Best Lightweight Jackets

As a personal stylist, my clients are constantly asking for versatile and stylish lightweight jackets. In fact, many of my clients run cold and want outerwear for every single outfit they wear. Unfortunately, no matter how versatile the jacket is, if you have a diverse wardrobe, you need a lot more outerwear than you think. For a summer evening, I am a big fan of shawls. They take up less space in your wardrobe, you can shove them in your purse when you’re not cold, and they generally cost less. But once it drops below 65°, you need more than a scarf. Plus, people really like to turn the indoors into an arctic environment come summer.

When it comes to lightweight jackets, stylish windbreakers are one of my favorite types. You also can’t go wrong with a denim jacket, cargo jacket, or lightweight blazer. Below are all the best lightweight jackets I have recently put on clients in San Diego. It’s time to stock up!

Open Edit Linen Blend Blazer

This is the best lightweight blazer I have found this season! Pair it with shorts, straight-leg bottoms, skinny-leg bottoms, short dresses, and maxi dresses with a similar weight and texture to the blazer.

Available at Nordstrom.

Sizing: Runs huge, order 1-3 sizes down. Available in XXS-XL

Material: 53% linen, 44% rayon, 3% spandex

Quince 100% European Linen Jacket

This is an extremely lightweight jacket that looks especially fabulous with wide-leg pants and a body suit.

Available at Quince.

Sizing: True to size, if not a teensy bit big. Available in XS-XL.

Material: 100% European linen

Madewell Cropped Cargo Jacket

This is one of my favorite lightweight jackets of the season. Versatile style in a fun color? Yes, please!

Available at Madewell.

Sizing: Runs large, order 1-2 sizes down. Available in XXS-XXL.

Material: 100% cotton

GAP Relaxed Utility Jacket

This is such an easy lightweight jacket to throw on with blue jeans, wide-leg pants, or shorts. I love that utilitarian style and color. And as you may know from my past post, olive green tends to be one of the most versatile jacket colors.

Available at GAP.

Sizing: XXS-XXL

Material: 100% regenerative cotton

Mavi Jeans Denim Trucker Jacket

This denim jacket is a major client favorite right now and my go-to denim jacket.

Available at Nordstrom

Sizing: True to size. Available in XS-XL.

Material: 65% cotton, 13% lyocell, 13% polyester, 7% recycled cotton, 2% elastane

Free People Way Home Packable Light Weight Jacket

This jacket is crazy lightweight so it’s great for those in need of sun protection without the weight or warmth of a jacket. It looks best with athletic leggings, biker shorts, or joggers. You can see me sporting this lightweight jacket in my post, How To Style Shorts.

Available at Free People.

Sizing: Runs huge. Order 1-2 sizes down. Available in XS-XL.

Material: 100% nylon

Caslon Stretch Cotton Jacket

I love this lightweight jacket for colored or light-wash denim. It works with skinny to wide-leg bottoms.

Available at Nordstrom; also in plus size.

Sizing: Runs large, order 1 size down. Available in XS-XL and 1X-4X.

Material: 95% cotton, 5% spandex

Zella Commute Stowaway Hood Rain Jacket

This lightweight jacket pair great with “shinier” leggings and dressy pants like the Vince stitch front seam leggings.

Available at Nordstrom.

Sizing: Runs large, order 1 size down. Available in XS-XL.

Material: 80% nylon, 13% spandex, 7% polyester with 100% polyester mesh

MANGO Denim Bomber Jacket

This lightweight bomber jacket is great with wide-leg pants, t-shirt dresses, and flared mini skirts.

Available at Nordstrom and MANGO.

Sizing: True to size. Available in S-XXL.

Material: 100% cotton

Vince Cotton Blend Jacket

Another lightweight jacket that is great for work. Pair this one with straight-leg pants.

Available at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Vince.

Sizing: Runs large, order 1 size down. Available in S-XL

Material: 79% cotton, 15% polyester, 6% spandex

Blanc Noir Penelope Soft Trench Coat

This is just the coolest lightweight trench coat I have seen. I am putting it on everyone!

Available at Nordstrom.

Sizing: True to size. Available in XS-XL.

Material: 75% polyester, 25% nylon

Superdown Pearl Denim Light Weight Jacket

Tired of the usual denim jackets? You gotta get this pearl-encrusted lightweight jacket.

