Womens Fashion Jackets: The Best Styles, On-Trend Colors, the Chic & Unique for You

Womens fashion jackets with good fit, classic style, quality fabric, and well-made finishing will last many seasons.

Today's design diversity ensures that you can find a figure-flattering style and color that is right for your lifestyle.

Whether you are looking for a man-tailored tuxedo jacket, a smart tweed jacket, a cropped leather scuba, a boyfriend blazer, or some other style, your wardrobe will benefit by adding it to your closet.

Here are the basics:

Avoid horizontal jacket lines. A contrasting jacket-skirt combination emphasizes the widest part of the hips and derriere, if the jacket length is unflattering.

Short jackets look crisp and chic. Be sure slacks or a skirt are cut to conceal unsightly bulges.

A slightly-longer and women's fashion jacket can flatter figure flaws.

Slight princess seams give a feminine silhouette.

A completely unstructured jacket may look messy on a mature woman. Be sure there is a good quality lining to add body.

Look for fabric blends with touch of Spandex , especially in cotton or linen jackets. This ensurse a wrinkle-free appearance from morning to night.

Think in terms of cost-per-wearing, when you consider cost.

A well-chosen jacket will span the seasons. It may be worn under a winter coat and indoors during cold weather. Your jacket becomes an attractive outerwear topper in spring and fall.

Cardigan Sweaters and Ponchos Make Strong Showing

Sweaters have made a strong showing in recent fall-winter seasons as jacket alternatives.

Popular cardigan styles resemble Chanel jackets and flyaway fronts, especially with ruffles, are especially feminine. The long sweater coat can be comfy or chic, depending on what you choose.

Bulky knits and ponchos -- never really out of style -- will be on-trend for fall and winter 2011-12.

Ladies Leather Jackets: A Temptation You Can Afford

Leather is everywhere.

No longer just outwear, ladies leather jackets are available in styles from svelte classic blazer with deep V-neckline to retro bomber. Black remains a popular color.

With luck, you can find a chic suburban belted car coat for office and home, or a city-girl long trench coat.

An new addition to the smorgasbord of styles is the leather scuba jacket. It is named for its close-body fit.

In addition to classic black, interesting colors in ladies leather jackets are cognac (a rich burgundy-brown) and red.

Wear your leather jacket indoors and under winter coats. Then throw it on as outer wear over spring and fall outfits on mild days.

You will get a low cost-per-wear if you shop carefully.

Late winter and early spring is the best time to scoop up sales items for up to 60% off -- if you lucky and shrewd shopper.

Add Your Own Creative DIY Details

Hand-crafted details on clothing can make old womens fashion jackets new again.

Get out your glue gun or invest in spray-on fabric glue to add eye-candy such as:

If you're handy, painting and stenciling will make a thrift-store find into a work of art.

Unique touches makes a women's fashion jacket special and a pleasure to wear.

Simple changes can make a big difference.

Quilted Jacket Is A Fashion Find

One of the best purchases I've ever made is a black quilted jacket from San Francisco.

My friend warned that Mark Twain said the coldest winter he'd ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.

I did not take this as a serious weather forecast, because Mark Twain is a humorist. I arrived with a suitcase full of cottons more appropriate for Palm Beach than Half Moon Bay.

Touring the upscale boutiques, I spotted a pricey black quilted jacket that was a tad short-waisted and too dressy.

I jumped at the chance to buy a similar quilted jacket that fit better for a quarter of the price at a discount store.

I love it still.

Keep your eyes open for a quilted jacket to add to your closet.

Quilted silk jackets are warm and an item of winter clothing for hundreds of years as super-chic Chinese clothes.

Womens Fashion Jackets Are Building Blocks of Style

Today's variety of fabrics and fabric blends ensure that you can find womens fashion jackets for every season and climate. What's your choice?

Cotton, wool, linen, silk, wool, bamboo, hemp, Tencel, silk-wool, silk-cotton, and more – ensure we can find womens fashion jackets for every season and climate. Read more about the fabulous textiles that are ushering in a new age of ease of wear.

Care Properly for Womens Fashion Jackets

Take good care of your clothing investments. Here's how:

Air out a wool jacket after wearing.

Get spots and stains professionally cleaned.

Never store a garment for the season without first having it cleaned.

Do not store garments in plastic bags, as this can set stains.

Build a collection of womens fashion jackets in different colors, fabrics, and styles.

Stylish, well-made jackets are like Leggoes -- the building blocks of endless combinations in a well-planned mix-and-match wardrobe.

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