The 5 Not-So-Basic Light Jackets Every Man Should Know

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Mr Porter, Farfetch, Taylor Stitch, Blue Owl, Levi's, The Real McCoys

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article on fall essentials. The premise of the post, at its most basic, was that the world of menswear seems to be returning to nice, normal clothing. This is good news. I embrace it. I endorse it. But I also believe that you’ve got to get a little freaky with your wardrobe from time to time.

In the spirit of the latter sentiment, I present to you a slightly different list of light jackets to wear this fall. Instead of focusing on the stuff you already know and probably already own—your standard truckers, Harringtons, field jackets, and the like—I encourage you to wander just a little bit off the beaten path.

You don’t need me to tell you, in 2026, that a chore jacket can be a nice, casual substitute for a blazer. Why not mix it up and have some fun during this brief, beautiful period in which the light jacket is the star of your wardrobe? Let it shine, man! Let it do its damn thing.

Do you need every jacket on this list? No. But would adding one or two of these styles bring some excitement to a closet already stocked with reliable staples? Absolutely. So read on, stock up, and enjoy light-jacket season, my friend. It only lasts for so long.

The Type 1 Trucker

Mr Porter

The type 1 trucker jacket puts a slightly different spin on a classic.

Let’s start slow. You almost certainly have a trucker jacket already, so this might seem redundant. But if you’re anything like most men, that trucker jacket is a Type 3, which is the one with the pronounced front darts, a couple chest pockets, and (on most modern iterations) a couple hip pockets, too.

The Type 1 trucker is its grandaddy, rooted in old-school workwear and finished with very different details. Instead of darts, it has pleated sections running up the front, on either side of the buttoned placket.

There’s only one pocket, situated mid-ribcage on the lefthand side. And there’s a cinch at the back, so you can snug up the (typically boxy) silhouette. Wear it just like you’d wear your Type 3 trucker, which is to say with pretty much everything you own.

The L-2B Flight Jacket

The Real McCoys

You’ve never tried a flight jacket like this before.

Here’s another familiar-ish style, though its heritage is in the military instead of workwear. The L-2B flight jacket is basically the lightweight little brother of the MA-1.

Designed to be worn in moderate temperatures—the initial military specification was for 42 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit—it did away with the insulating padding of the MA-1 but kept the design language intact. So, yes, it’s a bomber jacket that looks a whole lot like one you’ve known about for ages. But it’s also much more comfortable to wear on days when you can’t see your breath, and the removal of the padding means the rounded fit it less pronounced, which makes it an easier proposition, proportionally speaking.

If you’ve always liked the idea of a classic MA-1 but never found one that felt right, the L-2B might be exactly what you’re looking for.

The Anorak

Taylor Stitch

If you want an autumn fit to remember, pick up this historic style of jacket, the anorak.

The history of the anorak is long—like, many centuries long. But the short version goes something like this: It was created by the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, who wore versions fashioned from animal skins. It was made with minimal seams to prevent wind and water from getting in and a good for extra warmth, and as such had to be pulled over the head. By the early-to-mid 1900s, the design had made its way to the military. Eventually, it entered the civilian sphere.

Though parkas with full front openings are ancestors of the anorak, I’m going to be a stickler here and say that a true anorak, these days, should still be a pullover. You don’t need to opt for animal skins or furs, though. Most of the best picks right now are made from technical fabrics or good old cotton, which is sometimes given a wax finish for extra weather protection.

Yes, you have to pull it on and off over your head. And that can be kind of a pain, though it’s worth remembering that the same is true of a hooded sweatshirt, so you’re probably used to it. And, c’mon, thanks to the mix of traditional, military, and mountaineering vibes, it looks cool—so it’s worth the tiny bit of extra hassle.

The Un-Blazer

Blue Owl

A casual blazer? Yes, you read that right. And yes, it looks good as hell.

We’re not getting into the formal side of things with this list, but we’re walking right up to it with the un-blazer. What the hell is an un-blazer? Well, it’s a blazer, but … not. It’s too casual. Too funky. Too far afield from the strictures of traditional tailoring to fit in at a big business meeting but close enough to conjure the idea of a blazer or a sport coat in your mind.

It might have extra pockets (more on that down below), an off-kilter fit, or a lapel that does something different. It’s what you wear when you want to look a little more pulled-together but not too buttoned up. The un-blazer is, in short, a vibe. And you’ll know it when you see it.

Any Jacket with a Ton of Pockets

Lost & Found

Think of all the things you can carry around with this many pockets on your jacket.

A couple of years ago, on a trip to Japan, I picked up a jacket from The Real McCoys that was modeled after something Andy Warhol wore when he visited China in 1982. (It’s the same jacket you see here.) Whenever I put it on, I am overwhelmed by the amount of pocket space. You could stash something in that jacket and spend minutes—minutes!—trying to track it down, unzipping and unsnapping pocket after pocket until you finally find your half-eaten bag of peanut M&Ms.

That might not sound like an endorsement of having just a ton of pockets on your jacket, but it absolutely is. This sort of design takes the idea of practicality and ramps it up so intensely that it soon becomes deeply impractical. I love it. And I suspect a lot of other guys might love it, too, which is why I’m highlighting a few options that you can buy now.

Get one, put something in one of the pockets, and go on a treasure hunt later. Or, be more reasonable and use all that cargo space as an excuse to leave your bag at home when you venture out on a Saturday afternoon. Your call.