20 Lightweight Summer Jackets for Elevated Warm-Weather Style

Take on the AC with these options.

Women in a window wearing pastel jackets
(Image credit: Betina Du Toit)

Unlike our winter jackets, mandatory for staying warm, the best summer jackets are a supplemental warm-weather piece for surprise summer rain showers, chilly morning and evening temps, and the inevitable office air conditioning. 

"A summer jacket can make you look more put together," explains Monica Patel-Cohn, the founder and designer of Two New York, a Brooklyn-based brand that uses textiles and Saris from India to create easy summer staples. Cohn brings along her versatile Kantha jacket, inspired by vintage men's carcoats, for summer flights and car trips. "Its lightweight makeup is like a soft hug," she says. 

To secure the best summer jacket, Cohn recommends searching for one that avoids too many bells and whistles. Instead, choose a summer jacket with great character—from the texture to the print to the pockets. "It will speak for itself," she explains.

Ahead, five different types of summer jackets to try now.


Bouclé Jackets

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Often comprised of a slim silhouette adorned with pockets, a lightweight bouclé fabric makes the ideal elevated summer jacket for office days and lunch meetings. Pair yours with a free-flowing midi skirt and kitten heels, gently draped over your shoulders to achieve maximum sophistication.

Quilted Jackets for Summer

(Image credit: Betina Du Toit)

Denim Jackets

Some of Cohn's preferred summer jacket styles are denim and canvas cotton jackets with large pockets perfect for keys and phones. If you've already got one or two denim jackets in your closet she recommends revamping them with whimsical brooches and pins.

Jean Jackets for Summer

(Image credit: Kat Irlin)

Lightweight Blazers

For weddings and other special summer events, Cohn opts for a lightweight blazer elegantly paired with slip dresses or silk pants. A breezy cotton blazer is also a timeless option for city-goers, especially when they come equipped with functional side pockets.

Summer blazer jackets

(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

Windbreakers

Breathable by nature, a light windbreaker has all of the fixings of an ideal summer jacket. Conquer early morning errands, casual outdoor dinners, and outdoor adventures with windbreakers that offer an endless array of pattern and color options alongside detachable hoods and zip pockets.

A girl in a floral windbreaker

(Image credit: Jesse Laitenin)

Quilted Jackets

A quilted jacket has a carefree summertime spirit that seamlessly pairs with ethereal summer dresses and beachy sandals. Cohn recommends rolling up the sleeves to achieve a fit that has that certain je nais se quois.

Quilted Summer Jackets

(Image credit: Kat Irlin)
Sara Holzman
Style Director

Sara Holzman is the Style Director for Marie Claire, where she's worked alongside the publication for eight years in various roles, ensuring the brand's fashion content continues to inform, inspire, and shape the conversation about fashion's ever-evolving landscape. With a degree from the Missouri School of Journalism, Sara is responsible for overseeing a diverse fashion content mix, from emerging and legacy designer profiles to reported features on the influence of social media on style and seasonal and micro trends across the world's fashion epicenters in New York, Milan, and Paris. Before joining Marie Claire, Sara held fashion roles at Conde Nast's Lucky Magazine and Self Magazine and was a style and travel contributor to Equinox's Furthermore website. Over her decade of experience in the fashion industry, Sara has helped guide each brand's style point of view, working alongside veteran photographers and stylists to bring editorial and celebrity photo shoots to fruition from start to finish. Sara currently lives in New York City. When she's not penning about fashion or travel, she’s at the farmer’s market, on a run, working to perfect her roasted chicken recipe, or spending time with her husband, dog, and cat. Follow her along at @sarajonewyork