Spring/ Summer jackets - ideas wanted. - YouLookFab Forum

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Spring/ Summer jackets - ideas wanted.

Sal

Veteran

Hi All

I am looking for a summer/spring weight jacket to wear over
- summer dresses
- tees and tops

While it is summer here the evenings can be cool and jackets of this weight will be worn from October to April some years.

I was thinking of a denim jacket but the two I tried on last week just did not excite me at all.

My current collection (some of these are old pics)

black bolero
black brocade kimono
cream soft tuxedo jacket
pink jacket
olive cropped jacket

(I do have two leather jackets, some sweaters and gear jackets as well, plus a wool jacket but the leather and wool are too hot for summer, and the gear is for very casual uses only).

I think this could be a time where I am being unrealistic and would be better to get two jackets rather than expect a single one to meet all my needs.

I am prepared to buy online in NZ or internationally on this occasion as I have been looking quite extensively here with no success.

What would you recommend to add to my collection?

Thanks in advance

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23 replies

Latest reply was from Sal

marija

I love long sweaters. They make me happy.
Here are many long sweaters and they come in many colours, one which might suit your wardrobe. The prices are certainly great.

https://shop.nordstrom.com/c/s.....038;cid=tc

Lucy

Veteran

Oohh! Jackets
I like a few of the jackets at Sussan at the moment. I wear my white denim jacket more than I expected. Or this one is different to the ones you have:
https://www.sussan.com.au/clot.....cket-black

kellygirl

Veteran

I really like your selection. Varied and colorful. The angled hems really suit you. I have a couple of bombers that are kind of gear like but they don’t wrinkle and look good with jeans. I wear those a lot during the summer.

ETA i like tencel for summer. (Like the one I linked by Karen Kane.)

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Brooklyn

Veteran

Hi Sally

I am away at the moment with bad internet.

Do you fancy a blazer? I got this one from Witchery in olive green (although that colour seems to be sold out now). It looks very flash with jeans. The white is nice too. Only downside is that it's poly. I am not anti-poly but it's not my favourite fabric for summer. I plan to treat it as more of a Spring/Autumn jacket. I think the style is quite different from what you already have.

https://www.witchery.com.au/sh.....asted-Twil

I also got the cotton jacket shown in Finds from Kookai a couple of months ago. It is a great weight for warm weather but quite cropped. Better with skirts and dresses. I love the multi directional stripes, which are quite stunning in person. But I am not sure whether it's your style.

I would check out the Iconic too (30% off at the moment).

I will come back if I think of more.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Hi Sally, as usual I have to suggest outlet stores if there are some nearby. All my fave summer jackets below( pic 1/2 from 2010, 3 from 2014, 4 cobalt from this year, and 5 floral bomber from last year), were bought from that sort of place-a special sale or an outlet. They all just sang to me when I saw them, I didn't have anything particular in mind. This is not very helpful I know! The bomber has had the most wears by far. 47 wears and it only cost $30! Could you look for fancy styled bombers online eg ASOS?
Also I have 2 very light drapey summer cardigans which were from the Blackstone outlet store here. Brand is Silver Lining, a Blackstone range, you could see if anything appeals from their line? Or come up here to the North Shore and I'll take you around the great outlets! Blackstone, Scope, Judith Anne Ford

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Joy

Veteran

I find denim jackets too warm for our Summer's but like unlined jackets in linen or rayon. Avoid anything lined in acetate. Too hot.
My most worn summer toppers are kimono style in silk or linen. In a dry, not humid, climate, cotton may work too.

Violettt

Well, I would go for a light shade in perhaps a cute moto jacket style! I just bought one at "Express", in this gorgeous pinky-beige color! Now they probably still have their sale for Black Friday. It is faux leather and simply beautiful. I'd post a pic but don't know how. It's probably on line. Let me know if you find it! Joy: I love those kimono style wraps too!

https://www.express.com/clothi.....803409/col

Here it is in the camel shade, also pretty, mine is in a light pink-beige

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

How did the denim jackets not excite you?

Sal

Veteran

On my way to a seminar so I will reply in more detail later.

I do like the ideas of a blazer, long cardigan and even a new kimono- or a denim jacket. The ones I tried gaped at the back and were not a great fit on me so it may have put me off. I also struggle with collars and feel I look better with an open neckline?

Jacket and top combinations is something to definitely struggle with - getting the lengths right in particular.

Aida

Veteran

Sal I don't think you'll find one jacket that covers both bases (pants and dresses). You'll likely need something more cropped to wear with dresses, and something a little longer for pants. One exception would be a fairly long dramatic, soft piece which could work with both IF you don't mind the dual long hemlines with dresses. Loads of cropped stuff in the shops right now, it feels like, so you probably won't have too much trouble finding a good dress topper. What about a cropped denim moto?

Sal

Veteran

Thanks all for your ideas. I really appreciate them and think I am being a bit unrealistic.

Marija - I could do with a longer topper and a cardigan would work here for much of the year. I used to wear a lot of cardigans but have lost my way with them over the last year or so.

Lucy - we lost Sussan here a couple of years ago. I did have a white denim jacket and dyed it green in the end - I do wear my ivory cream more formal jacket often though. I will check out Sussan online.

