Move Over Blazers. Meet The New Jacket Shape.

Remember a time when the shops weren’t filled with blazers? When influencers didn’t waft around fashion week in blazers so oversized they look like they’re playing dress ups?

Maybe you can’t. After all, blazers have been the reigning outerwear trend for years – decades if you count 2005-era Balmain. And in that time, it feels as though we’ve collectively tried every possible permutation, from severe shoulders to oversized silhouettes, muted neutrals and cinched waists to candy colours.

But in 2024, more and more brands are experimenting with alternative jacket shapes. The solution, for many, has been chopping off inches and collars.

“We’ve seen blazers for so long,” says stylist Lucy Wood. “They’ve been a constant.”

For Wood, the new cropped jackets fall into a couple of categories:

Traditional trophy jackets: Think Chanel’s iconic tweed jacket, but with a modern twist. In 2024, these jackets don’t need to be boucle or tweed; more modern fabrications include leather, wool or a sleeker finish. Sandro has always offered trophy jackets at affordable price points, but Harris Tapper’s offerings are very 2024.

Collared trophy jackets: Waistcoats were everywhere over summer, and these jackets are the cropped, long-sleeved, winter versions. Tailored, polished, a little ’80s.

Cropped trench coats: Still tonal like a traditional trench, and therefore arguably just as easy to wear, cropped trench jackets have been embraced by brands like Burberry, Loewe and, locally, Friends with Frank and Maggie Marilyn.

The trick with wearing any type of cropped jacket, says Wood, is a neat silhouette. This means a tucked-in top underneath. Keep the look modern by choosing wide-leg trousers rather than skinny jeans, and make sure there’s no gap between the top of your pants and the hem of your jacket.

“Cropped jackets with buttons tend to look more expensive,” adds Wood, who  says that cropped jackets should never be too snug, especially around the shoulders.

See her edit below.