When it comes to timeless outerwear, denim jackets are virtually invincible. From rugged ranchers to urban style influencers, it’s an integral staple in any man’s wardrobe. Even if you find yourself somewhere in between those two extremes (as most of us probably are), there’s a denim jacket out there waiting to be adopted into your closet this season.
If there’s one jacket that started it all, it’s the Levi Strauss Type 1. Introduced in the early 20th century, this classic hard-wearing garment served as part of the unofficial uniform of the American working man for decades. And like other style staples with utilitarian origins, the denim jacket soon infiltrated the fashion universe. Reinvented by menswear designers the world over, today’s jean jacket comes in a dizzying array of denim variations, washes, and cuts, all accented with unique details like intricate embroidery, warm sherpa linings, and even decorative patches.
Below, we’ve compiled our favorite denim jackets available now. Pick one up and enjoy it for years to come—just like the original, each one is guaranteed to get better with age.
When I type “S” into the address bar on my browser, the autofill always leads me to sephora.com. Whenever I’m walking around the city (which is often), I can never fight the urge to walk into a Sephora store. And if I’m not in the checkout line, I’m waiting for a buzzy product to restock or adding items to my cart ahead of payday. At the moment, it’s the latter. With holiday season right around the corner, I happily scrolled through thousands of top-rated products and narrowed my cart down to 16 makeup, hair, skin, and bodycare must-haves for you (or a loved one) below. Keep scrolling for the buzzy products I can’t stop recommending.
Lamborghini aimed to take center stage at Art Basel Miami Beach this year by unveiling a new off-roading version of the angular Huracán supercar, dubbed the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato. Equipped with lifted suspension, fender flares, and knobby tires, the Sterrato marks the final iteration of Lambo’s quintessential naturally aspirated V10 engine before forthcoming generations introduce hybrid and full electric powertrains. A rally-ready variant of the low-slung, angular Huracán arrives straight out of left field—other than supposed “leaks” and teasers ahead of the official debut—so ahead of the debut, I spoke with CTO Rouven Mohr about making such a big departure from Lamborghini’s traditional recipes.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Mohr reveres the glory days of rally racing and even owns a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution done up with mud flaps and the works. Now in his second stint at Lamborghini, Mohr’s involvement with the Sterrato’s evolution began over five years ago as the earliest seeds of the project first sprouted.
“I remember pretty well the event where the idea was born,” he told Men’s Journal. “It was August or September 2017, when we were testing the Urus. We built close to the track of Vallelunga this small off-road, tiny track that basically was not there when we started.”
After a day spent testing the Urus SUV on that dirt circuit next, Mohr and his boss at the time, Maurizio Reggiani, experienced a lightbulb moment while sitting at a pizzeria.
“Everyone was so in love with this driving experience,” Mohr told me, “And we said, ‘Ah, unfortunately 99 percent of the customers will never use the Urus like this.’ Then we were thinking about the good old times, the rally times, and then I don’t know who, but one of us said it would be even cooler to drive this kind of thing with one of our super sports cars.”
But the chances of actually bringing such a fever dream to reality seemed quite remote—until Mohr showed a bit of initiative.
“At the beginning, not everyone was sure if this made sense or not,” he said. “I was looking for an old Huracán because we had a lot of cars that we had finishing the durability tests, so more or less they were close to being scrapped. I took one and together with my team, we built the demo car. Then we tested the car, and everyone was jumping out with a big, big smile on their face. So this was the starting point.”
Priorities shifted at Lamborghini quickly after the Urus SUV debuted to smashing sales success. Mohr ended up leaving for a few years at Audi before returning to Sant’Agata Bolognese in January 2022. At the time, new CEO Stephan Winkelmann brought up the off-roading Huracán as an eminently marketable project and Mohr jumped at the opportunity to bring his dreams to life.
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Everything Started with the Suspension
Transforming a track scalpel like the Huracán into an aggressive lifted off-roader required a ton of revisions to the original car. The Sterrato chassis allows for 34 millimeters more of ground clearance, as well as more suspension travel at all four corners.