Thanks Kelly - I have a good range but I have several dresses and tops that I do not have any jackets that work with them. I can see that I am looking for one jacket when in reality it is several jackets. I have quite a bit of variety in tops as well as jackets and getting the right combination is hard. A light weight bomber could be good though (I have a black gear one which occasionally gets worn with jeans in the spring).

Jenni - I am a shocking outlet mall shopper but actually jackets could be a good thing in that situation I can see...I would love to meet you on the North Shore for some outlet shopping - maybe we should do this in 2018!! I love your floral bomber but the first jacket is also a lot of fun and very cool.

Joy - it is too hot here today for a jacket too!! But there are days when it cools off in the evening and a light weight jacket is just the thing. I suspect I would wear it also in Autumn.

Violett - it is too hot for leather or pleather at the moment (I am Southern hemisphere) but I like the jackets.

Brooklyn - I love the double breasted jacket...that is stunning!! I like the stripes too - it could be my style - but might not work with the dresses I had in mind. I will check out the Iconic too and Kookai is also off my radar so I will look at them. Jackets usually have good longevity for me so I want to be patient and picky.

Angie - it was fit and flattery related. I have not worn one for about 8 years - I wanted to like them but didn't.....then I lost all confidence in that any would suit me.

Sal - thanks Aida. I agree - one jacket will not solve my problems. I think I probably need two or three toppers - a long soft cardigan, a blazer and maybe a more cropped neutral jacket (and maybe even a new kimono).... I need to be patient and slowly find pieces that will work for me. I could do a cocoon style cardigan, that might work with both and I am okay with competing hemlines.

My fashion designer friend is having a clothing night next week so I will see what she has (it will be unstructured and soft as she does not make tailored pieces) and check out some of the online options.

Astrid

Veteran

I actually thought of a Denim jacket, looking at your pictures. What didn't you like about the ones you tried?

Sal

Veteran

I found the fit wrong - around my shoulders/bust/back....it might be better as the denim softened...It has been a while since I owned one and I didn't look like I wanted to (if that makes sense). But I will keep trying.

I used to wear - simple fitted tops (tees/tanks, striped and plain) and a cardigan or jacket fitted nicely over the top of most of them. Now I have long drapey tops, hi-low tops and a variety of dresses - and none of my jackets work with them. The cream one is one year old, the green and pink and kimono are three years, and the black bolero is two.

In saying this I am sitting here at my desk and it is muggy and hot - almost as hot as the day you visited Astrid:)

skylurker

Veteran

My most versatile S/S jacket is a mid-thigh, linen&cotton blend blazer. Something like a Summer coat.
Doesn’t work over Summer dresses though, never found a good layer for Summer dresses.

Astrid

Veteran

Alright, if it's that hot I wouldn't want to wear a denim jacket! For me personally I'm comfortable in a denim jacket from maybe around 18 °C to 26°C (depends what I wear under it). But I love my denim jacket for those temperatures. Mine is fairly tailored and cropped - good with skirts and dresses but not the most modern cut. I guess the cuts right now are longer and more baggy...

Bijou

Veteran

Sal this is something that I have been struggling with too. Often I want to wear a casual jacket with denim, so double denim feels too much for me and I rarely wear the denim jacket that I have.

I recently bought a new cape that I love (it is dressy, but looks great dressed down with jeans and a t-shirt on the weekend). The thing that makes it work so well in a warmer climate is that you get some arm coverage but it is not as warm as a blazer because the sleeves are open. The jacket I bought from Cue is below. I wear mine open, so it looks less formal than how it is styled below. It works really well over dresses because of the cropped length.

Anonymous

Sorry I’m no help but I really like the SHORT jackets with the scrunched sleeves on you. Something along those lines but in different colours would work really well. Moto styling but not leather perhaps?

Astrid

Veteran

Or how about a bomber jacket? I've seen those with silky leightweight material, or summer cotton.

Anonymous

I like your idea of a cocoon cardigan as well.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Jackets 2 & 4 are my favorites here. In the first picture, I want you in a fitted, somewhat longer jacket with that dress.

I haven’t followed the whole conversation, so excuse me if this point has already come up, but ruling out jeans jackets seems arbitrary. There are so many different cuts in different weight fabrics with various embellishments that I’m wondering if you really mean all jeans jackets, or if the one you had was a certain, classic, cut, and that didn’t work for you.

The red sweater in your holiday pix is a length that I think would work well for you as a jacket, whether denim or other fabric.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Please give denim jackets another chance, Sal. You need a FITTED style with stretch.

Aida

Veteran

Another vote for tencel in hot weather, though it's a bit wrinkly like linen I looove wearing my elbow-sleeve cocoony cardigan with dresses, definitely give that a try; more dramatic when it's longer, too!

Painted Threads 'Kimi' Cardigan (Juniors)

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3

Sal

Veteran

Thanks - there are some great ideas here.

I will look out for some more closely fitted denim jackets and try on in store - and keep an eye out for loose kimono/cape style jackets or cardigans. I could see that one working Aida for me - I also can imagine that with dresses!!

You are all great - I have several ideas I can work on over the next week or two!!