Fall Is Coming—5 Jacket Trends the In-the-Know Crowd Is Already Adopting

a collage showing fall jacket trends
(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; @dawn.tan; @nlmarilyn; @ingridedvinsent; @daniellejinadu)

Once temperatures drop, it becomes blatantly obvious that some of our beloved warm-weather staples are simply no longer an option. For some, coming to terms with having to pack away their sandals, linen sets, and poplin dresses can be, well, quite sad. But I'd argue that there's at least one thing you can look forward to when shifting from summer to the fall: jackets. Maybe it's just me, but there's nothing more magical (and maybe even life-affirming) than outerwear. Sure, we may all love our summer basics, but statement outerwear? It's something else entirely. Jackets have the ability to not only make other staples functional for fluctuating temperatures, but they can literally make the outfit. When it comes to dressing for the colder months of the year, the item you can always count on has been outerwear, period.

Therefore, when we begin to feel those colder fall breezes, it's imperative to begin curating an arsenal of light jackets. However, if you're unsure of what types of jackets are worth investing in for the fall, don't fret. In an effort to figure out the best jackets for fall, I spent hours combing through street-style imagery, the new arrivals section, and fall/winter 2024 runway collections. Luckily for you, I'm not the type to gatekeep my findings. Ahead, you'll find a breakdown of 5 fall jacket trends with examples of the trend on the runway and in real life, along with shopping recommendations. These fall jacket trends may not solve all your seasonal woes, but they'll surely give you something to look forward to wearing.

1. Funnel Neck Trenches

a photo of the fall jacket trend, funnel neck coats shown in Burberry's runway show with a model wearing an olive green trench coat with matching trousers and green boots

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Burberry)

As previously reported, fall runway collections featured a ton of jackets with funnel necklines—simply refer to Burberry, Ferragamo, and Brandon Maxwell's shows. While this jacket's high neckline is what's made the trend stand out this season, it's not the only reason.

a photo showing the fall jacket trend, funnel neck trench coats worn by a woman standing against a tan wall wearing a tan cropped funnel neck trench coat with black capri pants, black ballet flats, and a black frame handbag

(Image credit: @ingridedvinsen)

In the past few weeks, we've already seen the style set wearing this silhouette primarily in the form of trench coats, which makes sense considering that the bolder neckline gives the timelessness of the trench a trend-forward twist. With so many examples of this jacket trend on and off the runway, it's safe to say that funnel neck trenches will fully take over this fall.

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2. Chore Coats

a photo showing the fall jacket trend, chore jackets on the Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini runway with a model wearing a gray coat over a gray knit with gray trousers, black oxfords, a black bag, and yellow leather gloves

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini)

Whether you call them chore coats or barn jackets, this outerwear style is back in the chat. Across various fall runway collections, designers paid homage to the rich history of the workwear jacket by showing all the different ways it could be reworked. We saw designers adapt the outerwear by playing with textile textures, contrasting collars, and different patterns and colors—reference Prada or Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini's shows.

a photo showing the fall jacket trend, chore jackets worn by a woman standing against a white wall wearing a white barn jacket over a white t-shirt with jeans, black loafers, and a black bag

(Image credit: @nlmarilyn)

But what's made it even more of a compelling trend is how quickly the style set has taken to make it work for their wardrobes. Whether styling it with jeans and a t-shirt or a tailored skirt and knee-high boots, the fashion crowd has proven that this jacket can be the workhorse of any fall wardrobe.

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3. Light Capes

a photo showing the fall jacket trend, capes on the Chloe runway with a model wearing a green cape over a butter yellow ruffle dress styled with butter yellow ballet flats, a gold necklace, and a brown bag

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Chloé)

When it comes to fall outerwear, most don't want their outerwear to be purely for the fashion but functional, too. Luckily, fall collections provided us with a jacket trend that can do both: capes. Although this trend might seem less pragmatic, collections such as Chloé, Eudon Choi, and Jil Sander proved otherwise by showing the innate versatility of this trend.

a photo showing the fall jacket trend, capes worn by a woman standing against a tan wall wearing a light gray knit cape layered over a matching gray top, knit pants, black ballet flats, and a black bag

(Image credit: @dawn.tan)

Not only can you find capes now in every cut and color imaginable, but they can also be styled in so many ways that it's no surprise the style set has caught onto how chic capes can be for fall. Whether you style this light jacket in a way that leans boho-inspired or go for a more minimal approach, it's sure to strike the perfect balance between being functional and fashionable.

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4. Cropped Leather Jackets

a photo showing the fall jacket trend cropped leather jackets on the Khaite runway with a model wearing a red leather jacket with a white maxi skirt, snakeskin bag, and heels

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Khaite)

I'll admit that the concept of leather outerwear for fall isn't exactly groundbreaking. Nevertheless, I'd be shucking my duties as a fashion editor if I didn't acknowledge how prevalent cropped leather jackets were throughout F/W 24 collections. From Khaite to Coach, designers took this classic fall coat and gave it a cooler spin by embracing boxier shapes, minimal collars, and trending colors.

a photo showing the fall jacket trend, cropped leather jackets worn by a woman standing against a tan wall wearing a cropped black leather jacket with a white denim maxi skirt and black knee-high boots

(Image credit: @daniellejinadu)

By making small tweaks to this signature jacket silhouette, designers have given the fashion crowd a new way to embrace this style, which they've already done, by the way. It's hard to scroll through social media without seeing some form of a cropped leather jacket, it's clearly the staple of choice among the fashion crowd for fall.

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5. Hourglass Blazer

a photo showing the fall jacket trend, hourglass blazers on the Carven runway with a model wearing a brown turtleneck with a tailored brown blazer, gray skinny trousers, black furry heels and a clutch bag

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Carven)

Oh, blazers. It might sound a bit cliché to include this classic staple in this roundup, but I'm going to need you to hear out my case. Across fall collections, we didn't just see any old boxy blazers sent down the runway, but versions of this jacket with a tailored shape. Being that this time of year is largely associated with light outerwear, it was quite refreshing to see collections such as Bottega Veneta, Carven, and Bally champion hourglass blazers.

a photo showing the fall jacket trend, hourglass blazer worn by a woman standing against a pink wall wearing a black nipped waist blazer with a black skirt and black strappy sandals

(Image credit: @sobalera)

Frankly, I know I'm not the only one who feels that way about this jacket trend, as we've already seen the fashion set styling tailored blazers with their skirts, jeans, and dresses. With autumn slowly creeping up, we can't think of a better time than now to embrace an era filled with many jackets—or at least a few hourglass blazers. It might not be the boldest trend for fall, but you better believe it's reached us at the right moment.

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Jasmine Fox-Suliaman
Editor

Jasmine Fox-Suliaman is a fashion editor living in New York City. What began as a hobby (blogging on Tumblr) transformed into a career dedicated to storytelling through various forms of digital media. She started her career at the print publication 303 Magazine, where she wrote stories, helped produce photo shoots, and planned Denver Fashion Week. After moving to Los Angeles, she worked as MyDomaine's social media editor until she was promoted to work across all of Clique's publications (MyDomaine, Byrdie, andBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing ) as the community manager. Over the past few years, Jasmine has worked onBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing 's editorial team, using her extensive background to champion rising BIPOC designers, weigh in on viral trends, and profile stars such as Janet Mock and Victoria Monét. She is especially interested in exploring how art, fashion, and pop culture intersect online and IRL.