After months of bundling up and dodging the rain, there’s a certain joy in ditching the unwieldy coats for light layers, signalling brighter, warmer days. While we might still have to contend with the odd rainy day, the seasonal switch is imminent. This transitional, inbetweeny time is tough to dress for – it’s still kind of cold, but hints of blue sky and sunshine make an enormous coat redundant. Spring outerwear has a hard task – it needs to protect against the changeable weather, and look good while doing so.
The right spring outerwear needs to be nimble and versatile enough to layer up for extra chill protection, and de-layer when temperatures rise. It needs to slot right into your wardrobe rotation and bring something special. So, what are the wonder-workhorse layers for this season?
Predictably, if there was ever a spring layer that did a majority of the heavy lifting in light jacket land, it would be the trench. At Givenchy, Celine, and Bottega, the trench was subtly tweaked, with oversized silhouettes, print lining and balloon sleeves, proving you don’t need to completely reinvent the classic. In versatility terms, few rival the trench, which works over tailoring and printed dresses, but is still casual enough for denim.
If you’re after that casual feel but don’t want a swishy, fluid style, the funnel-neck jacket could be the one. It’s impressive how one simple design detail – a high collar – can change the dynamic of a jacket, giving it structure and edge, and making it the most lusted-after layer for spring. From high-end to high street, you’ll see tall collar styles, with everyone from Victoria Beckham to Arket bringing out their own versions. With a hefty dose of style, it’s also practical; the raised neckline means you can skip the scarf, too.
READ MORE
Another layer that helps protect against the elements while still scoring high on the style front is the technical jacket – basically a hybrid of anorak and utility jacket, with a sporty twist. You might be wondering how that actually sounds so covetable? Elevated fabrics, drawstring waists, interesting colourways and textures help elevate the functional jacket, while styling it with unexpected pieces further sets it apart as a must-have layer this season.
Saint Laurent paired it with silky slip skirts, and Tory Burch with shirts and pencil skirts. At Simone Rocha’s recent London Fashion Week show, she teamed up with Adidas and gave a masterclass in how to style sporty separates in the most imaginative way, pairing them with ruffles, ribbons, and swathes of diaphanous fabrics. For everyday, the tech jacket pairs well with denim, but you can switch to ballet flats instead of trainers if you want extra polish. And the best news? They are rainproof.
Speaking of water-resistant, this next jacket certainly isn’t. The suede jacket resurgence is still on for spring 2026, and the luxe layer is hard to resist, even if it’s not the slightest bit practical for showery spring days. Sumptuous and chic, the suede topper brings texture, and in a more casual silhouette like a boxy, button-down, relaxed blazer, or bomber, it’s the ideal partner to a knit and jeans. If you’d rather not be precious about the layer, try a faux style for less stress; if you want the real deal, check the weather forecast before wearing, spray with suede protector, or cheat a little and layer it under another light jacket for extra rain protection.
Generally, most other spring jacket trends for this season do deliver on the practicality front. Take the barn jacket, a favourite from last year, it returns again for 2026, reworked and updated in quilting, wax and fun hues. While the last few seasons saw the contrast-collar jacket veer toward neutral, earthy tones, designers are giving it a twist with brighter, bolder hues to reflect the embrace of colour for spring.
If you prefer something a little sharper, the new-gen leather jacket, with sleek finishes and boxy or straight cuts, reads less biker-jacket and more chic, elegant enough for the office. With the cleaner, minimal silhouette, it sits neatly over tailored trousers, equally making a simple outfit of jeans and a knit a little more exciting. You can go classic with black, or try earthy tones like khaki, olive or chocolate. This season, croc-embossed leather jackets were spotted on the runways of Gucci, Mithridate, and Toteme, and they are filtering down to the high street at Cos and Mango. Let the texture do the talking. With the edge, dimension and subtle sheen the embossed style adds, there’s no need to overthink the styling – you can keep the rest of your outfit simple.
