A good jacket changes everything
What light jackets you should have in your closet this season, brands to search for good vintage coats on a budget, and more.
To me a good jacket is everything. It’s probably one of the easiest ways to elevate what might feel like a simple outfit to completely new heights.
The variety in jacket styles available to buy right now is at an all time high—feels as though anything can be deemed in style as long as the jacket is executed the right way in an outfit. It’s a great feeling because it gives us so much more to play with.
If you’re someone who’s completely lost and is looking for fresh guidance on what styles of jackets you should consider this year, then you’ve come to the right place. If you’re someone who is looking for brand recommendations for cool outerwear this season, you’ve also come to the right place. Need stylish options that are on a budget? Well, we have all of that covered in today’s letter.
LONG COATS
Long coats are alive and well. If you’ve never owned one then this is the season to get into them. While the popularity of them online seems to be at an all time high, there’s still plenty of space left to enjoy a long coat of your own.
The best part is you don’t have to spend a lot of money to find something really good—although those expensive options are hard to ignore.
Whenever someone asks me about where to get a good long coat on a budget I always send them to eBay. Start out by searching up coats from brands like The North Face Purple Label, Nanamica, Armani trench coats, or even old Supreme—these brands have their own variety of coats that don’t cost a lot on the secondhand market.
Since we are talking about coats, we can’t forget about the king, Ralph Lauren. Always good, and always in style. Most importantly though, easily attainable for the low at places like eBay or Grailed.
Ferragamo’s Spring/Summer ‘26 collection had a lot of really great coats, but let’s be real, I’m not in the financial position to be dropping money on Ferragamo right now. I used this collection as inspiration though—That red chore coat from their latest collection did activate something in me though.
After seeing that runway I wanted a red coat all of a sudden. When that happens I usually search up for vintage Polo for cheaper alternatives to see what’s out there—most of the time you’ll be able to find something almost identical or something close enough that you like even more; like this Hunting Jacket that feels like a reasonable substitute.
Having a long coat is definitely a solid choice this season but it’s also important to have some shorter options in the rotation.
A light down fill paired with jeans is great for function but if done right can also look really fresh without coming off as a tech bro. Bombers are never out of style, and a good rain jacket is essential.
There’s stuff in between like chore and barn coats, denim and leather jackets that are also fantastic options that are still relevant in today’s zeitgeist.
What jackets I'm wearing this fall
It’s the best time of the year. The air is getting crispier allowing us to finally whip out our favorite jackets for fall. Check out what jacket styles I'll be adding to my wardrobe this season.
BRANDS TO WATCH
Below is my selection of brands that I would start off with when trying to make that perfect jacket acquisition. These brands vary in price, with options for those looking for stylish options on a budget, as well as more premium choices for those looking to really invest in their outerwear.
Nautica Japan is a brand I’ve been watching very closely as of recent. The lineup of oversized fitting outerwear that’s rooted in its own archive is a revival I didn’t know I needed until now. Lots of styles that all share a similarity of being designed using washed fabrics that give a vintage feel to the garments.
Nautica Japan is available to purchase worldwide—you’ll be redirected to Daytona Park, a retailer that offers worldwide shipping.
BEAMS CASUAL
One of the best things Beams has done this past year is bring Beams Casual to America. This line is the brands effort to expand the Beams universe by creating a range of classic menswear pieces at a very affordable price—and now that they have their own dedicated US website the shipping is even faster and cheaper.
Check out Beams Casual outerwear on their site here.