“It’s important to understand the mission of the car,” he explained. “Everything started with the suspension. Basically, it’s not really an off-roader. I mean, for sure, you can drive off-road, but it’s more. I call it ‘off-track’ because the main mission of the car was to transfer the thrill and the driving emotions that you have with a super sports car like STO to low-grip conditions where you can drift and where you can better play with the car.”
I asked if the suspension modifications include adjustable ride heights, as in the “base” Urus and the new Urus S—and in contrast to the more traditional steel springs of the Urus Performante.
“No, it’s not adjustable,” Mohr replied, before joking, “We don’t want to build a kind of lame duck that at the end of the day is able to do the Rubicon Trail. I mean, it’s unrealistic.”
The Huracán already employs double-wishbone suspension that allows for significant suspension travel without creating excessive camber issues, so new dampers and springs make up most of the changes to an already very taut chassis.
“We are lucky because the basic car is already, let me say, stiffness-oriented,” Mohr said. “If you want to go sideways, if you want to really slide through the corners, this desire for driving behavior defined the ride height. If you go too too high, you have to make too many discounts because then you have a lot of body rolling, or you need stiffer springs to avoid this because the center of gravity is higher.”
“In this car, we did exactly the opposite of what we usually do in our super sports cars,” he said. “Less stiffness of the springs, less damper force, more movement of the car.”
The control arms themselves required minor modifications for tire clearance and damper connection angles, which allowed Lamborghini to fit 19-inch wheels shod in higher-profile Bridgestone Dueler AT002 tires measuring 235mm up front and 285mm in the rear. A set of fender flares allow for a wider stance, and the track width stretched by 30mm and 34mm, respectively. But those specs actually represent a step back from the original demo car that Mohr built years prior.
“Originally, the tire diameter was even higher, but the consequence of this was that the front axle had to be moved a lot to the front to ensure the turning circle and also to fit the tire in the wheelhouse,” he explained. “Aesthetically, it was a little bit strange if you looked on the side. It was a nice car, but it was not so nice like the production car. Therefore, we took the compromise in the standard production car that the wheelbase is still a little bit higher, but only few millimeters because the tire diameter is a little bit smaller again.”
Balancing aesthetics with performance, both on-road and in the slippery stuff, required plenty of fiddling. Mohr now sounds confident that the Sterrato delivers exactly the feelings a Lamborghini should, but with a new level of comfort and capability.
“At the end of the day, the toughest part is, from the setup point of view, to have a car that you can drive on Nardò or on all the race tracks of the world, and have fun. You don’t feel uncomfortable because you feel still connected to the car. And on the other side, you go with the same car, with the same tire on gravel or snow and you drive like the rally heroes of the ’80s.”
But if 99 percent of Urus customers will never take their six-figures super SUVs off-roading, as Reggiani and Mohr lamented in 2017, I suggested that even fewer Huracán drivers will these days.
“You can imagine, even if the customer will not drift with the car in the gravel,” Mohr replied, “You don’t have to be worried about speed bumps or pot holes on the road. The car is more robust and it’s really more practical than the standard super sports car. But you still have the same involvement.”
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Recalibrating the Naturally Aspirated V10
Much of the adoration that Lamborghini inspires among devotees stems from the brand’s longstanding adherence to naturally aspirated V10 and V12 engines. But larger-diameter tires mean less power put to the ground, in sheer physics terms. So how does the Sterrato’s drivetrain counter the necessary power decrease?
“The engine calibration is different,” Mohr told me. “The main idea was to have this kind of high screaming, naturally aspirated high revving.”
Mounted amidship in the Sterrato, the Huracán’s highest-spec 5.2-liter V10 cranks out 610 horsepower and 417 lb-ft of torque. That’s a minimal decrease from 630 horses out of the same mill when used in the STO, and it’s largely due to using a roof scoop air intake to reduce the amount of potential dust and dirt entering the engine.
