The Uniform du Jour, photo Instagram
In France, the transition from summer to fall is celebrated. They even have a word for it: “la rentree,” which literally translates to “the return”. It describes the nationwide return to work, school, and normal routines in September after the long summer holiday,
Indeed, September feels like the start of a brand-new year; there’s a magical sense of new beginnings and fresh starts. My idea of a perfect transitional uniform also has a French accent. Pairing a tailored jacket with well-worn jeans is a classic hallmark of effortless French style, known as chic décontracté.
Celine Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear, photo courtesy of Celine
It serves as a versatile transitional outfit for the shift from summer to fall, adapting easily to changing temperatures and various daily activities. By mixing the formal and the casual, nothing appears too strict or overly contrived. This was exemplified by Michael Rider, who prominently featured tailored pieces and denim/jeans in his debut Celine collection.
The Universal Uniform, photo Instagram
The world is practically in blue jeans, as denim has become a universal, global wardrobe staple. A tailored black or navy blazer (or tweed jacket) and blue jeans are a fail-safe, reliable uniform, a smart-casual staple relied upon worldwide for its effortless balance of polish and comfort.
Christian Dior Fall 2026 Ready-to-Wear, Photo by Giovanni Giannoni for WWD
Since taking over the creative helm at Christian Dior, Jonathan Anderson has repeatedly relied on well-worn, faded denim to counterbalance his luxurious, couture-like jackets for guys and gals. Of course, nothing is more French than Chanel.
Chanel jackets and jeans, photo Instagram
Pairing a Chanel jacket with jeans is more popular than wearing the full suit because it balances high-end luxury with everyday comfort, avoids looking too formal or dated, and creates a high-low fashion contrast. It’s the oldest styling trick in the book, but as the world becomes increasingly casual, this way of dressing resonates with many people.
Vogue November, 1998
Speaking of styling tricks, you can get away with anything over-the-top and extravagantly embroidered or gilded when it’s downplayed with jeans. Case in point: Anna Wintour’s inaugural cover for Vogue, November, 1998, featuring an elaborate Christian Lacroix jacket with Guess stone-washed jeans.
Marc Jacobs wearing a Chanel leopard-printed jacket and bag, Celine jeans, photo on Instagram
Many women and men on both sides of the Atlantic have been sharing images of themselves wearing their favorite Chanel tweed jackets with denim; the paler and the wider, the better. Marc Jacobs frequently posts photos of himself on Instagram wearing one of his beloved Chanel tweed jackets, often paired with jeans. Marc’s latest acquisition is the much-sought-after leopard-print jacket with a matching bag from the New York-inspired Métiers d’Art collection.
Prices range from $8,450 to $14,800 for jackets and $8,400 to $9,200 for leopard-motif or pony-hair flap bags, depending on the exact style and fabric.
The ever-chic fashion Icon Ines de la Fressange, photo on Instagram
French model and Karl Lagerfeld muse Ines de la Fressange started the trend of wearing Chanel jackets with jeans in the mid-1980s. The iconic face and first exclusive muse for Chanel, starting in 1983 (she now serves as Global Ambassador for Roger Vivier), Ines shocked high society by pairing luxury tweed jackets with casual blue jeans and white T-shirts. Lagerfeld supported this high-low mix on the runway and in real life, pairing the jacket with denim in his mid-1980s collections.
Polo Ralph Lauren Spring 2025 Ready-to-Wear, photo courtesy of Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren famously pioneered and popularized the rugged, preppy blending of tweed blazers or tuxedo jackets with worn-in denim. That said, Giorgio Armani is widely credited as the first major designer to systematically pair well-tailored jackets with jeans. Armani remains the absolute pioneer for fundamentally restructuring the tailored jacket to make that subversion possible in high fashion.
When Armani launched his namesake brand in 1975, his new tailored jackets were as lightweight and comfortable as a shirt; they possessed a natural nonchalance. Armani deliberately styled these luxurious jackets with casual T-shirts and denim jeans. This styling choice challenged conventional dress codes and essentially invented the modern “smart-casual” look.
Thom Browne jacket paired with denim selvage jeans from the new collection, photo courtesy thombrowne.com
As they say, if you can’t beat them, join them. Thom Browne recently introduced the brand’s first-ever collection of signature tailoring crafted from raw and stone-washed indigo selvage denim. Woven in Japan, the pieces blend workwear durability with high-end structural design.
A first for Thom Browne, signature tailoring crafted in raw selvage denim, photo courtesy thombrowne.com
The denim brings a new ease to Thom Browne’s precise tailoring without losing the house codes. That tension between structure and casualness makes the collection feel especially fresh. It’s a look that is very sporty and very all-American. Since we are celebrating our nation’s 250th anniversary, I suspect we will see a lot of it during New York Fashion Week in September.
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