I walked out of my house this week without a jacket for the first time in what felt like an eternity – roughly six weeks since the last of the Sydney sunshine left around late June. And whilst I outright refused to invest in a new puffer jacket for the steadier winter climes, I’ll admit, I quite enjoyed layering up for a short seasonal update to the regular programming of shorts and a tee; maybe a polo if I’m feeling fancy.
Now, we all know that winter loosening its grip doesn’t always mean spring has sprung, but what this in-between weather does offer is the otherwise-absent opportunity for choice – the chance to do away with the heavy-set jacket entirely and opt for a larger fit shirt to throw over the top.
It’s left me inspired to seek out some options. And now with the ever-increasing return of Justin Timberlake’s favourite ‘90s throwback double denim in the layering lexicon, we’ve rounded up seven of the best denim shirts for men to see you through to summer, spanning independent Australian labels, one from further afield, entry-level workwear staples, and handmade Neapolitan tailoring.
RELATED: Winter Warmers: Cold-Weather Fragrances To Light Your Fire
Percival Vintage Wash Western Shirt
My favourite of the list, though full disclosure: I usually operate in a perma-Percival state with no less than three open tabs on their website at any given time.
The Vintage Wash Western is made from 100% cotton denim in a mid-blue wash, and more importantly, it’s a heavy-set material, so you can throw it over anything in place of a jacket. Regular fit, and with all the features that earn its Western title, with a Western spread collar, pearl snap buttons that Levi’s made so famous, and twin button-flap chest pockets. Comes in either mid blue or a lighter pale hue for a more washed look.
$280 at percivalclo.com
P. Johnson Light Denim Shirt
P.Johnson's take strips things back to a single-piece collar, one chest pocket, and a clean squared hemline in lightweight cotton denim.
I’m reminded of those vintage Ralph Lauren pieces that were doing the rounds last summer, with that almost boxy, squared silhouette, making it one of the more straightforward pieces here to buy without a fitting. The lighter-weight fabric also layers more easily than heavier workwear-style shirts, sitting comfortably under a knit or jacket without adding unnecessary bulk.
$355 at pjt.com
Anthony Squires Kane - Light Blue Denim Shirt
Currently discounted to $89, Anthony Squires’ entry is perhaps the most accessible on this list – and the most classic in its cut.
Again, this might not find its way into the overcoat conversation, but seriously holds its own as a more dressy approach to denim, made from 100% cotton with a double top stitching finish, split yoke, and finished with the brand’s simple logo across the chest – a welcome embellishment in a category that often lacks that final flurry.
$89 at anthonysquires.com.au
COS Denim Shirt
Keeping things minimal, as only COS seems to do quite so well, the Swedish brand does away with the workwear hardware found elsewhere on this list, making this more understated piece one for double-denim purists.
COS itself suggests pairing it with jeans in a similar wash or using it to soften tailoring, and that's really the appeal here: a clean, understated way to bring the texture and heft of denim into an outfit without the Western or utility styling cues.
$159 at cos.com
Levi's® Men's Barstow Standard Fit Western Shirt
Now, we couldn’t have the best denim shirts without including the OG arbiters that made the look a menswear staple, and the Barstow could just be the most classically "denim-on-denim" piece on the list.
Of course, you know what you’re getting with Levi's: a dependable, heritage-backed pick for anyone who wants their layering shirt to look the part without the price tag of the tailored options above. Throw it straight over a pair of blue jeans. Cowboy boots and chaps not included.
$129.95 at levis.com.au
Christian Kimber Naples Denim Shirt
Handmade in Naples using pumice-stone-washed denim and finished with Tahitian mother-of-pearl buttons, the Naples is perhaps the outlier of the group. And comes with the price tag to match.
But if there’s one thing that Sydney Fashion Week taught us this year, it’s that Melbourne-based brand Christian Kimber can quite literally do no wrong.
The cutaway collar, bellows chest pocket, and inverted box pleat are straight out of Neapolitan shirting tradition, while the slightly cropped length means you can leave the fit hanging, untucked. Perfectly in style with a wide-legged pant, under a jacket. Bellissimo.
$560 at christiankimber.com
Deus Ex Machina Forecourt Denim Shirt
If there’s one shirt on this list that feels particularly at home, it’s the Forecourt from Sydney’s own Deus Ex Machina.
Founded in 2006 by Dare Jennings and Carby Tuckwell, growing out of Jennings’ obsession with motorcycles (and the culture that surrounds it). What started in Camperdown became one of Australia’s most recognisable lifestyle brands, taking its distinctly Sydney take on counterculture to the rest of the world.
The forecourt goes full-western, with corozo-nut button placket, branded clip-pocket label, and a heavy enzyme stone wash. It’s relaxed enough that you can throw it over a tee, but still comfortably stays under a jacket.
$69.99 at deuscustoms.com.au
R.M. Williams Arno Regular Indigo Shirt
Concrete cowboys, assemble. R.M. Williams has entered the chat. The Australian outback staple has been crafting premium menswear since 1932, and while it's best known for its boots, the brand has been making hard-wearing shirts for almost as long.
Woven from 100% Australian cotton in an aged indigo colourway, the Arno comes in a regular fit and a centre-back yoke that keeps it smart-casual rather than pure workwear. Works equally well under a jacket in the office or open over a tee on the weekend.
$169 at rmwilliams.com.au
Assembly Label Denim Shirt
Assembly Label’s entry strikes me as something of a western hybrid – it has all the details of a traditional denim shirt like the button detailing and lighter wash, but without all the markers that qualify the concrete cowboy look.
I mean this in the best possible way: there's no heavy stone wash or workwear hardware here, just a clean pale-blue denim shirt that layers easily over a tee or under a jacket without adding bulk. The most affordable and least fussy option on the list, it's a solid pick if you want the versatility of a denim shirt without the price tag or ceremony.
$120 at assemblylabel.com
Charles Tyrwhitt Denim Shirt
If you're going to pick a denim shirt from any brand, you could do a lot worse than the one whose entire reputation was built on making shirts properly: Charles Tyrwhitt, the London home for British shirtmaking.
Cut from 100% garment-washed cotton with a button-down collar, the Denim Shirt comes in either Classic or Slim fits, but with a mid-weight construction makes it better suited to year-round wear rather than some of the heavier layering pieces elsewhere on this list. Perfect then, if you prefer your denim with a little more London polish and a little less cowboy.
$129 at charlestyrwhitt.com
Informale SH25 Utility Shirt - Candy Fleck Chambray
I couldn’t find any mention of denim in the product description, but I would be remiss if I didn’t feature anything from Informale, Steve Calder’s Melbourne-based brand that dominates the menswear conversation here in Australia.
It’s classic workwear aesthetic through and through, built from Japanese chambray with a relaxed but shaped cut through the shoulders and chest. Two asymmetric pockets sit rather conveniently across the chest, and a boxy pleat that the brand is designed to “age beautifully and withstand regular wear.” As we’re all changing our spending habits to buy once and buy right, Informale continues to stand out for considered menswear.
$390 at informale.com.au