Fall/Winter08/09 and Beyond: The Fitted Jacket/Blazer, A Wardrobe Essential

If there's one essential you buy for fall that will carry on beyond the season's must have trend, it is the fitted jacket. The fitted jacket will do double duty for you, in this season and in your essentials closet. I love jackets and own several. The reason being that you can always complete an outfit just putting one on with other basics, like a blouse or tee or cami, with jeans, a skirt, or trousers. A jacket can go from work to a lucheon to an evening out.

If you are buying a jacket for your essentials wardrobe, you may want to consider a material that you wear year-round, like twill or a poly blend, and make sure it doesn't have a trendy detail that may not be around in two years, like ombre. And again, if it's for your essentials wardrobe, it's ok to spend more on something you will wear for years. But your jacket can also be specific to a season, like corduroy or tweed. One example I have of an essential jacket in my wardrobe is a satin black fitted jacket that I wear during the holiday season with everything, but I have also worn it to weddings in the summer or to dressier evenings out. If you are short-waisted like "a different kind of girl" mentioned in her comment, be sure to wear a tank, blouse or tee that hangs well below the jacket to show an elongated silhouette. Below are some fitted jackets on my wish list this fall.

My favorite line at QVC, Motto, has several fitted jackets I love. I own two of theirs and wear them often. The stretch denim crop jacket with latern sleeves is $34.12. The red stretch tie-front jacket is $56.50 and also comes in navy.

















The jackets below are both from Ann Taylor Loft. The green corduroy double pocket jacket is $59.00. The West End plaid ruffle jacket is $79.00.

















The following jackets are from Nordstrom. The Ambition short trench jacket is $78.00. The Hinge ruched twill blazer is $98.00.