The coaches jacket derives its name from the folks who swore by it, in the dugouts and on the sidelines, throughout the midcentury. Not long after, though, the no-frills silhouette hopped the fence and landed at the skatepark, and then endeared itself to punks, rappers, and preppies in rapid succession. Somewhere along the way, the line between sportswear and streetwear didn’t just blur—it disappeared entirely.
What explains that cross-category appeal? Simple: A good coaches jacket should be lightweight, water-resistant, and a whole lot cooler than your average ballpark poncho. The details do the heavy lifting here—snap-front buttons that let you mess with the proportions (buttoned up or half open, your call); a collar that leans prep when layered over a crewneck or punk when layered over a graphic tee; plus elastic cuffs and drawstring hems to protect against rogue gusts of wind and surprise spring showers.
These days, the coaches jacket (or “coach’s jacket”, depending on how seriously you take phonetics) is as cool and classic as ever, iterated on by Japanese repro brands and all-American heritage labels alike. Here are 11 of our favorites to help you dodge the rain and look good doing it.
Source:
www.gq.com
