Webster defines a shacket as a portmanteau of shirt and jacket, and in reality... that's precisely what it is: a hybrid between the two styles. Not quite as heavy or utilitarian as a jacket and not as lightweight or insubstantial as a shirt, a shacket offers warmth without the bulk of typical outerwear. The hybrid item is the MVP of your wardrobe during periods of transitional weather (the awkward weeks in early September when summer slowly fades; the desperate, almost-spring days as March nears to an end). Simply put, the best shackets are there for you in your in-between-season moments of need. And as Stitch Fix stylist Lauren Nelson details, it's worth stocking up on a solid selection to keep on hand in your closet.
"I recommend investing in a shacket when building your intentional wardrobe as it’s a trend-proof staple piece that resurfaces year over year," Nelson tells Marie Claire. "Doubling as a stylish layering piece and providing extra warmth, shackets offer a casual yet versatile solution for transitional seasons when you need something more substantial than a shirt but not as heavy as a traditional jacket. Or during the colder winter months, layering a shacket under an overcoat."
Keep scrolling for a greater breakdown on the transitional piece, including more insight from Nelson and tips on how to style a shacket. Oh, and, of course: you'll find an edit of our favorite shackets for the fall 2023 season.
What Is a Shacket?
In more specific terms: "A shacket, is a versatile item that blends the silhouette of a button-up shirt with the materials of a lightweight jacket," explains Stitch Fix's Nelson. "It typically features a button-up front like a shirt, often with a collar, cuffs, and pockets, but is constructed from thicker materials such as flannel or denim, making it the perfect hybrid option for fall," she explains.
So, even if your initial reaction was along the lines of, "What is a shacket?" it's okay to now shift your mentality to, "Okay, I want one."
How to Style a Shacket
- Play With Proportions
"When styling a shacket, I recommend experimenting with proportion play [to] embrace oversized silhouettes paired with more fitted styles," offers Nelson. "For styling clients, I often start with a classic base layer like a plain T-shirt or a simple sweater and layer an oversized shacket on top. Finish the look with straight jeans or trousers and loafers or ballet flats for a balanced look."
- Layer, Layer, and More Layers!
"Have fun layering a textured plaid shacket over a loose cardigan or unbuttoned button-down layered over a simple tee," the stylist says. "Pair with the much-desired cargo pants this fall season, and you are perfectly on trend and inspiring other fashionistas with your style."
- Experiment With Its Versatility
"Because of its versatility, the fresh and fun look of a shacket suits absolutely everyone. The options are endless, whether you want to wear casually with jeans and sneakers or dressed up layered over a fitted sweater dress," Nelson shares. "Experiment with different colors and textures to find something that matches [your] unique personal style."
Everlane The Classic Cotton Flannel Shirt
Channel a utilitarian vibe in this pin-striped shacket by Everlane—but this style is much, much cozier than any work-issued uniform. Considering this flannel shirt is brushed on both sides, it's supremely soft and warm, akin to your favorite winter blanket. But you don't have to worry about overheating: this button-down is made of 100 percent cotton, ensuring it remains lightweight and breathable. It comes in sizes XS to XL and five colorways, including this navy and white striped option and dark, earthy brown plaid.
Customer Review: "A roomy cut and super soft flannel have me wearing this shirt nonstop since it arrived. It's perfect as a layering piece for NYC winter days that are less cold and when a sweater is just too much. Highly recommend!"—Everlane
Madewell Denim Oversized Cargo Shirt Jacket
This workwear-inspired denim shacket in a moody dark gray wash is another top pick. The style from Madewell is cut in a slightly oversized fit with sloping drop shoulders and super-sized cargo pockets. And Nelson encourages you not to be wary of its roomy look: "Shackets are meant to be worn oversized," she details. "You can effortlessly layer it over a chunky sweater and pair it with jeans and boots—classic, easy, and can be thrown on for those lazy girl days."
Customer Review: "I've been looking for an oversized jean jacket for quite some time until I finally found this one. It has everything that you could ask for and so much more. I am obsessed! So much so that I decided to purchase the blue one too. You can't go wrong with it and I can see myself wearing it for years to come."—Madewell
LE17SEPTEMBRE Drawstring Wool Shirt Jacket
"Shackets come in different lengths, typically mid-length with some coming in a longer length," details Nelson. But there's also the momentum of the cropped jacket trend currently sweeping throughout the outerwear market, leading to more styles hitting the upper waist. This gray wool style by Seoul-based brand LE17SEPTEMBRE is one of our favorite takes on the abbreviated silhouette. With design details like the drawstring waist, blouson sleeves, and slight point color, this wool number is a more feminine-feeling take on the shacket.
Customer Review: N/A
Old Navy Soft-Brushed Shacket for Women
A no-fuss, no-frills shacket in a neutral hue is a wardrobe workhorse akin to a little black dress—you'll reach for it time and again to style with easy loungewear, denim, suiting separates, and fall dresses. This one by Old Navy is soft-brushed, creating a flannel-like effect, and boasts a relaxed fit that will give any outfit a laidback look. It's available in sizes XS to XXXL in regular, tall, and petite fittings and also offered in a heathered off-white oatmeal.
Customer Review: "Best buy for fall!! The fabric is very good quality and I love the fit. Best shacket!!"—Old Navy
YanYan Bao Plaid Wool Blend Shirt Jacket
"Shackets come in a variety of solid colors and updated plaid prints," describes Nelson. And this baby is the plaid shacket to end all shackets. Forget a toned-down palette of forest greens or earthy autumnal browns—YanYan knits boosts up the saturation with this checked style featuring shades of black, white, cyan, mustard yellow, and blood orange. This whimsy-filled wool-blend jacket is fastened with knotted button-and-loop closures and boasts a chunky spread collar. All of YanYan Knits' delightful offerings are slowly, ethically, and thoughtfully made in China.
