13 Best Jackets for Men in 2022: The Truckers, Trenches, Chore Coats, and More You Absolutely Need to Own | GQ
What are the best jackets for men, exactly? We’re glad you asked. When it comes to building a proper wardrobe, there is perhaps no more essential task than assembling a strong and stylish lineup of outerwear. Choosing the best jackets for you is a little like playing Street Fighter: You’ve got a couple dozen characters—each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and personalities—and the fighter you choose says a little something about how you like to roll. The only difference is that there are no black eyes or losers—everybody wins when you’ve got a killer jacket on.
The world of jackets runs wide and deep, full of permutations and offshoots and minor genus, so we decided to break things down as broadly and simply as possible for you. Here are the coats and jackets you really, truly need to know. The verified classics, the timeless icons, the always-in-style fit saviors. They’re the best jackets for men, come winter or spring, rain or shine, weeknight hang or black tie ball. Get familiar.
The Trucker Jacket
Trucker jackets are about as flattering and versatile as outerwear gets. They’re cut trim and short, which not only gives a good range of motion, but also visually lengthens your legs. And like all great garments, they only get better with age. Denim trucker jackets are the standard bearers, but the silhouette works wonders in everything from suede and canvas to nylon and corduroy. Like a pair of classic blue jeans, the trucker jacket goes with, well, everything: throw one over a button up and chinos for a relaxed take on prep, pull it on with a sweatsuit to bring some texture to your weekend kit, or go full Canadian tux like Martin Sheen in Badlands. Hell, you can even pull off a trucker jacket off with an actual tux if you’re daring enough.
The Chore Coat
Chore coats have just the right amount of pockets, enough room to layer, are usually made with a durable, mid-weight fabric, and aren’t so overly-designed—a true all-season jacket that’s pretty close to a perfect piece of outerwear. The chore coat isn’t as flashy as other jackets, so it’s less of a star and more of a supporting character. It can add depth to a hoodie or ease-up a button-up shirt. You can look to the OGs like Le Mont Michel and Vetra for authentic Bill Cunningham vibes, but every brand from Ralph Lauren to Comme Des Garçons offer a take on the classic, so there’s bound to be one with your name on it.
See more of the best chore coats for men
The Leather Jacket
When you want to feel hot, you reach for a leather jacket. How do you think Neo demolished Agent Smith in The Matrix? A leather jacket. (Also, shoutout to the real leather daddy, Nicolas Cage.) There are plenty of flavors of leather jackets out there, from road-ready moto jackets to club-ready leather dusters to luscious suede bombers and more. You might not think of yourself as a leather jacket guy, but there is definitely a leather jacket that’s right for you.
See more of the best leather jackets for men
The Rain Jacket
If you’re hardcore anti-umbrella but still very much pro-being dry, you need to have a rain jacket in your wardrobe. From old-school rubber joints to tech’d out Gore-Tex numbers, and of course, the effortlessly elegant trench coat, there’s a rain jacket that will fit any vibe. There are even packable ones that will fit into your tote bag (you know, like an umbrella). Remember, if you’re not wearing water-proof pants, you’ll want to opt for a longer rain jacket that reaches at least thigh level.
The Puffer Jacket
It’s hard not to think of New York City when you think of a puffer jacket. Yes, there’s that one Seinfeld episode, but there’s also Frank Ocean in this immense orange joint, A$AP Rocky cruisin’ through the streets in the infamous Gucci x The North Face puffer, and New York Nico in winter (also those Baby Yerrda memes). Despite its Big Apple attachments, the puffer jacket has range. You can obviously go full gorp from head to toe, all goth in a wild Rick Owens x Moncler ensemble, or just keep it regular in a pair of perfectly faded blue jeans a la Jennifer Aniston. However you puff, just make sure your jacket has enough room to layer underneath—it is a winter jacket, after all.
