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Sure, we all know what wardrobe essentials for work professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
We’ve gone on several hunts for sweater jackets and regular blazers over the years — but not the lady jacket, which often crosses a lot of similar boundaries. Let’s take a look at what’s out there — readers, do tell us: which are your favorite lady jackets for work? How are you wearing lady jackets to the office?
{related: The Ultimate Guide to Business Casual for Women}
What Is a Lady Jacket?
I often think of J.Crew as having popularized the term “lady jacket” (we’ve featured items as far back as 2017!), but it’s become a really popular style at a lot of workwear retailers this year. So what is it?
To my mind, a lady jacket is:
- a boxy third piece, often worn open
- often made out of a sweater knit or a tweed
- that has a slightly cropped fit, either just at the waist or a bit above it
- generally does not have a lapel or collar
- often has patch pockets on the lower half of the jacket
- often has prominent, often shiny, buttons
In looking around for this piece I’ve seen a lot of pieces that I think would still include in a lady jacket roundup, if only because they have that cropped-Chanel-like jacket shape, if not the vibe. I’ve seen leather ones, faux fur ones, denim ones… ones with sequins and metallic threads, ones with collars and v-necks.
For my $.02, I really dislike the lady jackets with pockets on the top half of the jacket (invariably flap pockets), like this Theory suit. But this is just personal preference!
I’ve put together a few more Qs and As defining the matter at the bottom of the post if you care to read further… these are just my observations from hunting around stores right now.
TLDR: Our Favorite Lady Jackets for Work Outfits
Our Favorite Sweater Blazers for Work
Our Latest Favorite Blazers To Wear as Separates (In General)
The Best SWEATER Lady Jackets for Work
ba&sh
We’ve featured this sweater from ba&sh before, and it’s nice to see that there are now a TON of colors, including some patterns. I like the wide knit and gold buttons.
The sweater is a bestseller at Bloomingdale’s for $266-$380, available in sizes XS-XL (0-4); you can also get it at ba&sh and Shopbop.
J.Crew
I often think of J.Crew as the place for popularizing the term “lady jacket,” but maybe I’m wrong — but they do have a BUNCH of different styles on their website.
The Emilie (pictured) has been around for a while and has that cropped, boxy fit, gold buttons, and tiny patch pockets. The jacket is 100% cotton and machine washable.
It’s available in sizes XXS-3X, in 4 different colorways, for $128-$138 new (but currently on sale for $76-$82).link
Boden
Boden doesn’t call their Holly Knitted Jacket a “lady jacket,” but it sure looks like it to me. Boxy cut, gold-tone buttons, pockets… I like the fact that it’s 100% cotton and machine washable, too.
It comes in 10 colorways (so many preppy options!!) in sizes 2-22. The jacket is $180 and “selling like hot cakes.”
This longer knit cardigan is also nice if you want a more traditional sweater jacket.
Ann Taylor
Ann Taylor doesn’t have a section for lady jackets on their site, but they have a number of items that fit the bill, including this striped stitched jacket (pictured), this fuzzy sweater jacket, this basketweave sweater jacket, and this other striped “tweed” jacket.
All of the options are available in sizes XXS-XXL, in regular and petite sizes.
The pictured jacket is marked to $104 today (and apparently that’s a dark green, not a black, in the stripes!).
CeCe
Department store brand CeCe has a number of colors available in their texture cardigan. It’s available in sizes XXS-XXL in several colors at Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s.
NVLT
This sweater lady jacket from NVLT looks great. It’s available at Anthropologie in sizes XXS-XL in four colorways, with verrrrry limited availability in petites and plus sizes as well.
Our Latest Favorite Lined Lady Jackets for Chanel-Like Style
The more traditional style of “lady jackets” (as used by J.Crew for at least 8 years now) tend to be made from tweed or boucle blends, have a lining at least in part, and have a more business formal vibe. (Think about traditional Chanel jackets… or even the mom in Gilmore Girls.)
Some of our latest favorite Chanel-style jackets for work in 2024 include these, but in general check more jacket-y options like Chanel, IRO, L’Agence, and Veronica Beard, as well as more sweater-y options like St. John, ba&sh, and J.Crew. On the budget side of things, check out CeCe, Tuckernuck (XXS-XXL), J.Crew Factory, and Mango. Nordstrom has a bunch in all price points!
More Questions About Lady Jackets and Work Outfits
Does a Lady Jacket Count as Business Casual?
Yes, this absolutely counts as business casual — particularly if worn with other business casual pieces, such as work pants, trousers, or more.
Can You Wear Lady Jackets to Offices With a Formal, Conservative Dress Code?
Again, absolutely — although the ones that are lined and in a tweed will be more appropriate everyday wear, particularly with dresses and pants. The more unstructured, cardigan-y lady jackets should also be fine, but depending on what you’re wearing them with (and how they look after a few washes) they may be better left for casual days and not Big Meetings.
How is a Lady Sweater Jacket Different From a Sweater Blazer or Sweater Jacket?
A lot of retailers aren’t delineating between a lady jacket, a lady sweater jacket, and a sweater jacket. In my opinion, I would call a sweater jacket anything that is made from a substantial sweater-like knit and operates as a third piece. The fabric has to have a substantial heft to it, or else I think it’s just a cardigan.
Sweater blazers (again, this is maybe just in my mind!) have a more traditional, longer cut that ends around your hips. They often have lapels, and tend to be a sleeker knit, unlike the chunkier, open weaves of sweater lady jackets.
How is a Lady Jacket Different From a Cardigan?
It’s important to note that a lady jacket isn’t necessarily a sweater, although it often is. (There are other versions that, I think, would still count as lady jackets but are made of a more traditional tweed-like material with lining and so forth.)
So what is the difference between a lady jacket and a cardigan? As noted above, I think it comes down to heft and shape. Cardigans can be many shapes, with buttons and lapels and patterns and matching shells — whereas lady jackets tend to just be the boxy cut. The thing that makes it a jacket and not a cardigan, though, is the heft of the material — they hang independently.
Can A Lady Jacket Be Part of a Suit?
Again, this is just my thinking here — but I usually think of lady jackets as separates in the business world; if you want a more formal business outfit the “column of color” often works great with a solid black bottom, black tank or tee, and then the lady jacket.
THAT SAID, they’re definitely often sold with matching skirts — often mini skirts. (Think of Cher’s yellow suit in Clueless.) Super cute, but not appropriate for every office.
The other way you may see lady jackets incorporated into suits is either as an alternate jacket to a more traditional blazer — a different fabric that complements or matches the color of the pants or dress exactly. (I feel like Boss has done this, but can’t find a good example at the moment.)
Like this feature? Check out other recent installments!