2024 Jacket Trends
The jacket is a staple that everyone has in their wardrobe. As well as keeping you warm and dry, your jacket is a crucial style piece that needs to work with your wardrobe to enhance your look. Now that we’re in a new year we’ve put together this style guide to tell you all about the jacket trends of 2024 so you can incorporate them into your wardrobe.
Puffer Coats/Padded Jackets
Padded jackets or puffer coats have been around for a while, beloved by many for easily combining warmth with ease of wear. These jackets are so popular because they keep the cold at bay with padding but don’t weigh you down and whilst some padded jackets use down from birds, the rise in synthetic padding materials means that more people than ever choose this type of jacket.
To style one of these jackets up, you need to remember that it’s never going to look super smart, these jackets are much more suited to a casual style. But that doesn’t mean no style at all. For women, padded jackets and coats can be paired with accessories such as bags and scarves that contrast, with either the accessories popping with colour against a dark (our Raleigh women’s long insulated jacket in black is a good example of this) cream, or pastel (have a look at the Drax women’s hooded down jacket in faded pink) coloured coat, or the coat can be a brighter colour (for example our Drax women’s funnel down jacket in cerise) that pops against a darker bag, dress or even jeans.
Men can adopt the same approach, contrast a bright padded jacket (have a look at the Drax hooded down jacket in golden brown) with a darker or more classic coloured outfit or going for a more muted jacket (see the Gibson men’s padded jacket in black) with brighter colours around it. Another option is to go for a patterned or multi-coloured approach (for example the Bowburn men’s padded jacket in peacock blue/dark orange).
Waterproof Jackets
Anyone who’s spent any time in the UK will understand the value of having a good waterproof jacket to wear when the rain starts. Whilst lots of people think of waterproof jackets as primarily a functional item of clothing, but waterproofs can be stylish additions to your wardrobe.
For women, a classic waterproof jacket (like the Austwick women’s waterproof jacket) is perfect for layering and can be worn with knitwear, a hoodie or a sweater and, like a darker padded jacket, looks great with a pop of colour underneath. Again in common with a padded jacket, you can go for something colourful or with an eye-catching pattern (for example the Craven jacket in a floral pattern) and wear alongside other clothing that’s plain or more muted.
Away from the classic waterproof however there are longer cut options. These come with a more formal look (check out the Kilnsey women’s waterproof jacket in khaki) that paired with jeans, trousers or a dress can create a smart casual look ideal for heading into work.
Another consideration with waterproof jackets is the spec. What we mean here is exactly how waterproof you need the jacket to be. For casual day-to-day use, a lower specification jacket may well hit the mark, however, if you’re going to be outdoors in tougher conditions a lot then a higher-grade waterproof jacket might be needed. This doesn’t however mean that style needs to be sacrificed. Hi-spec waterproof jackets for men are available in classic more muted colours as well as stronger palettes as well (for example our Briercliffe men’s waterproof jacket is hi-spec and comes in dark orange and washed black).
Fleece
Whilst the fleece has always been primarily about warmth, fleece jackets and tops have been an enduring style icon and it’s fair to say are firmly back in the spotlight. Some fleece jackets and tops are colour blocked (for men we have the Herwick fleece in blue/indigo and for women the Barclay in contrasting Cerise tones). This kind of colour blocking is a good way to add a bit of dynamism to an outfit.
Fleece is also perfect for creating textured looks with woollier fleeces (see our Bamford men’s raglan sherpa fleece in peacock blue or the Norrell women’s teddy half zip fleece in raspberry marl). Our advice is don’t over texture as this can be too much but if paired sensitively with other garments this can create a look where one element stands out and draws the eye.
So make 2024 the year you embrace jacket style and elevate these functional items of clothing to something that looks and feels great.