#Fashion

8 Spring Jacket Trends Perfect for Transitional Temps


It’s official: We’re in the full swing of spring. Although it’s an exciting time, adjusting our wardrobes to the new season can feel like a full-time job. We often have to dedicate energy to cleaning our closets, shopping for new staples, or weeding out the trends that won’t be here for the long haul. That’s without even considering how much time we’ll likely spend standing in front of our closets, trying to determine what to wear for transitional temperatures. In short, shifting our style into a new season can be time-consuming. But if there’s one thing that can save you some effort, it’s investing in a trendy jacket for spring.

Buying a chic coat is the quickest way to make your closet more functional and fashion-forward. Pragmatically speaking, jackets are nonnegotiable when dressing for spring days when the weather fluctuates between hot and cold. But outerwear also allows you to embrace the season’s biggest trends without overhauling your entire wardrobe or going on a shopping haul. Basically, it’s one of the best things you can buy for spring. However, if you’re unsure of which types of jackets are worth your time, you’ll want to keep reading, as we’re sharing the best jackets for spring. By scouring the spring 2024 runways, we were able to identify the eight biggest spring jacket trends that will surely be everywhere in no time. Let’s get into it.

a collage of models on the runway wearing the spring trend: trench coats

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Tod’s; Saint Laurent; Burberry; Gucci)

It’s not exactly the most surprising thing to see trench coats return during spring. Nevertheless, that doesn’t take away from the fact that this jacket took over the S/S 24 runway collections in a way that was too prominent to ignore. We saw trenches come in every form imaginable—from styles with convertible elements at Burberry to iterations with funnel necklines at Saint Laurent. The variety of trenches across spring shows served as a reminder that this jacket’s ability to transform season after season slightly is why it remains timeless.

Shop the trend:

a collage of models on the runway wearing the spring jacket trend TK

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Bottega Veneta; Jil Sander; Dior; Ferragamo)

In case you missed our previous reporting, let us catch you up: Capes are making their comeback. It seems that designers have used draping to make classic coat silhouettes feel a bit more cutting-edge in spring collections. For example, trench coats had built-in capes around the shoulders at Jil Sander’s and Dior’s spring runway shows. Similarly, at Bottega Veneta’s spring show, a leather trench felt far more luxurious because it featured a built-in scarf that wrapped around the shoulders in a cape-like fashion. Even the more “traditional” iterations of this type of jacket that veered into the poncho territory (see Ferragamo’s spring show) felt exciting simply because we haven’t seen them for so long. The return of capes into the fashion chat is a compelling way for us to make our own comeback arch—even if that means wearing them as we step back into the world.

Shop the trend:

a collage of models on the runway wearing the spring jacket trend: windbreakers

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Tory Burch; Gucci; Victoria Beckham; Proenza Schouler)

You know the adage, “April showers bring May flowers”? Well, that seemed to be at the top of designers’ minds, as one jacket caught wind (excuse the pun) more than the others: windbreakers. While we always see some technical rain jackets return each spring, it felt rare to see them styled less for functional reasons and purely for fashion. It was all about creating a visual contrast, which was evident in how this androgynous jacket was styled with more “feminine-coded” items on the runway. For example, at Proenza Schouler, a black blouson anorak was layered over a semi-sheer black dress. Similarly, at Tory Burch’s spring show, a sporty slate-gray rain jacket was given a contemporary spin, styled with a draped white minidress, quirky earrings, and rimless blue sunglasses. Even when other brands leaned a bit preppy in how they styled these jackets (see Gucci’s and Victoria Beckham’s collections), overall, each windbreaker managed to evoke a sense of wonder.

Shop the trend:

a collage of models on the runway wearing the spring trend: blouson jackets

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Tod’s; Miu Miu; Tibi; Ferragamo)

If you’ve followed trends for the last few seasons, you’re likely already aware that bomber jackets were big a few seasons back. Their popularity paved the way for a slightly different (but similar) silhouette to ballon: blouson jackets. While both jackets feature a waist-length, loose silhouette with a front zipper and a gathered waist, the defining difference comes down to the blouson jacket’s fold-over collar and lightweight fabrications. That subtle differentiation makes the style a sublime choice for spring, as the lightweight cotton and nylon versions work for transitional weather. But it also doesn’t hurt that we’ve seen so many variations of this coat in recent collections that adapt the shape by playing with textiles and color shades—e.g., refer to the burgundy-red blouson jacket at Miu Miu or the pistachio-green leather version at Tod’s—thereby providing us with a bounty of ways to embrace blouson jackets.

Shop the trend:

a collage of models on the runway wearing the colorful spring jacket trend

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; PICTURED: Fendi; Ferragamo; Gestuz; Gucci)

Sunny spring days can inspire anyone to embrace vibrant shades, even those who live in neutral colors year-round. Coming around to the concept of expanding our closet’s color palette takes time, but if there’s one thing that can convince you to do so, it’s what we’re dubbing the “crayon box” jacket trend. Unlike other outerwear trends that centered specific silhouettes, this trend was all about embracing leather coats that come in vibrant colors. For some, that meant adapting the classic trench by making it more colorful—e.g., at the Scandinavian brand Gestuz’s spring show, the style came in a stunning canary-yellow shade. Similarly, at Fendi and Ferragamo, crinkled leather trench coats came in the season’s most coveted colors, including dark green and baby blue. Then, there was Gucci’s collection, which made blouson jackets even bolder by fashioning them with rich oxblood red leather. No matter the shade or style, each collection showed that colorful leather coats will paint the town (and potentially your closet) this spring.