There’s something about an elevated casual jacket that really puts an outfit over the top. Something that feels cool, but not too trying-hard. Something effortless.
A varsity jacket. It’s the jacket that dresses up that tiny tucked-in white tee and pair of jeans you’ve been casually throwing on all summer long. It seasons that fancy cocktail dress so that you don’t feel like the biggest grandma at the party.
It does its work quietly. Speaking of quietly, we’ve noticed that girls have been rocking varsity jackets without really screaming it from the rooftops. It’s layered over a silky slip dress en route to a restaurant.
It’s slipped on over
blouse and slim pants when Friday needs to feel like an effort, but not too much of one. It’s that last thing you grab as you run out the door that suddenly makes your entire outfit feel put together. See what we mean?
Its ability to go with everything is why we’re totally here for varsity jackets being taken seriously in the women’s wardrobe. This edit includes everything you need. Wool crush raglan with leather sleeves to sneak into your wardrobe that feels like it’s been worn for years, even if you snagged it this past Friday.
Satin accents to keep things light and ladylike. Boyfriend cuts that layer easily over tees and sweaters when it’s still cool out. Hemlines that hit just at the right spot to really work with wide leg pants (better than that ballet slipper cut we’ve all tried before).
We’ve been careful about colorways because an ill-chosen one can quickly send the whole jacket into cheesy prom territory. Trust us, we wanted bright colours, but barely wore pastels. What we didn’t want were varsity jackets that looked like they were borrowed from your boyfriend’s wardrobe or stolen from the gym.
The line is really in the details. Everything from jacket fits closer to the body in all the right places. The fabric quality is higher.
Things like ribbed cuffs that actually hold their shape. Snap buttons that snap. Chenille embroidering that only accents areas where it really adds to the texture of the jacket rather than making it look like a toddler’s paintings wrapped you in plastic.
Trust, these things make a difference. We swear the varsity jacket has stuck around because it can take us through so many seasons—whether that be weather seasons or fashion trends. It has answers for when we want to elevate a simple look.
We just wanted to curate the jackets that are actually worth your closet space.
