Joe's Picks

← Coats and Jackets Worth the Investment

Jackets Worth the Closer Look

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Joe's Top Picks

Black Varsity Jackets That Quietly Do the Heavy Lifting DTLR-VILLA Grindhouse Club House Varsity Jacket Jump to section ↓

$4.98 DTLR-VILLA

Cotton Varsity Jackets That Justify the Fuss KARMALOOP Bradford Varsity Jacket Jump to section ↓

$79.99 KARMALOOP

Navy Varsity Jackets Worth Building an Outfit Around SHIEKH Men Old West Varsity Jacket Navy Salsa Jackets M Navy Salsa Jump to section ↓

$97.99 SHIEKH

Red Varsity Jackets That Earn Their Place in Your Wardrobe W CONCEPT (US) Heartfield Crop Varsity Jacket [Red] Jump to section ↓

$322.00 W CONCEPT (US)

Relaxed Varsity Jackets That Don't Need Tailoring DTLR-VILLA Pro Standard Los Angeles Lakers Triple Black Varsity Jacket Jump to section ↓

$200.00 DTLR-VILLA

The Zip Softshell Jackets Worth Knowing About SUPERDRY US Superdry Men's Hooded Storm Softshell Jacket Brown Jump to section ↓

$125.96 SUPERDRY US

Wool Varsity Jackets That Feel Properly Made MAHETRI LLC Black Wolf Varsity Jacket Jump to section ↓

$150.00 MAHETRI LLC

Black Varsity Jackets That Quietly Do the Heavy Lifting

The varsity jacket has spent decades being misread as a novelty piece, something you wear ironically or grow out of. The black ones change that conversation entirely. Strip out the loud colorblocking and the oversized chenille patches and what you're left with is a structured, slightly dressed up alternative to a bomber that works harder than people give it credit for. Over a hoodie in winter, over a plain tee when the temperature allows, under nothing when the jacket is the point. We've been paying close attention to the details that separate a good one from a costume: sleeve material, chest patch restraint, collar construction, how the ribbing sits at the waist. Black does the organizing work that other colorways leave to chance. It keeps the sportswear references from tipping into fancy dress while letting the silhouette do what it was always capable of doing. These are the ones that belong in a real wardrobe, not just a mood board.

DTLR-VILLA Grindhouse Club House Varsity Jacket $4.98 DTLR-VILLA

Men’s Streetwear Letter-Embroidered Baseball Jacket Black & Grey Badge-Patch Varsity Coat M-X Oversized High-Street Polyester Outerwear

VOGHION GLOBAL Men's Streetwear Letter-Embroidered Baseball Jacket Black & Grey Badge-Patch Varsity Coat M-X Oversized High-Street Polyester Outerwear $28.85 VOGHION GLOBAL

RENT THE RUNWAY Slate & Willow Varsity Faux Leather Jacket Black-white-print $61.00 RENT THE RUNWAY

KARMALOOP Crew Love Varsity Jacket $27.99 KARMALOOP

DTLR-VILLA Mitchell & Ness Los Angeles Kings Throwback Varsity Jacket $19.98 DTLR-VILLA

KARMALOOP Helmet Varsity Jacket Black $299.99 KARMALOOP

W CONCEPT (US) CLUB Varsity Quilted Jacket [Black] $165.00 W CONCEPT (US)

DRESTIGE US Men's College Jacket Nightmare Varsity Blackbrown $277.40 DRESTIGE US

DRESTIGE US Roll Call Varsity Jacket Men's College Jacket Black $349.60 DRESTIGE US

W CONCEPT (US) Street Preppy Varsity Jacket UBUJ [BLACK] $240.00 W CONCEPT (US)

W CONCEPT (US) Ecco Fleece Varsity Jacket [Black] $245.00 W CONCEPT (US)

DRESTIGE US Men's Sherpa Varsity Jacket Black $244.15 DRESTIGE US

Cotton Varsity Jackets That Justify the Fuss

The varsity jacket has spent a long time being treated as a novelty, something you wear ironically or not at all. We think that's the wrong read. A well made cotton varsity in the right colorway is one of the better casual layering pieces a man can own, sitting comfortably in that register between a bomber and a coach jacket without trying to be either. The problem has always been execution. Cheap wool sleeves that pill immediately, ribbing that loses its shape after a few washes, body panels that sit wrong on anyone past the age of nineteen. Cotton versions sidestep most of those issues and age considerably better. We've been looking specifically at options where the construction holds up, the fit reads like a considered choice rather than a throwback, and the palette works with what most men actually own. These are the ones that earn the name on the chest.

