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They're like jeans for your top half. Straight Vintage Jeans

ISN'T DENIM amazing? It was initially created as a durable fabric that can hold up after a long day at the factory or ranch. Denim's unique layering process also creates beautiful fading textures, and it's rendered in mostly blue and dark colors to hide stains. Yet denim blues, especially when indigo is used, are so universally appealing that they can be styled with almost anything. No wonder that jeans have become the most popular pants in the world.

Denim shirts for men however, are much less appreciated, despite possessing all the same properties that make jeans so beloved. We’re here to correct that oversight and give denim shirts some love. Denim shirts are the ultimate go-to button-down shirt for guys to fall back on for an easy-to-layer, easy-to-style fit. Denim shirts can also help you pull off more bold pieces like a paisley blazer, or patchwork pants. And a reliable denim shirt can even be worn with running shorts, tuxedo pants, and just about anything in between.

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Let’s break down the denim shirt a bit before we get into the list. There are four categories of denim shirt plus an open ended fifth category for the exciting leftovers that don’t quite fit in with the others: The Oxford Style: This is a traditional button-down shirt that usually, but not always, has a chest pocket and button-down collar. The Western Style: This has snap buttons that are usually pearl but can be anything from black onyx to turquoise. It should have a pointed collar, yolk details on the front and back shoulder, and double chest pockets with snap button flaps. A detail to look for is that you want two or three snaps on each cuff and maybe one more on the wrist. The Work Shirt: This is a traditional American style work shirt that has two chest pockets. The left pocket will usually feature a pencil sleeve. The collar may have a tab, bonus points if it does. These are traditionally cut a bit longer in the body but you don’t see that very often for styling purposes. The Tailored Shirt: This is definitely the least common category because it is a bit counter-intuitive to make a tailored dress shirt but they look great. They have a spread collar, preferably a French placket, and are slim cut. The Wild Card: Designers are doing some exciting things with denim shirts these days and some of them just don’t fit into one of the above categories. We still love them all the same.

Ahead are the 30 best denim shirts for men that will go with just about everything.

Countless menswear brands make denim western shirts, but there is just something so perfect about the Levi's Barstow button-up. Maybe it comes from the fact that Levi's invented denim so it just feels like they have the authority to say "this is thee denim shirt." We don't disagree.

Ralph Lauren, the man, has always intermingled denim and formalwear with a masterful touch. So his oxford style denim shirt is the ultimate way to match denim with elevated clothing. You can wear it with a suit and tie or throw it over your tank with a bathing suit for a day at the beach. It anchors any outfit.

Todd Snyder has perfected the denim work shirt for this look. Pair it with any chino, over a plain white tee, and your favorite sneakers, and you're good to go.

Abercrombie made a no frills, light blue denim button down shirt that's so simple, it's perfect. Try to come up with something that you couldn't wear this shirt with.. we'll wait.

Cucinelli takes the denim shirt to a whole 'nother level of simplistically cool with this tailored option. Think: cutaway collar, smooth chest with no pockets, and perfectly trimmed lines. It's the Don Draper of denim shirts.

Getting the buttons right on a snap button western shirt is crucial. Flint and Tinder understood the assignment, starting with great fasteners and building a fundamental western shirt around them.

Billy Reid put a workwear spin on the western shirt by using solid brass hardware. It's a little heavier, and cost more, but it will age perfectly as the fabric grows a fine patina around it.

J.Crew went with a little thicker denim on this oxford style shirt. The extra heft feels like a good pair of jeans.

Kenzo's take on an old fashioned denim ranch shirt, which is a more ornate version of a denim western shirt. You'll usually find them at country concerts and line dancing night at your local honkey tonk.

The pointed flap pockets on this western shirt from Taylor Stitch are angled inward for a unique twist on the classic design. The white pearl buttons are a great finishing touch.

This is a slimmer fit and cut a bit higher in the waist than most oxford style dress shirts for a casual look.

If there is a brand that can rival Levi's for claim to the Western Shirt Throne, it's Wrangler. Their signature "W" stitching on the chest pockets is just as much a part of the western shirt blueprint as the snap buttons.

This work style shirt from Alex Mill is constructed from a fabric made of recycled denim. To get a uniform look, the shirt is garment-dyed after for a brilliant blue finish.

Port and Company made a simple, all-purpose denim shirt at an affordable price. Putting "value" in the title is an understatement with the amount of use you can get out of this shirt.

This workwear style denim shirt from Orvis has a fleece lining for extra warmth through the winter. The rivet buttons, like you would find on the waist of most jeans, are a nice little detail.

This oxford style denim shirt from Brooks Brothers has a bit of stretch in it for extra comfort and mobility.

The oversized chest pocket sets this oxford style denim shirt from the pack. DL used a heavier weight denim which really accentuates the pleated cuffs on the wrist.

The sandy off-white denim used for this shirt is really unique. Even more unique is Manaaki's signature overlapping, inverted pocket design on the chest.

Whats better than a denim shirt with pearl buttons? A denim shirt decorated with even more pearl buttons... in multiple colors! Well played Golden Goose.

This is one of those denim shirts that doesn't really fit into the categories mentioned above. It is a wildcard that will headline an outfit rather than anchor it.

Mavi updated the western shirt design by cutting it in a slimmer, more tailored fit. They also swapped out the pearl snaps for these cool nail head buttons.

This denim shirt from Frame has a beachy, aloha shirt style pattern that looks like it has been bleached into the denim.

Imogene + Willie are known for high quality classics. They built a prototypical denim work shirt to the highest standard here.

The oversized pointed collar on this denim work shirt from Séfr gives it a 1970s vintage feel.

This denim work shirt from AG has the look of a denim jacket hybrid with the rivet buttons. Sometimes there is no substitute for black denim.

Howler decorates its western shirts with south-western inspired embroidery on the shoulder yolk. They have a wide range of designs that are updated each season.

The sawtooth style pocket on western shirts goes back at least to the 1950s. It is more common in vintage denim shirts, but you can still find some online if you look hard enough, like this one from Lucky.

This single pocket option from Hudson Jeans is bleached, paint splattered and beaten up to give it an aged vintage feel.

This is the Frankenstein's Monster of denim western shirts from PRPS. It looks like it has been cobbled together and brought back to life in the coolest way possible.

Vintage Denim Jeans L.L. Bean winterized the denim work shirt by putting a fleece lining in it. It also doubles as a light jacket for fall and spring.