The best indigo for autumn/winter.

If you’re anything like us, you probably regard the denim in your wardrobe like an old friend. There are very few materials with which we have such a long-standing relationship. Most of us wear denim of some iteration day-in, day-out, watching it mature and change as we do. Hardwearing, reliable, comfortable… the list of benefits abounds. A good thing, too, because this season there is a veritable breadth of choice as denim finds its way back into view for many designers. To help, here is your sure-fire guide for the pieces you need in the coming months.

The denim jacket is an item of clothing with near-universal appeal. And no wonder, given that it suits every body shape, is practical, affordable and only gets better with a bit of wear and tear. Plus, you can dress it up or dress it down depending on your needs. If you’re the sort of guy who likes everything in your wardrobe to have both a whiff of authenticity and a pre-loved heritage feel, then this piece by Remi Relief is the one for you. It looks charmingly vintage thanks to its light wash. One word of warning, though: if worn with jeans, the denim of the jacket should be a lighter shade.

Yes, we know, slim-fit jeans have been around for a while, and some. But there’s a reason for it. When worn well, they add an angular sort of elegance to any silhouette, and who doesn’t want that? This pair by A.P.C. has been crafted out of dry selvedge denim, which means it has been designed to age naturally. Defined by an unseamed edge, stiff fabric and a turn-up, the rigidity of the fabric means that these jeans don’t sit too close to the body and stretch over time. But how should you wear them? That’s simple: team with equally minimal garments (white shirts work well) to maintain the cleanness of the look.

When it comes to jeans, skinny is not the only way, believe it or not. Sure, fitted clothes tend to make the most of one’s physique (and also look a little sharper), but that doesn’t mean you should never venture away from the path of your tapered Nudies Jeans or Levi’s. Here at MR PORTER, we’re increasingly enjoying the idea of the wider-leg, looser fitting jeans. Why? First, they’re cooler and more comfortable. But second, and perhaps more importantly, they’re body-shape agnostic. Whether you’re something of a twiglet or a master of the thigh press with the quads of a demigod, you should be able to make them work for you. Our favourite? This gleaming white pair that have been crafted by Japanese selvedge denim by Officine Generale. They’ll look as good smartened up with a deconstructed blazer (try this one by Aspesi) during the week, as they would dressed down with a French workwear jacket off-duty.

Ah, the denim shirt – an indisputable and understated essential in the wardrobe of any sartorially conscious man. It’s become a signifier of laidback, I-just-threw-this-on cool; as likely to be seen on the back of a rugged Wild West cowboy as on a city slicker on a day off. Its enduring appeal is down to its versatility. Take this one by Oliver Spencer, for example, that’s been made from denim that’s been indigo-dyed then bleached, making for a really soft finish). It’ll look equally good with a less-formal pair of chino shorts as it will under this Kingsman blazer.

It was only a matter of time before Fresh Prince-era denim shorts came back into fashion (hey, for some they never left). Acid-washed and distressed to look like a pair from the 1990s, this NN07 style is crafted from stretch-denim that’s washed for softness and cut to hit comfortably just above the knee. Wear it with this Balenciaga shell jacket to channel West Philadelphia’s freshest.