KARMALOOP Bradford Varsity Jacket $79.99 KARMALOOP

PRINTERVAL Thriller Varsity Jacket shirt $12.95 PRINTERVAL

DRESTIGE US Ghost Varsity Jacket Men's College Jacket Brown $280.25 DRESTIGE US

DTLR-VILLA Nike NBA CHICAGO BULLS MODERN VARSITY JACKET $9.98 DTLR-VILLA

SHIEKH Men Bradford Varsity Jacket Dark Green Jackets M Dark Green $79.99 SHIEKH

DRESTIGE US More Fire Varsity Jacket Men's College Jacket Black $280.25 DRESTIGE US

CERQULAR Safety Award Hartwell Varsity Jacket - Large Brown Cotton $100.49 CERQULAR

CERQULAR TRUE RELIGION Mens Red & Black Varsity Jacket M Cotton Blend Button Bomber Zip $97.49 CERQULAR

CERQULAR Pikes Peak Time Square Varsity Jacket - Large Blue Cotton Blend $60.29 CERQULAR

CERQULAR POWERS Mens Purple & Navy Letterman Button Jacket S Cotton Varsity Retro $64.99 CERQULAR

CERQULAR Mickey Mouse Disney Graphic Varsity Jacket - Small Black Cotton $73.69 CERQULAR

ZAVVI US &AMP; CANADA Magic: The Gathering Island Roundel Varsity Jacket - BlackWhite $59.99 ZAVVI US &AMP; CANADA

Navy Varsity Jackets Worth Building an Outfit Around

The varsity jacket has spent decades hovering between costume and clothing, and the navy version is where it finally tips toward the latter. Pull it off correctly and it reads as a considered piece, not a throwback. It works over a plain white tee, over a crewneck sweatshirt when the weather demands it, and with straight leg trousers as well as it does with denim. The color is what makes it viable. Navy sits close enough to classic outerwear territory that it doesn't fight everything else in your wardrobe the way a red or a cream sleeve version might. What we've been focused on here is construction. Wool body weight, the quality of the leather or leather alternative sleeves, and whether the snap closures actually hold their shape over time. A cheap varsity jacket looks cheap in a way that's hard to style around. These are built better than that and wear like it.

SHIEKH Men Old West Varsity Jacket Navy Salsa Jackets M Navy Salsa $97.99 SHIEKH

DTLR-VILLA Starter Chicago White Sox Varsity Jacket $29.98 DTLR-VILLA

SHIEKH Men All American Varsity Jacket CaramelNavyRed Jackets L CaramelNavyRed $49.99 SHIEKH

DTLR-VILLA First Row Property Of Varsity Jacket $9.98 DTLR-VILLA

DRESTIGE US College Jacket Men's NFL Team Legacy Varsity Jacket Chibea Blacknavy $381.90 DRESTIGE US

DRESTIGE US Men's College Jacket Varsity Jacket X Staple New Navy $235.60 DRESTIGE US

SHOEBACCA PUMA PUMA X JUNE AMBROSE Victory Reversible Varsity Full Zip Jacket $49.95 SHOEBACCA

CERQULAR HARTWELL Mens Navy Blue Wool Varsity Jacket M Button Plain Padres Logo $32.49 CERQULAR

ZAVVI US &AMP; CANADA Harry Potter Ravenclaw Varsity Jacket - NavyWhite $59.99 ZAVVI US &AMP; CANADA

CERQULAR Penn State Jh Designs College Varsity Jacket - Navy Leather $174.19 CERQULAR

