How to wear a denim jacket the Paul McCartney way - British GQ

In his latest cover shoot for GQ, Paul McCartney looks happy and relaxed. It’s probably because he was photographed at home by his daughter Mary McCartney, surrounded by empty fields, acoustic guitar in hand, safely following the guidelines of our newfound lockdown lifestyles. So it seems only fitting that his attire for said photoshoot reflected the comfort of a familiar setting. 

Throughout his life and career, McCartney has embraced the notion of cultivating a personal style with gusto: he kicked things off as arch-mod during The Beatles’ early days, before transitioning to some serious flamboyance in the 1970s, preppy staples in the 1980s and a sea of baggy white T-shirts layered under waistcoats in the 1990s. Today, McCartney favours the classic staples: leather brogues, black jeans, white shirts and, of course, denim jackets. 

Various takes on the aforementioned outer layer crop up throughout his cover shoot, and teamed with some casual basics, the four looks below swiftly confirm that a good denim jacket can serve you well at any age. 

© Mary McCartney

1. The classic way

A classic faded denim jacket may be simple, but it holds serious style power teamed with some straight-cut black jeans (swap these for tailored trousers for a fancier take), lace-up leather Derby shoes and a striped crewneck jumper. Black for the lower half, colour for the upper half – the look is both understated and refined. When it comes to brands from which to buy your new faded denim jacket, turn your attention to Celine and Ralph Lauren. 

© Mary McCartney

2. The textured way 

Taking a step away from traditional denim for a minute, a jacket finished with a contrasting texture (so long as the shape and details are right) will work just as well. At home, McCartney was photographed in a sumptuous velvet design by Dior (above), which he wore with an open Mandarin-collared shirt and dark jeans. It’s a simple look, but the contrasting textures make it sing. Here are a couple of alternative denim-style jackets to get you started. 

Jacket by Brunello Cucinelli, £2,100. At farfetch.com. Jacket by Saint Laurent, £2,460. ysl.com

© Mary McCartney

3. The Western way

If you’re looking to add a little pizzazz, a statement denim jacket is the way to go. It’s all in the patchwork for AW20, which will provide a pop of colour and an on-trend nod to Westernwear simultaneously. For a tamer take, keep the statement to the back of your jacket, similar to McCartney in the Alanui design pictured above. But if you fancy going to town, take a trip to Gucci. The Florentine brand’s fully embroidered jackets are things of overstated beauty. 

© Mary McCartney

4. The monochrome way

The alternative option to a blue denim jacket? The exact same design but in black. It’s certainly a fitting choice for McCartney, a musician whose early career was so largely defined by a sharp monotone uniform. When it comes to wearing your own black denim jacket, leave it unbuttoned to reveal some practical layering (in McCartney’s case, a T-shirt and zip-up hoodie) underneath. The finishing touch? Straight-cut black jeans, of course.

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© Mary McCartney

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