There are so many different styles of jacket for those warmer Spring/Summer days, so here’s a round up of those in the shops this year and how to choose the best one for you.
QUILTED JACKETS
Quilted jackets are one of the newer jacket trends for this season. They can provide an extra layer for those not-so-warm days and come in an array of colours, styles, lengths and fabric weights. Here are just a few examples:
What to think about when you’re choosing yours:
- The cut – a lot of these jackets are straighter in design and finish below the waist, often having a boxy look. They’ll therefore look particularly good on you if you have or like the look of a straighter silhouette. They may work well if you are someone who wants to create extra breadth on your top half too as they are typically quite voluminous. If you are someone who likes to show off your waist they may not be for you as there is no tailoring/ruching at the waist and it would be difficult to layer a belt over to create curvature here for example. In this case it’s best to just accept this is not part of the look and perhaps draw the eye elsewhere or let the jacket do the talking.
- Fabric weight – some of these jackets are light weight and perfect to add a layer on warmer days, others are heavier weight so probably best worn on colder days. Depending on their weight, the quilting can give the appearance of added bulk, so think about whether this works for you or not. As someone who is fine boned and petite, some of these jackets simply overwhelm me. I’ve instead chosen a lightweight waistcoat as a nod to the trend.
- Colour – a jacket or coat is the first thing people tend to notice when you meet them, so make sure yours is in a colour that really suits you. It’s the difference between people greeting you with a “you’re looking well” or a “are you ok, you look a little pale/tired” type comment! You can choose a neutral colour to go with everything, like the BA-SH and JD Williams cream options above, or choose one of your bolder, more unusual colours for added impact – the Next, bolder Oliver Bonas and Mint Velvet jackets above are good examples and some are reversible which gives them even more versatilty. If you don’t know which colours suit you, book your colour consultation here: colour consultation.
CROPPED TRENCH COATS
These type of coats have been around for a few seasons now and provide a light stylish layer for warmer days. As with all clothes, how much money you choose to spend on a jacket is totally up to you. If you think it is likely to have longevity in your wardrobe, that you’re likely to wear and wear it, plus it really appeals to you, then it might be worth investing more on it. On the other hand, if it’s something that you don’t think you’ll get much wear from or that may be a passing trend, it’s probably worth spending less. So here are some save to splurge options :
Again, it’s worth thinking about the cut, fabric weight and colour of these jackets as discussed above. Some will highlight a waist, like the belted Burberry jacket for example, and others have a straighter cut like the Gap, Boden and Reiss jackets. The Boden jacket has striped details on the reverse which might appeal if you like something a bit different. All of these jackets are in reasonably neutral colours so could be a ‘go-with-everything’ staple. Just make sure you know whether you suit lighter versus darker shades or warmer versus the cooler colours.
TWEED WITH A TWIST
If you like a smarter look a tweed jacket could be for you. Tweed is typically seen in the winter, so the twist is that this season they are in lighter weight tweeds and in lighter colours so have a more summery feel about them. Here are a few examples:
Again bear in mind all of the cut, fabric weight and colour advice above. It’s also worth thinking about necklines as they can make all the difference to the way your jacket will look. Generally, a full bust suits a more open neckline, so from the examples above you might like to choose the M&S or Roman styles. You can always wear the higher neck styles worn open of course as per the LK Bennett image above. If you have a small/neat bust then higher necked styles often work really well. If you want to add breadth on your top half a wider lapel, like the Me+Em jacket or epaulettes on jackets can work very well.
There are other styles of jackets out there too, of course. Raincoats are big this season and denim jackets are always an easy option, especially worn over dresses to create that smart casual look.
Whichever you choose, make sure it feels like YOU. If you’d like any help, do just get in touch.