Photo by Charisma Lico
The oversized jacket solidifies itself as the ultimate year-round staple, making its way back to the ready-to-wear runways of New York and Paris.
It wasn’t too long ago that the sculptural, waist-cinching blazer was inching its way to trend status. Last fall season, Chloe Sevigny modeled one iteration by Proenza Schouler on the runway, and then it made its way to the presentations of Saint Laurent, Khaite, and more. However, more recently, the Spring/Summer 2024 ready-to-wear season opened on a note more in favor of its opposite: the trusty oversized jacket.
It isn’t hard to see why; it’s a silhouette that would never fail you, from going to the office to running errands around the city. And as far as styling goes, it’s foolproof, elevating an outfit as simple as a T-shirt and jeans. “Barbie” actress Margot Robbie took advantage of this last spring when she wore a sleek XXL tuxedo jacket to shroud herself from the elements in New York City. This upcoming season, designers are following suit, and they’re suggesting a barely-there approach to the styling. On the runway, silhouettes were either boxy or slouchy, and worn by itself or with something sleeveless or sheer.
For New York-based brand The Row, who presented in a showroom in Paris this year, oversized silhouettes are a mainstay on their runways—it’s their expert styling and attention to detail that keeps its cult following loyal through the seasons. For Spring 2024, The Row styled their blazers over casual tanks and as-equally-as-loose-fitted slacks. On a few of the looks, it’s worn tied at the waist over columnal skirts and dresses, introducing refreshing silhouettes in one simple maneuver.
At Coach, Stuart Vevers celebrated his ten years with the brand with upcycled and regenerated leather, with the resulting pieces upholding his affinity for oversized leather jackets. The designer makes the case for this simple formula: an oversized jacket, pointed jelly shoes or calf-length boots, a mini bag. (And the same for men, too.) Getting out the door couldn’t have been made any simpler.
Considering a more modest approach, Coach styled its jackets with sheer turtlenecks. And if you don’t want to go completely pantsless as was shown on the runway, a mini skirt has always paired nicely with the oversized jacket. Or perhaps as The Row suggests, with a slim-yet-breathable dress for an air of effortless cool.