Available at Revolve

Sizing: Runs a teensy bit big. Order your usual size and a size down to compare. Available in XXS-XL.

Material: 100% cotton

Blanc Noir Mastermind Hooded Jacket

I’m loving this lightweight jacket with “shinier” leggings and dressy pants like the Vince stitch front seam leggings.

Available at Nordstrom.

Sizing: Runs true to size. Available in XS – L.

Material: 77% nylon, 23% spandex

LSPACE Flyaway Packable Windbreaker

This lightweight jacket looks great with shiny joggers or athletic leggings.

Available at Anthropologie and LSPACE.

Sizing: XS-XL

Material: Nylon

Vince Camuto Cropped Peak-Lapel Blazer

This is such a great lightweight work jacket. It pairs great with skinny to wide pants and jeans.

Available at Nordstrom.

Sizing: Runs large, order 1 size down. Available in 2-8.

 Material: 68% polyester, 24% rayon, 8% elastane

Rails Cheyenne Jacket

I adore this jacket with joggers, straight-leg pants, and any cropped pant.

Available at Rails and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Sizing: Runs large, order 1 size down. Available in XXS-2X.

Material: 99% cotton, 1% elastane

Kut from the Kloth Jacqueline Denim Light Weight Jacket

This lightweight jacket is a solid denim choice with multiple washes available. Its length allows you to pair it easily with pants, whereas the denim jackets featured above and below are a little shorter and work best with dresses.

Available at Nordstrom.

Sizing: XXS-XL

Material: 99% cotton, 1% spandex

AG ’Robyn’ Lightweight Denim Jacket

You may recognize the AG ’Robyn’ Denim Jacket. I previously featured it in another post: How To Wear a Jean Jacket. It’s still one of my go-to denim jackets, especially for women with longer arms. Pair it with dresses and tucked-in tops.

Available at Amazon, Saks Fifth Avenue, and AG.

Sizing: Runs true to size, but you may need to hem the arms. Available in XS-XL.

Material: 98% cotton, 2% elastane

Columbia Flash Challenger^™ Water Resistant Crop Windbreaker Jacket

This jacket is crazy lightweight so it’s great for those in need of sun protection without the weight or warmth of a jacket. It looks best with athletic leggings, biker shorts, or joggers.

Available at Amazon and Columbia.

Sizing: XS-XL

Material: 100% polyester

Quince Stretch Crepe Cropped Jacket

This is such a great lightweight work jacket. It pairs great with skinny to wide pants and jeans. It also works with dresses that nip in at the waist.

Available at Quince

Sizing: XS-XL

Material: 97% Recycled Polyester, 3% Spandex

Altheta Arrival Light Weight Jacket

Another crazy lightweight jacket that’s great for those in need of sun protection without the weight or warmth of a jacket. It looks best with athletic leggings, biker shorts, or joggers.

Available at Athleta

Sizing: XXS-XL

Material: 80% Cupro Rayon, 20% Nylon

Caslon Utility Jacket

This lightweight utility jacket looks best with joggers, skinny bottoms, and cropped straight-leg jeans or chinos.

Available at Nordstrom

Sizing: XXS-L

Material: 100% Tencel® lyocell

Stylish Lightweight Jackets From Years Past

I originally wrote this post on the best lightweight jackets years ago and update it regularly due to its popularity. I’ve left these photos below for nostalgic purposes. Whenever I update older posts, I love to hold on to a collection of images as a bit of a time capsule so we can watch how our style evolves.

Varley Blake Windbreaker

This windbreaker is available at Anthropologie and Varley.

Sizing: XXS-L

Fabric content: Nylon

ATM Anthony Thomas Melillo Patch Pocket Cargo Jacket

This jacket is available at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Net-A-Porter, and ATM.

Sizing: XS-XL

Fabric content: 100% polyester

Liverpool Los Angeles Tie Hem Crop Cargo Jacket

This jacket is available at Nordstrom, Zappos, and Liverpool Los Angeles.

Sizing: XS-XL

Fabric content: 56% Tencel® lyocell, 41% cotton, 3% spandex

Zella Runyon Windbreaker Jacket

Sizing: XS-XXL, Plus-size available

Fabric content: 100% nylon

Garnet Hill Any-Day Lightweight Jacket

Sizing: XS-XL

Fabric content: 100% nylon, mesh lining