The Jacket Makes the Outfit
The love-your-jacket-or-hate-your-outfit season is upon us, and I'm here to help you choose a jacket for early fall.
Based on my nearly 32 years of closely watching the weather channel, I predict New York’s temperatures will finally drop and stay cool in late October, the week of Halloween. Historically, this tends to be when it cools off for good and never spikes up again. Until then, we will have a temperature rollercoaster, and our jackets should wake up from their summer hibernation and get ready to go.
While I love a jacket, it tends to take over your entire outfit. You must love it. And so, as an individual with plenty of experience with past outer layer regrets, I present to you my fall outerwear round-up. We’re going to do it right this time!
Field + Barn Jackets
I’m still unsure of the design distinction between Field and Barn Jackets but both of these jackets are a specific style of outerwear that today adds the same element of purpose, utility, and timelessness that a riding boot or driving shoe does. If you’re into that style, which today feels like “cool girl in the English Countryside,” these jackets are a great fall option and will be equally great again in the spring. The key is the contrast collar and straight-cut, boxy shape. I urge you to find your size—like you would a blazer—as the jacket I am wearing here is a size too big, and the people close to me still hear about my regret.
Classic Long Trench Coat
Invest in your Trench Coat. Don’t get the cheaper version if you can spend a bit more on quality. Your trench coat will last you years and then some. I prefer length in my trench to hit anywhere from your mid to low shin. When belted, this length allows it to have a dramatic Evergreen silhouette. I wear a Burberry one (above) that my grandmother bought and wore for years, and the only thing I’ve had to fix is the pockets (they still hold her mint Lifesavers that I’ll never remove). Burberry still makes this same trench coat, so buying secondhand will save you some money, and you will still get quality even with a few minor repairs.
I selected a slew of secondhand Burberry ones, plus others, below.
Car Coat
A Car Coat is a loose-fitting, collared, single-breasted coat. It comes in many different materials, but I love water-resistant styles similar to that of a trench coat, not because of the utility but because of the stiffness of the fabric, which gives it some shape. While this jacket is Cypress in silhouette, depending on the fabric, they can flare out a bit, hinting at Evergreen, especially when worn with dainty flats or, better yet, heels. I am in the process of altering a vintage one to have slits on the sides to make it flare out more.
Short Swing Jacket
This one’s for my Palms. A short swing jacket—in any material—allows you to show off your incredibly well-thought-out outfit underneath a bit more and gives the desired Palm volume up top, especially when worn with slim-fit bottoms, as I do above. The key here is that the jacket flares out and has some movement. This gives both the desired silhouette and room for plenty of layers underneath.
If you’re adventurous, you could alter a Trench or Car Coat to crop it, and I think that would do the same thing!
Colorblock Sailing Jacket
This $25 vintage Karizma jacket from Beacon’s Closet has received much love. I wore it on a cool-ish day during Fashion Week. I enjoy the primary color vintage sailor jackets like mine, which have such a personality. The beauty in these jackets is 1) they add instant color to your outfit, even when you’re wearing a sea of neutrals underneath, 2) while vintage is primarily men’s, a small or even medium fits someone who is 5’3 (me) if you roll the sleeves (and you can find very inexpensive ones), and 3) the layering opportunities underneath are endless so you can wear these even on a cool day. I like ones that fully zip (rather than a half or quarter-zip). And, using the Contradistinction Technique (pairing opposing styles together to create interest), these jackets add a sporty, cool, and a bit of a nautical casual touch to an otherwise polished outfit.
For reference, mine is a men’s size medium, and I rolled the sleeves. I included many vintage Karizma ones because I received many inquiries about mine and I love those metal lobster clasps. To find jackets like these, I searched “vintage color block” and added the key terms “sailing jacket,” “windbreaker,” or “sports jacket.”
Leather or Suede Jacket
I spoke about the allure of the leather or suede fringe jacket in a Therapy Walk a couple of weeks ago. I also like non-fringe for a sleeker, more modern look. I much prefer the blazer style over a moto. Like any blazer, when left unbuttoned, it’s part of the outfit, but when buttoned, it offers a different look, dominating your entire top half. Leather blazers also become useful in the dead of winter as a shield against the cold, layered under your winter coat.
Denim Jacket
What I’m talking about is a specific style of denim jacket. It’s not your classic 90s trucker, which is usually pretty slim-fitted for women. It is similar to a very thick denim shirt. You should be able to fit a hoodie or thick sweater under it. The two together will—at least for me, originally from Toronto—withstand temperatures as low as 50 degrees. I would recommend shopping for men’s or sizing up in women’s. To find the below, I searched for “denim chore coat," “denim barn jacket,” “denim workwear jacket,” and “denim shirt jacket.”
Get yourself a new fall jacket and invest in your Fall Therapy Walks outside ;)
xo
Eliz