James, thank you for this very thoughtful question.
I’m not too far off from you and your friend in terms of age. And I understand where you’re coming from. I have wrestled with… or grappled with… or even wrassled with… what it means to dress appropriately as I’ve gotten older. Oddly, you often need to put a bit more thought into your ensemble than you did in your youth. Something that looks rakish and carefree on a 30-year-old can lean sloppy on a 70-year-old. That said, I am wearing blue jeans at this very moment.
So the short answer is no… jeans are not fundamentally age-inappropriate in your eighth decade. The wrong jeans can be. For instance, I wouldn’t advise either of you to start experimenting with JNCO-style wide-legs, or anything skintight. And I have some feelings about the wear and distressing level, particularly in older age. But a pair of well-fitting blue jeans is timeless and ageless. Do not dispose of yours. There are just a few things to keep in mind.
Starting off with… THE FIT. If you’ve read any of these columns, you won’t be surprised that I recommend a slim, tailored shape. We don’t go too off-road when it comes to silhouettes, and we don’t orient ourselves too hard to trends, because I like what I like… which matches up pretty well with what I think looks best on most guys: slim but not skinny. Let that be your guide. The Slim Straight is the cut we started our jeans with, and they were designed as a hybrid of the two jeans I wore most often. They’ve got a touch more taper than Levi’s 501®s and a higher rise than APC New Standards (which only came in selvedge and necessitated a pretty serious break-in period… so ours come in both selvedge and non). And then a few years ago, we introduced a shape called the Clift, which preserves that same fundamental slim, straight shape… just designed to fit guys who aren’t as slim themselves. Whether they’ve got some extra ballast, or more athletic thighs, there’s just a little more room to accommodate. Couple of other differences: the Clifts have a zip fly whereas the Slims have a button fly. And the Clifts come in a stretch denim that, very critically, does not look like a stretch denim. I’m talking 1%. Just enough to give a little comfort and movement.
Long story short, both shapes can be great for guys of a certain age… but remember that the jeans that fit you 15 years ago may not be the ones that fit you best today. A lot of guys, as they age, lose muscle mass in the back/upper thigh region. I’m not saying you need to size down — you certainly don’t want them to be tight, although it’s okay if a new pair starts out slightly snug in the waist. They tend to grow and relax over the course of the day. But it might be worth a fresh look to ask yourself, do these make me look as elegant and seasoned as I feel? Either way, on the length… I recommend a minimal break that hits at the top of your foot, or even a little shorter. No stacking or pooling at the hems, which can make you look older and shorter in a not-so-great way. Less crisp.
Speaking of a fresh pair. Let’s get into THE WEAR LEVEL. I’ve never liked jeans that already look broken-in… so mine have usually started out with a dark, uniform indigo wash. If there’s any distressing, it’s because I’ve worn my way there. Any whiskering or fading was my own doing. But I would say, in older age, you wanna err on the less-worn, more-tailored side. They should look clean. Wash them regularly. You don’t have to starch them or crease them or anything, but they shouldn’t be wrinkled or all bagged-out. A really broken-in pair will make you look older… like you wore them yesterday and just picked them up off the floor. You’re trying to avoid the handyman or around-the-house-ish vibe.
Next up is THE STUFF ON TOP, which can make or break the whole thing. A very easy way to avoid the handyman look. I’d say that the jacket becomes a more important wingman to jeans in more advanced age. I love the look of a sport coat with blue jeans and wear it often. Whether that’s a navy high-twist Ghost, a brown herringbone jacket I’ve worn the heck out of, navy flannel in the winter, seersucker in the summer, Monk’s Cloth all year round. The Vesper looks great with blue jeans. A good rule of thumb is that it should be a jacket you bought on its own… generally that you don’t want to pull in an orphaned jacket from a suit, unless it’s got some texture or touch to it, like a flannel or a high-twist wool. If it’s too smooth, it won’t look right with denim.
So, wear a jacket with your blue jeans if you can. If you really don’t want to, a tailored sweater over your shirt can look nice; not something super loose or relaxed. At the bare minimum, wear a button-up shirt and roll the sleeves. I like three-and-a-half rolls, above the elbow. The forearms are usually a pretty good-looking feature on a man, and rolling up your sleeves can give you some visual energy. It’s kind of a virile look — you appear strong and in action.
Bottom line, you need a collar. A jacket’s even better. But you’ll want a collar with that, too… even if it’s just a polo. A t-shirt neckline under a blazer with jeans will make you look like you are trying to not look your age. And that’s what we’re trying to avoid. Virtually any shirt we make, save for a tuxedo shirt, will work well with blue jeans.
On the other side of pulling off jeans as an older gentleman are THE SHOES. Definitely no to sneakers, unless you’re literally working around the house. Talk about make-or-break. Sneakers will take the whole look from paparazzi to ‘old guy shuffling through the airport.’ Yes to a pair of loafers, camp moccasins, something that doesn’t look too fussy. In the winter, chukka or Chelsea boots are beautiful and elegant. No matter the season or silhouette, suede is an excellent indicator of footwear that goes well with jeans. And steps up the elegance without going too far. You’re trying to balance looking pulled-together and casual.
Last up are THE EXTRAS. You need a belt. That’s about it. Ideally one that matches-ish your shoes — don’t get too precious about it, but they should be in the same neighborhood, color-wise.
Okay, James. I just threw a bunch of guidelines at you, but my hope is that they feel more freeing than constricting. Like you said — blue jeans are an American icon. They may not feel quite as throw-‘em-on as they did a few decades ago, but you don’t need to stop wearing them anytime soon. If you need some more references, look at Harrison Ford in Shrinking, who’s often in jeans and a sport coat. (I’m not saying that because their costume department shops with us, I’m saying it because he looks fantastic.) He’s 83. Look at Morgan Freeman — he was just on the Tonight Show last week in blue jeans, and he looked fantastic. He’s about to turn 89. These guys are quite a bit older than both of us, and they’re pulling them off beautifully.
One last thing. You asked about blue jeans, but for the record… I think 5-pockets in any color or fabric can be equally age-appropriate under the same guidelines. White or off-white denim is very chic on an older guy. Corduroy, canvas, even a pop of color. As long as the fit’s right… as long as they’re neat and not too rumpled… as long as you pay attention to the supporting characters… you’ll be in great shape.
I hope this is helpful. Abide by these rules but try not to be overly self-aware. Enjoy what you’re wearing. Worrying about your clothes too much is a young man’s game.