“We recognized during the testing activities of the demo car that with the air intake at the height of the rear windows, like the standard Huracán, the air filters were completely, permanently blocked,” Mohr said. “On the STO, the air scoop is only for cooling purposes, and the air intake is still on the side. In the Sterrato, the air scoop is really the air intake to the engine, and we also have completely revised the air filter concept to be as robust as possible. And based on this, we have a little bit more pressure loss in the intake system. And the result is that the engine power is a little bit less.”
The STO also comes in rear-wheel drive only, while the Sterrato still employs another trademark of Lamborghini handling: an electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system equipped with a mechanical limited-slip rear differential. But unlike other AWD Huracáns, the Sterrato does not come with rear-wheel-steering.
“The combination of rear steering and a little bit softer tire compound,” explains Mohr. “Gives too artificial of a feeling.”
Surprisingly, as on the Uruses (Urii?) that Mohr played with in the sandbox at Vallelunga, the new Huracán variant also hides carbon ceramic brakes beneath those 19-inch wheels—in this case, measuring 380mm up front and 356mm at the rear. Just try not to think about the sound of a pebble getting caught in the brake caliper during some dirt-road drifting.
The courage required to take a modern supercar off the asphalt sounds immense. Just ask anyone who signed up to purchase Porsche’s recently unveiled 911 Dakar, which stickers at $220,000 and up. I asked Mohr if the Porsche figured into Lamborghini’s decision to build the Sterrato, given the shared Volkswagen AG ownership and his own Audi past. Not at all, it turns out.
“For Porsche, it’s a kind of renewal of the history of the famous and very successful ‘Safari’ 911, but it’s a different category of car, for sure,” Mohr reflected. “If you drive this car on the track and then enter the infield, like rallycross style, it’s fun. And this fits to our brand.”
Little details also contribute to the Sterrato’s otherwise aggressive profile. Mohr’s personal favorite? The dual front accessory light bars.
“Rally cars always had these additional headlamps on the front and we wanted to bring this also,” he laughed. “I’m so in love with these additional headlamps, even if they are not needed. Also, in the U.S., they have to be covered.”
As a dedicated rally enthusiast with his own Evo, surely Mohr took the Sterrato out on some hard technical trails, I thought.
“I can tell you in Sweden, when we made the winter testing in the test area, there are also some forest roads you can drive so fast in the car because it’s easy,” Mohr admitted. “On this low-grip surface, it takes some time until the car is stopping. I had to remember, ‘Oh, it’s still gravel or snow you’re driving.’”
Although such dedicated development fun might sound likely to spawn a factory-supported rally racing program, Mohr shot down such an idea as taking away too much attention from Lamborghini’s focus on next-generation LMDh and Super Trofeo cars. But he and I both agreed that hopefully, at least a few of the lucky customers willing to shell out for a Sterrato will take this last Huracán out for some drifting in the grit and grime.
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One of the more popular unofficial taglines for New Orleans is “a theme park for adults.” As branding goes, this is pretty accurate when it comes to the neon lights of Bourbon Street, the hipster crowds in the Marigny and Bywater, and the foodies prowling Uptown for the next James Beard-nominated hot spot.
But can this town, so well known for its adult diversions, also cater to kids? The answer is, as so many New Orleanians are wont to say, “Yeah you right!” From street performers, live music, parks, museums, and yes, even some Mardis Gras parades, New Orleans has a lot to offer everyone in the family.
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While we’re wary of engaging regional cliches too deeply, there is more than a grain of truth to the Big Easy’s penchant for, well, taking it easy. A stuffed-shirt approach does not yield much in New Orleans beyond head-shaking disapproval. Even the highest-end restaurants are cool with kids, who are generally looked after with an indulgent smile.
