The Lee 101 Classic Staple Denim Jacket Styles
The premium Lee 101 denim collection by Lee embraces the classic staples of the American denim brand. As always, iconic and outstanding archival designs are used within the collections. For Fall and Winter 2023, Lee 101 comes with three classic denim jacket styles that need to be part of each man’s wardrobe. Styles that originally were designed with cowboys, farmers, and blue-collar workers in mind. These authentic denim jacket styles stand the test of time and worn by many famous actors, singers, and other celebrities over the years. Now it’s your chance to get one of these must-haves as they are currently available within the FW23 collection, so let’s highlight each of these winners.
The 3 Denim Jacket Styles
The Lee Rider jacket was first launched in 1948. This jacket style was named originally 101-J (Jacket). Specifically made with cowboys in mind, the Rider jacket features special details such as form-fitting, ‘exclusive tailoring’, corded buttonholes, Lee Rider buttons, pleated front, pleated pockets with button-down flaps, 2-way collar, tailored sleeve with ample shoulder and elbow room, and not to forget, the adjustable waistband. The Lee Rider jacket was advertised as the “Genuine Western Lee Rider Jacket” back in the day.
For this Fall-Winter season, the relaunched Lee 101 Rider jacket is heritage-inspired. It’s built on the template of the iconic original with its angled yoke, front seams, and zig-zag stitching through the placket. This version features hand warmer pockets so you can keep your hands warm during the colder season.
The fabric of the jacket is a heavyweight 15oz mix of organic and recycled cotton. It’s crafted in a left-hand weave that will wash beautifully. The unwashed dry dark blue and clean denim fabric shows the grain of the denim weave showing through. The finish is a beautiful one, as befits this upscale jacket. On this dark blue, the orange stitching and brass buttons provide a rich contrast.
This is a jacket for life that will only get better with age, just like your pair of Lee 101 jeans.
The Lee Storm Rider is the lined version of the Lee Rider jacket but with a corduroy collar. First, this denim jacket style was called 101-LJ, which refers to a lined jacket. Soon in 1953, Lee rebranded the lined version as the Storm Rider. With the release of this denim jacket, people were able to wear a Lee denim jacket all year round due to the warm lining inside. Today, the Lee Storm Rider jacket is an iconic style built to be worn each day.
The seasonal Lee 101 Storm Rider jacket style is made with a fine 13oz selvedge denim fabric with a white ID. The mix of the Japanese woven fabric, called Solid Indigo, is made with a blend of cotton and 20% recycled cotton. The denim fabric has an authentic rigid feeling. It is a hardy and resilient premium fabric, something that is known for the Lee 101 collection. The finish of the denim jacket is a really dark denim blue with a clean finish and a contrast collar in black. The Lee tag is added to the chest and Lee 101 buttons are tough, reliable, and built to last, just like this jacket.
The Lee Zip denim jacket, originally called 191-LJ (Lined Jacket) hit the market in the mid-1930s. Soon, in the early 1940s, this denim jacket style was named 91B, also known as the zip jacket. The jacket was designed to be worn over overalls as extra protection when doing true hard labor. The design of the 91B denim jacket is based on a bomber-style template with a regular fit including a collar, slanted chest pocket, and hem that hits just below the waistband.
For Fall-Winter ’23, the 91B or zip jacket is made with a relatively lightweight 11,5oz selvedge denim fabric with green ID. The Japanese fabric is made using a mix of cotton with low-impact hemp (23% hemp). It is strong but has excellent movement and comfort thanks to the way it is constructed. The denim is pure, dark, and dry with that flash of corduroy adding contrast to the collar. The stitching describes minimal ergonomic lines in a fresh contrast tone of off-white.
All the images in the article are provided by Lee.
Explore the three iconic Lee 101 denim jackets here!
