A transitional jacket is one of the most useful items in a wardrobe – here are 11 of the best

With the seasons about to change, a transitional jacket has never been so useful – here are 11 of the best you can invest in now

My mother always told me to never leave the house without a jacket.

As a teenager, I ignored this advice, preferring to showcase whatever garish top I had purchased from Jane Norman. Now it’s advice I adhere to each day, especially now.

I know it’s August but any hope for summer has now well and truly dissipated.

September is on the horizon. The leaves are preparing to change colour and shed. The temperatures are slowly dropping. For some, the changing of the season is a time of renewal. For others, they struggle to say goodbye to the intoxication of warmer days.

For most this time of year is cold and sweaty all at once.

Transitional dressing

Transitional dressing refers to clothing for in-between seasons. Those weeks that don’t possess the heat of summer anymore but haven’t morphed into the cooler days of autumn. The days begin cool and you yearn for the warmth of a jacket, then sometime around noon, the heat is unbearable. Then after lunch, it pours from the heavens and by closing time you are freezing again.

This is where transitional jackets make their grand entrance.

From the humble shacket (a shirt and jacket in one) to the traditional lightweight parka, these types of outerwear are a wardrobe must-have. Zara’s checked overshirt will add a hint of nineties cool to any outfit, while Arket’s oversized rain parka is quintessential for the upcoming school run.

If you want to dress to impress, try Zara’s faux leather blazer which is sure to the ‘it’ jacket of 2020.

And don’t forget, always listen to your mother.

Oversized wool blend workwear shirt, €129 at & Other Stories

Faux leather oversized blazer, €49.95 at Zara

Sand lightweight quilted jacket, €55 at Topshop

Oversized rain parka, €150 at Arket

ASOS Design curve vinyl tie waist jacket, €35.95 at ASOS

Knitted wool-cotton jacket, €99 at Cos

Oversized belted shirt jacket, €149 at & Other Stories

Oversize denim jacket, €39.99 at Mango

Check overskirt, €49.95 at Zara

Ganni leopard print linen and cotton-blend coat, €285 at Net A Porter

ASOS Design curve lightweight parka in khaki, €48.99 at Asos

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