The history of denim, and the denim shirt, is long. Invented in Europe several hundred years ago, denim was originally a working-class fabric, popular through the centuries with factory workers and cowboys because of its durability. Denim pants and shirts became more of a fashion piece in the 1930s and 40s among consumers who wanted to emulate the adventurous frontier style. After WWII, denim evolved into a more everyday middle-class fabric, worn widely by both men and women, a trend spurred on by gritty Hollywood actors like James Dean and Marlon Brando.
Fast forward to today and denim is easily the most ubiquitous fabric in American closets. Like most people, I’ve been wearing denim jeans my entire life. Only recently, however, have I been turned on to the versatility of the denim shirt. Still made to take a beating, a denim shirt is perfect for everything from cutting wood to camping trips. It’s also a smart alternative to the long-popular but decidedly mainstream flannel shirt for those of us who spend time in the office and want to look sharp but still rugged.
I’ve been testing a wide variety of denim shirts over the past several months. These are my three favorites.
The post Denim Shirts Are My New Go-To: These 3 Are My Favorites appeared first on Outside Online.