Getting around New Orleans with children in tow
One thing to consider if you’re exploring by foot is that New Orleans’ ill-maintained sidewalks are horrible for strollers – you’ll want to bring one that is maneuverable and durable. Another option is bicycling through the city. It’s easy to cycle, and you can cross the entirety of the town in 45 minutes. If you’re looking to access outer neighborhoods such as Mid-City, a car is the easiest way to travel.
Best things to do in the French Quarter with kids
A popular place for families is the French Quarter. Although many visitors treat it as a sort of adult playground, with Bourbon Street serving as a neon heart of bad behavior, skip this side and you’ll find a compact neighborhood where historical preservation, incredible dining and great nightlife intersect like nowhere else in the USA.
Explore the area with a morning walking tour run by Friends of the Cabildo. It’s an excellent introduction to both the architecture and history of the area. After the tour, take a walk along the river and consider catching a concert sponsored by the National Park Service at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. Or, walk up and down Royal Street and lounge alongside the river. If you feel inclined, rent a bicycle; you can cover lots more ground that way. There’s plenty of shopping and galleries to peruse here.
The hub of activity in Jackson Square is sure to be loved by kids. Any time of day you may encounter street artists, fortune-tellers, buskers, brass bands and similar folks all engaged in producing the sensory overload New Orleans is famous for (and kids go crazy over). The square is framed by a fairytale cathedral and two excellent museums, and nearby are steps leading up to the Mississippi River. Drop by Café du Monde for some powdered-sugar treats.
Looking to stay close by? The Olivier House is a French Quarter standby that’s good with kids. And Dauphine Orleans is a boutique-style hotel with family-friendly amenities.
Where to find the family-friendly Mardis Gras spots
Colorful spectacle is core to New Orleanian identity, and this sort of pageantry gets put on parade (literally) every winter, spring and fall weekend during a celebration known as second lining – local parades that march through primarily African American neighborhoods. They are open to the public, and many local families march with their children in tow, but loud music and alcohol consumption is the norm. Kids who are into live music will love it but it can be a sensory overload for those who prefer a quieter outing.
Of course, it’s not like this city lacks parades. Processions affiliated with festivals and holidays like Decadence, Gay Easter, Halloween and, of course, Mardi Gras always include folks in fantastic costumes tossing “throws” (beads, toys, etc) to kids. Indeed, many locals would argue that, contrary to popular belief, Mardi Gras and the preceding two weeks of Carnival are fundamentally family-oriented holidays (accessible parades for children include the sci-fi-ganza of Chewbacchus and the parading dogs of Barkus).
You may see public inebriation anywhere in the city during Carnival, but the main parade route on St Charles Avenue, which passes through Uptown, the Garden District, the Lower Garden District and the CBD, is always filled with families.
The enormous Endymion parade, which rolls through Mid-City, is held up as a family-friendly event, but we find it too crowded for our tastes. Other parades like Barkus roll through the French Quarter, while Chewbacchus runs through Faubourg Marigny.
In general, truly drunken adult behavior tends to concentrate around Bourbon Street and Frenchmen Street during Carnival, but head a few blocks in either direction from these places and you are likely to find families enjoying themselves.
Local tip: a taste for pageantry easily translates into a love of theater, and many theater programs in New Orleans market themselves to families. Be on the lookout for family-oriented shows at the NOLA Project and Cafe Istanbul in the Healing Center.
The swampy, buggy wetlands of South Louisiana are their own kind of playground, but it’s not one that is easily accessible to the uninitiated. You can take a swamp tour, of course – the kids will probably get to watch alligators prowl the Bayou – or, if you’d rather not spend the money, you can walk the boardwalk at the Barataria Preserve, just south of the city. Gators can sometimes be spotted there, and even if you don’t spy those grinning reptiles, the local cypress swamp has an otherworldly beauty.
A similar landscape awaits visitors to the boardwalk trails that skirt through the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, located in New Orleans East. Fair warning – South Louisiana gets hot and humid. Bring lots of cold water for any nature outing no matter the season.
