Women's designer jackets

The jacket is a piece of clothing that has jumped over from being a traditionally male garment to being unisex. Victorian women used to wear prim and proper jackets that were sown to the top with buttons. In the 21st century, the jacket has gone through many re-vamps, yet it is still the choice for many women who want a lightweight option to wearing a coat. Deriving from the Middle French word jaquet, jackets are modern and fresh thanks to the skills of designer labels.

Top 3 women's designer jacket styles

Not all jackets are the same. They are divided into shapes and styles to suit a myriad of women. Take a look at the jacket styles below to help you choose which one you want:

Military: Jackets made in the military theme have risen in popularity thanks to avant-garde designers who like the structure and regimented look of military uniforms. The secret that avoids making women look like they are soldiers is getting military-style jackets which are made in subtler military colours. This means going for brown instead of military green. If you want a jacket made from military green, choose a darker shade instead of the typical khaki shade. Look for military jackets that have imposing buttons: larger buttons look authentic.

Nautical: The navy theme has been going strong in fashion for the past couple of years and it shows no sign of abating. Exude nautical power that is guaranteed to make everyone green with envy when you wear a nautical jacket. The types of embellishments to look for when you buy a nautical jacket are gold buttons, gold trim and naturally navy or black as the base colour for the jacket. If you prefer something more theatrical, choose nautical-style jackets that have shoulder pads. This makes them look imposing, just the way an admiral would have.

Blazer: If you always wanted to have that head girl look, wear a blazer. Designer labels have breathed in a new lease of life into the blazer. Fantastic for women because it nips in at the waist, you should wear blazers if you are someone who loves to create contours on your figure. Blazers look their best with a casual sense of style: pair them with skinny jeans, boyfriend jeans and leggings.

How to integrate blazers in your wardrobe

The cool thing about blazers is you do not need many pairs. Imagine a normal scenario when you are looking through your wardrobe. You might have loads of pairs of tights that you buy quickly and dispose of. When you buy a blazer, you won't be getting rid of it anytime soon. This is especially true if you get a designer label blazer, this is because they are affordable and fashionable. The tips you need to remember when you are thinking about affording a new blazer is:

• Function: Think about when and where you are going to wear your blazer. If you work in a high-pressure environment such as sales and finance, you need to wear a blazer, or have one on you at all times because you never know when you will be required to go in and out of meetings. Designer blazers are full of function especially for people who want to have a picture-perfect office wardrobe.
• Value: Purchasing a blazer ends up being cheaper in the long term because you will use it more. Think about a new blazer that you have your eye on: you can already imagine it during the day when you are with your mates on the weekend and you can wear it to work. It is this 'value in twos' mentality that makes blazers so popular.

Top 3 tips to look out for about women's designer jacket pockets

Pockets are a key factor of fashion jackets whether they are blazers or military jackets. However, as a woman, you need to think about your body shape before you choose a jacket. Look at the tips below on how to pick jackets according to the number of pockets:

• Chest pocket: Some women's jackets have chest pockets on either the left hand side or the right hand side. If you are tall, these types of pockets will suit you the best.
• One pocket: A single pocket on the bottom of the jacket is an avant-garde way of flipping the script on the traditional jacket. This asymmetrical look shines best when you wear it with simple clothes.
• Two pockets: Double pockets are the most common type on jackets. Look for ones which are small and do not fight with the rest of the jacket for attention.

Some jackets don't have any pockets. The best way to understand these types of jackets is that they are purely for style: if you love fashion and you want to try something different, choose a jacket with no pockets. If you prefer practicality in case you want to put your mobile phone somewhere, jackets with pockets are the answer.

The colour debate for jackets

The fun thing about fashion is there are no real rules. What you think is stylish will always be stylish because it symbolises you. This is especially true when we are talking about the colour of jackets. If you always wear black in your wardrobe, choose a navy jacket because it will encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone. However, if you are someone who wears brights all the time, consider wearing a black blazer to temper the clashing hues of your wardrobe.

If you want to wear a jacket that is colourful, remember to choose a jacket with a cut that fits, and most of all a colour that suits you. Jackets in fresh spring colours such as green, yellow and coral always look brilliant whatever the season is because they are pick-me-ups colours. However, navy and black show that you mean business and they will make people take notice of you. Whatever colour you choose for your next jacket, you will not regret your purchase because you will end up wearing your jacket all the time.