Shopping Round Up: Military-Inspired Jackets

Military-inspired jackets were a bit of a trend last spring. In my mind, they're actually an everyday basic. They're so practical and olive green matches almost everything: black, browns, even pink!

These jackets could be worn with simple t-shirt and jeans, but my favorite look is military jackets layered over feminine blouses and flouncy skirts for contrast.


J. Crew utility jacket$148.00 (retail $168.00)


Joe's Jeans pant military coat, $123


Marc New York olive washed anorak, $129.00 (retail $215.00)


Merona utility jacket, $29.99

Another affordable option is army navy surplus. You can usually find a jacket for $20-$40, though figuring out sizing will be tough especially if you look online. I'd recommend checking out your local army navy surplus store, so you can try it on. Chances are you'll want to take the jacket in, but even with added cost of alterations ($20-30), it'll still be a relatively cheap piece and authentic!

Trends: The Tailored Military Jacket

Military inspired jackets have been around for a while but for the 2010/2011 Fall/Winter season, you can expect to see more tailored and fitted pieces in a variety of fabrics including wool, tweed and cotton. They're great for layering and are über functional (since they tend to sport multiple pockets) without being overly fussy. I'm definitely a fan!

Military Blazer by Superdry ($140), Canvas Military Jacket by Express ($178)

Some of the detailing you can expect to see includes oversized/brass buttons, exaggerated lapels, high-standing Napoleonic collars, cavalier ribbon lined closures, officer collars, patch pockets and double-breasted coats. The cavalier styled coats (similar to the Canvas Military Jacket by Express shown above) were previously showcased in womenswear but have now made their way over to menswear.

Military Funnel Neck Jacket by Asos ($109.53), Merchant Jacket by Allsaints ($190)

In general, the pieces tend to be on the casual side and would look great with a simple pair of jeans and boots. However, if you're in the market for something that you can dress up or down, I'd opt for a jacket made out of wool versus cotton/canvas.

Grey Military Cotton Jacket by Topman ($160), Wool Felt Parade Jacket by Burberry Prorsum ($1,795)