jacket I am wearing came out). The wash was great, and the fit was nice a roomy, but it was still a bit too mannish for me. The next jacket I almost bought was the Madewell Jean Jacket in Ellery Wash, so cute, but a little too distressed for me. There is a decent-sized hole on one of the sleeves that I knew the threads would ultimately rip out of. I could also picture myself feeling a little cold and exposed in the cooler months. The second jacket I did buy and return was the J.Crew Denim Jacket in Tyler Wash. I was kind of obsessed with the copper buttons on this one, bright and beautiful. And the wash is absolutely perfect. But the fit, oye! Too short and boxy for me. I know that’s how it was intended (the website describes it as hitting above the hip, and for me it did), but it was just too short for what I was looking for. And the sleeves on the size Medium were a little too short for me too. Scroll down to see my awesome dressing room selfies below (eek!).

When I finally found this lovely Levi’s Boyfriend Trucker Jacket, it felt like an old friend the minute I put it on. It was long enough, heavy enough and effortless enough to hopefully be the BFF jean jacket I’ve been looking for. The only thing I didn’t love immediately was the wash, but it’s starting to grow on me. It’s definitely less “preppy” than say the J.Crew one, but I like the cool vibe this Levi’s jacket has. Kind of like, ‘Hey, let’s go chill on the bleachers in our dirty high-top cons after class.’ 

When you’re on the hunt for a particular item, never settle. Hold out or trade out for exactly what you’re looking for – you’ll be glad you did ;)

[jean jacket / tank (similar + made in USA) / skirt (similar + made in USA) / shoes (better option) / necklace (made in Portland <3)]

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For reference in these photos I am wearing sizes: L, S, M, respectively.