Jacket In.....

A Statement Jacket A/W 2011/12

Spring may have just arrived, but fashion-wise, we're already thinking about what will be in our wardrobes next autumn. The latest jackets for men and women make a strong statement and the fashion pack push these new trends forward with an aura of conviction and confidence.

Styling is crucial. With the new season come new silhouettes and lots of textures to play around with. This spring swap out that blazer for a statement jacket. This is a fast growing trend, keep in mind it’s not the typical straight blazer type, but these jackets come with studs, fringing, box shaped and in colours of pastels, bright classic colours, and yes some metallic jobs.

There's long been interplay between masculine and feminine in fashion and boy’s clothes for girls is definitely on the radar for next season. At Dolce & Gabbana, vixenish girls were counterpoised with girls clad in crisp shirts, low-slung trousers, waistcoats and bright sequinned evening jackets for night. Chanel's post-apocalyptic models wore large jackets with rounded shoulders and baggy trousers, and masculine-tailored statement coats and oxford shirts tucked into trousers featured.

The new looks into the defining trends for this season and beyond is office-ready smart and empowering workwear, and includes bookish knitwear, generous topcoats and boyish jackets.

For men obviously, now that winter is scratching at the casual jacket is slowly disappearing and a stronger leaner and more fashion forward statement is coming forward, military emblazoned with gold and fitted plaids, or velvet blazers, these might well require a little bit more thought but they offer a great alternative to the ubiquitous leather and denim jackets.

Beginning with a wardrobe of essentials for both the classic-minded and those with a penchant for the fashion forward, jackets are met with layered shirting as well as shorting, coming together with a phenomenal selection of outerwear. With a relaxed cut for most pieces, fun patterns, prints and textiles dress an inspiring array, tackling a camouflage of difference for a rebellious safari of modernity.