How to style a plus size denim jacket

Size a denim jacket to what you'll actually wear underneath it — a tunic, a tee, a knit top — not to your bare arms. Two measurements decide the fit, and neither is your chest: room through the upper arm and sleeve length.

Reviewers describe the same two positive features on outer layers again and again: a jacket fits "well in the upper sleeve for my large arms," and sleeves "can be rolled up easily" on a shorter frame. Try the jacket on over a few tops you plan to wear with it, then raise both arms overhead — if the shoulder pulls or the upper arm binds, size up.

Length is a separate decision, and it's about styling, not fit. A classic hip-length jacket ends above a 30-inch tunic and reads as a jacket layered over a longer top. A longer style worn open reads as a layer on its own and doesn't need to close over anything. Compare cuts and lengths in the Jean Jackets collection before you settle on a size, and check the full coats and jackets range if you want a length beyond hip-length.

Pair the jacket with a hip-length polo tunic, leggings, and sneakers for the drop-off line. The tunic's 30-inch length stays covered under the jacket's shorter hem, and the collar peeks out at the neckline for a little structure.

Because the jacket sits over the tunic instead of a fitted top, size the jacket for room through the shoulder and let the tunic do the smoothing underneath. Left open, it moves with you through drop-off, errands, and pickup without a single button to manage.

On warm days, wear the jacket open over a tank top and jeans, sleeves pushed to the elbow. It works as a layer you carry more than one you wear — on for the air-conditioned store, off and tied at the waist the rest of the afternoon.

This is the easiest test of fit: an open jacket only has to clear your shoulders and upper arms, so if it still binds there with nothing buttoned, it's the wrong size regardless of how the rest looks.

For travel days, button the jacket over a crewneck tunic and joggers. The tunic adds a soft layer against the denim, and buttoning the jacket — rather than leaving it open — gives you a warmer, more secured layer for a cold cabin.

This is the look where sleeve length shows up fastest: reach overhead to put a bag in the overhead bin, and a sleeve that's too short will announce itself immediately.

A hip-length jacket sits differently depending on your height and the length of what's underneath. On a petite frame, a denim jacket can skim your hips; yet on a taller frame, the same jean jacket sits higher and shows more of a longer tunic or dress underneath.

Woman Within offers a wide array of jean jacket silhouettes and fabrics, so start with the length built for your proportions rather than adjusting a standard length after the fact. Measure before you buy, and compare the jacket's length to whatever you're planning to wear under it, not to a photo.