Customer Review: N/A
AllSaints Leather Clay Jacket
Yes, indeed, you're well aware that a leather jacket is a must-have in all wardrobes—but so, too, is a leather shacket. Because when it's too warm full-on Moto moment, or you don't want to commit to the edgy greaser staple fully, it helps to have a lighter-weight leather style on hand. Take, for example, this drop-shouldered, zip-up style from AllSaints. This piece is fitted with all the important design details of your favorite leather jacket—like snap closures on the front, collar, and cuffs for a customized, more secure fit—but is marginally less hefty and cumbersome.
Customer Review: "Great quality. Buttery soft!"—Bloomingdale's
Veronica Beard Ferazia Denim Topstitch Jacket
A cropped Veronica Beard shacket with pointed, padded shoulders is peak prepster—and if that isn't on your fall 2023 moodboard yet, this is your sign to add it as inspiration. It's made of a clean ivory denim and, yes, still belongs in your fall lineup because the rules about not wearing white after Labor Day are outdated! The contrasting stitching and gold buttons yield a graphic, eye-catching effect that, cumulatively, helps to make the polished and prim style pop. Notice, too, the retro bracelet sleeves, which hit halfway through the forearm and are the perfect excuse to show off that beautiful gold charm bracelet you just bought.
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SANCTUARY Frankie Knit Shacket
The hybrid style, given it's a great add-on layer, is ideal for integrating a bold hue into your look with ease. "Grab your shacket to add a fun pop of color like this option by Sanctuary," Nelson says. It hits just below the hip, creating a relaxed and roomy silhouette, and features two button-front pockets on the chest. "Bonus! This beautiful clementine color plays well into maximalism." And if there's one hue that screams autumn, isn't it pumpkin spice orange?
Customer Review: N/A
Abercrombie & Fitch Sherpa Shirt Jacket
A sherpa shacket (say that three times fast!) is peak cozy. This particular style from Abercrombie & Fitch, one of the many beloved mall brands amid a successful 2023 rebrand, is one of our top favorites. It features two front-facing pockets fit button-flap closures, contrasting white front buttons, and velour lining for additional coziness. If natural olive green isn't your aesthetic, don't despair—the retailer continues to release new iterations, from slate gray to sandy taupe and even a chocolate brown take done in quilted fuzz.
Customer Review: "This may be my new favorite winter item! Haven’t worn it yet because it’s still warm but it is so soft and can be worn as a lightweight coat or part of an outfit on a cold day."—Abercrombie & Fitch
The Frankie Shop Dean Padded Shirt Jacket
The only way to make the frigid cold more bearable? This snuggly quilted shacket in a sandy shade of beige. With this padded style, The Frankie Shop, every fashion editor's secret weapon, taps into its typical modus operandi of offering timeless essentials with a refined and slightly androgynous slant. This nylon button-down reflects an oversized fit and boasts a chest patch pocket, calling on traditional style codes of a men's utility shirt.
Customer Review: N/A
Zara Shirt Style Bomber Jacket
Change things up from your go-to bulky bomber in favor of this thin jet-black Zara shacket with rounded drop shoulders and a statement silver front zip. Plus, at only $50, it almost sells itself, don't you think? As for styling the cropped stunner, Nelson has some tips: "For those who prefer dresses and skirts over pants, try layering the shacket over a knee-length dress with riding boots. You can wear it open or closed, depending on your preference," the stylist offers.
Customer Review: N/A
Banana Republic Heritage Suede Shirt Jacket
Lean into luxury during between-season weather in a suede shirt jacket. Try this one from Banana Republic, which is currently $100 cheaper than its typical price tag and what one reviewer referred to as feeling like "a cozy hug." It's made of ultra-soft suede that naturally gets more and more cozy with every wear. This button-front style is unlined, making it an ideal layering tool to wear underneath durable outerwear during the colder seasons.
Customer Review: "I've been looking for years for a suede shirt and this one is absolutely perfect. The suede is super soft and supple, and the perfect color for cool summer nights - a great transition piece too!"—Banana Republic
H&M Twill Shacket
Minimalists, you're sure to delight in this impeccably crisp twill shacket in a limitlessly versatile cream color. This H&M style is the ultimate lightweight layer atop dresses and short-sleeved tops throughout fall and spring (and even the summer season, too, when the AC is on full blast). This off-white utilitarian button-down in an oversized fir boasts slightly dropped shoulders, creating a perfectly exaggerated, relaxed silhouette. It pairs perfectly over a black turtleneck and dark-wash denim for a casual day at the office or even with stirrup leggings and sneakers for an active Saturday afternoon.
Customer Review: "Great piece for spring. I’ve worn it almost everday."—H&M
Nanushka Silvia Embroidered Button-Front Shirt Jacket
Last, but by no means least, this luxurious black shacket from Nanushka. It's easy to see why every fashion editor is obsessed with the Budapest-based brand heralded for its craftsmanship. The contrasting white embroidery on the patch pockets and flare point collar exude slight Western flair. However, the hip-length, longline silhouette and drop shoulders keep the shacket feeling grounded and cool, ensuring the piece doesn't skew into a costume-y skew. Pair yours with white denim that matches the statement stitch and boots for a coordinated and chic look.
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