Sartoria Lab

View Original

5 x Men's Casual Jackets for Spring 2023

The day I decide to look for some Spring jackets to write about, is the day that it snows! In March! I'm sure Spring is coming soon though, so let's get ahead of the game shall we?

Personally, I love buying things out of season, putting them away, so I can look forward to wearing them when I get the new season's clothes out.....you might want to try it. Or if you're the sort of person who likes to wear your new purchases immediately, then you could wear these Spring jackets as a layer whilst it's still cold eg: maybe the tan suede could go under a navy overcoat,  the olive field jacket would look great with a denim jacket under it, or a cosy, chunky cream roll neck would work really well with the check bomber jacket.

Thinking about different ways in which to wear things, makes them so much more functional, and this is something I always do when I'm on a personal shopping trip for men. If you're not already doing this when you're shopping - then here are some suggestions of what to think about before you buy your next Spring jacket.

- Can you wear it with casual and smart things? (you can do that with all the jackets I've chosen)

- Can you wear it with 3 different pairs of trousers / jeans?

- Or 3 different colours underneath / on top?

- Can you put layers on top or beneath it?

That's the best way to get the most wear from your clothes, so none of them sit unloved in your wardrobe. Here's my pick of jackets for this Spring:

Mr P textured cotton and linen bomber jacket - personal stylist for men

If I was a guy, I'd definitely be buying this! It's just the sort of understated simplicity that I love, and linen and cotton is a great mixture. For the next few months, you might need to put a cashmere sweater and cotton scarf with it but it'll be brilliant in summer with just a t-shirt and shorts as it's shown here. If you love clean lines, block colours and effortless cool (at any age) as much as I do, then give this one a go.

Oh and by the way - one of the questions that comes up a lot when I buy bomber jackets with clients, is "does it matter if my top is longer than the jacket?" - have a look at this video I put up on Instagram where you can see clearly, that it's absolutely fine! . 

Navy textured cotton and linen blend jacket - Mr P at Mr Porter - £325

Officine Générale 'Victor' tan suede bomber jacket - personal stylist for men

Who doesn't want to have a classic tan suede jacket in their wardrobe......very "Paul Newman" don't you think? This one's made of goat suede which is light and soft, so it's the sort of thing you could wear to a bar and not take off. In fact, it'd be easy to wear with literally everything! Blue jeans and check shirt - tick. Navy chinos and pale blue shirt - tick. A black roll neck and black jeans - tick. Or even all white as it's shown here.....if you're feeling brave. And for a smarter look you could go for grey flannel trousers and an olive sweater......there's endless possibilities! 

Tan 'Victor' jacket in Italian goat suede - Officine Générale - £965

Fujito at Trunk Clothiers ripstop olive cotton jungle jacket  - personal shopping for men

You'd generally think of this as a very casual jacket but look how Aidan (the guy on the right, who works in the London branch of Trunk Clothiers store, and is super helpful, knowledgable and friendly) has styled it with the grey flannel trousers and Chukka boots - pretty dapper eh? So this jacket is not just a one trick pony for weekend wear, you can wear it to work too.

Having said that, it'll certainly look great with your jeans and boots, or chinos and trainers. Oh and one other thing I noticed when I saw a video of him wearing it on Instagram - the lower pockets can be accessed from the top and the side....a small detail you may think, but so much easier when you want to put your hands in your pockets to use the side opening. It's stuff like that, which often clinches the deal for me and my clients. It makes something worth spending more money on, when you think about the practicalities of wearing it.

Olive ripstop cotton jungle jacket - Fujito at Trunk Clothiers - £390

Oliver Spencer Langar bomber jacket - personal styling for men

If you've already got a core collection of jackets in your wardrobe, then you can afford to start introducing some more pattern. This bold check bomber jacket, would do nicely.......it certainly makes a statement, but because the colours are neutral it doesn't make it too hard to wear. It'll look great with any plain block colours, like this burnt orange and cream combo they've put it with, or stick to plain black. It's in an unlined linen so it'll be nice and lightweight for travelling - plus one of the benefits of having a pattern is that it won't show the creases as much!

'Langar' bomber jacket in Finlay black - Oliver Spencer - £359

Permanent Style linen Harrington bomber jacket - personal styling advice for men

You may think this looks like an ordinary navy Harrington and why on earth would you pay nearly £600 for it but if it's anything to do with Simon Crompton from Permanent Style (who's wearing it here) you know that every detail will have been thought through meticulously.......and that's what makes a great jacket.

A collar that sits right, a beautifully flattering shape, a great fabric - in fact he's written about it in detail on his own website, so if you like the look of it - give that a read first and you'll get all the nitty gritty details. And he's even done the hard work for you too and figured out how to wear it in 3 different ways from smart to casual. Cheers Simon!

'The Permanent Style' linen Harrington jacket - Private White VC - £595

Have you not got a clue where to start? Feel like an upgrade and a refresh of your wardrobe but don't have time to think about it? Why not outsource it to a professional? I can do all the research for you beforehand and show you an edited selection of items to consider on a personal shopping trip for men. Click the button below to find out more and book in your shopping trip TODAY!

Did you enjoy reading this post and like to read some more styling and shopping tips for men? Have a look at these posts too:

Casual trousers that aren't jeans - personal shopping and styling for men

What trousers can I wear instead of jeans

Basic capsule wardrobe - personal shopping and styling for men

Great basics for a capsule wardrobe