City Park is larger than Central Park and it has alligators – what are you waiting for? If alligators aren’t your thing, it is also home to long lines of live oaks and weeping willows; a botanical garden that contains New Orleans in miniature; ice cream; Greek columns; a sculpture garden that surrounds the New Orleans Museum of Art; and a singing tree, festooned with wind chimes and romance – the sort of space where love and music slowly infuse the air with giddiness.
A walk through the hardwood trees of the Couturie Forest will make you feel like the city is far far away. The paths lead to the highest point in the city, Laborde Mountain, which affords you stunning views as you catch your breath.
Check out the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, especially the 1906 carousel that’s a gem of vintage nostalgia. Other thrills include a Ferris wheel, bumper cars and a tilt-a-whirl.
The Louisiana Children’s Museum recently built new digs in City Park. It’s kind of a theme park for kids (albeit more educational). There are giant bubble-blowing exhibits, fun-size loading cranes, a book forest, a play shopping area, and plenty of other stuff that should appeal to any kid under 10.
Spend a day at Audubon Park
Audubon Park is more groomed than City Park and sits on a stretch of Magazine Street and St Charles Avenue rife with good food options. This is the location of the Fly, a popular riverfront pedestrian walkway, and of course, the Audubon Zoo.
The Audubon Zoo, Aquarium and Insectarium are a trifecta of family-friendly sites that are popular with tourists and locals. The zoo is a genuinely excellent example of the genre – it’s large, the animals have spacious enclosures and the setting in Audubon Park is wonderful. It’s closing temporarily for a renovation in late November 2022 and will reopen for its adoring fans in the summer of 2023.
During summer, be on the lookout for the onsite waterpark, “Cool Zoo.” Also, note that there is a waterfall and grotto (of sorts) in the shadow of Monkey Hill, a small man-made slope located near the African wild dogs.
The Aquarium of the Americas has playful otters, cute penguins, a Mayan sunken temple exhibit and a questionable display of an oil rig and sea life living in perfect harmony. Last but not least, the Insectarium has giant beetles, a wonderfully disgusting cockroach display, a cool indoor swamp and – oh boy! – a cafe that sells all kinds of insect-derived food.
To visit the aquarium, insectarium and zoo, buy the Audubon Experience package and see all three within 30 days, as well as an IMAX movie, at a reduced overall price.
New Orleans has some of the best food in the USA, and the good news is, you don’t have to miss out just because you’re traveling with kids. While there are few non-chain places with dedicated children’s menus, most New Orleans restaurants are more than willing to adjust the menu to a child’s tastes.
Many of the city’s local breweries, including Urban South, Second Line Brewing and Parleaux Beer Lab, have dedicated child-friendly areas, with space for little ones to play and roam. On the flip side, some food mainstays that derive a large portion of their income from alcohol sales, like Bacchanal and Coop’s, do not allow minors on site – when in doubt, call ahead.
Outdoor performances and live music
Live music is a big draw for many visitors to New Orleans but most music clubs tend to serve booze and have 21-and-up entrance requirements. But you can catch outdoor performances on Frenchmen Street, for example, by hanging out on the kid-friendly second-floor balcony of the Frenchman Street location of Dat Dog.
At Jazz Fest, there’s a dedicated children’s tent which usually features good music: put it this way, parents won’t mind hanging out here even though bigger acts are playing elsewhere. Some parents swear by French Quarter Fest as a good, kid-friendly festival, by dint of its free admission and multiple venues scattered throughout the French Quarter.
All of the above are great, but if you or your children have a tough time pushing through big crowds, you may want to skip this option (Jazz Fest also draws large crowds, but its open location at the race-course grounds makes them much easier to navigate).
When it comes to music for kids, we find that more locally focused, less prominent festivals, like the Bayou Boogaloo or the Congo Square Rhythms Festival, are a way of seeing music in a setting that is easy on families. They have plentiful food vendors, adult libations for those who need them, and an easy-going crowd that is neither too sedate nor too aggressive.
