The denim overshirt has a bad reputation and most of it is deserved. Too often it shows up in a thin, washed out fabric that looks like it came free with something else. The buttons are plastic. The chest pockets sit at odd angles. You put it on and immediately feel like you made a mistake. The ones worth owning are a different thing entirely. Heavier fabric with a proper structure. Spread or button down collars that actually lie flat. Stitching that holds its shape after a dozen washes rather than going saggy at the shoulders after three. We’ve been looking specifically at pieces that work as a genuine layer rather than an afterthought, the kind you can wear open over a tee on a cool evening or buttoned up with chinos when you want something more considered. The weight of the denim is what separates the good from the forgettable. These are all on the right side of that line.