SHOPBOP Sporty & Rich Yankees Varsity Jacket Dark NavyWhite $390.00 SHOPBOP

W CONCEPT (US) Varsity Western Wool Padded Check Stadium Jacket [Grey] $250.00 W CONCEPT (US)

Red Varsity Jackets That Earn Their Place in Your Wardrobe

Red is the hardest color to get right in a varsity jacket and also the one most worth getting right. Too cheap and the whole thing reads like a costume. Too oversized and you look like you borrowed it from someone bigger and never gave it back. The varsity jacket as a category has been done badly so many times that a lot of men have written it off entirely, which we think is a mistake. When the weight is right, when the wool body and leather sleeves are proportioned properly, and when the fit actually respects your shoulders, it becomes one of those rare casual pieces that works as hard as anything else in your wardrobe. We've been looking specifically at red versions because that color, done well, brings an energy to even the most straightforward outfit of jeans and a white tee. These are the ones that hold up past the first wear.

W CONCEPT (US) Heartfield Crop Varsity Jacket [Red] $322.00 W CONCEPT (US)

DRESTIGE US Men's College Jacket NBA Team Legacy Varsity Jacket Chibul Redblack $454.10 DRESTIGE US

DTLR-VILLA Pro Standard Chicago Bulls X Champs Varsity Jacket $19.98 DTLR-VILLA

PRINTERVAL Bison University Varsity Jacket, Hbcu Est. Blue Red Veritas Et Utilitas Baseball Jacket $39.95 PRINTERVAL

DRESTIGE US MVP Varsity The Playoffs Flares Red Men's College Jacket $341.05 DRESTIGE US

DTLR-VILLA First Row The Best Never Rest Varsity Jacket $29.98 DTLR-VILLA

W CONCEPT (US) Color Block Varsity Jacket Red $403.00 W CONCEPT (US)

PRINTERVAL Golden Tigers University Varsity Jacket, Hbcu Est. Red Albm Novelty Baseball Jacket $39.95 PRINTERVAL

ALPHA INDUSTRIES DALLAS COWBOYS X ALPHA X NEW ERA WOOL VARSITY MA- BOMBER JACKET $175.00 ALPHA INDUSTRIES

W CONCEPT (US) TRIPLETS VARSITY JACKET red $286.00 W CONCEPT (US)

THE WEBSTER Saint Varsity Jacket Red $400.00 THE WEBSTER

ALPHA INDUSTRIES BUFFALO BILLS X ALPHA X NEW ERA WOOL VARSITY MA- BOMBER JACKET $175.00 ALPHA INDUSTRIES

Relaxed Varsity Jackets That Don't Need Tailoring

The varsity jacket spent a long time being difficult. Too structured to wear casually, too sporty to dress up, and cut in a way that made most adult men look like they were borrowing from someone else's wardrobe. The versions in here solve that. We've been looking specifically at cuts with a slightly dropped shoulder and a roomier body that sits right over a heavyweight tee or a thick crewneck without pulling across the back or bunching at the waist. No tailoring required and no awkward compromise. The wool sleeves and leather combinations hold their own, but we've also found some excellent all-wool and premium nylon options that work just as well. Color is important here too. Navy, caramel, and washed olive are doing more for the modern wardrobe than the traditional team colorways ever did. These are jackets that belong to now rather than a nostalgia trip nobody asked for.

DTLR-VILLA Pro Standard Los Angeles Lakers Triple Black Varsity Jacket $200.00 DTLR-VILLA

SHIEKH Men Dreamers Club Varsity Jacket Heather Grey Jackets S Heather Grey $219.99 SHIEKH

SHIEKH Men Dreamers Club Varsity Jacket Heather Grey Jackets M Heather Grey $219.99 SHIEKH

W CONCEPT (US) Quilted Oversized Varsity Jacket [Black] $111.00 W CONCEPT (US)

SHIEKH Men Dreamers Club Varsity Jacket Heather Grey Jackets L Heather Grey $219.99 SHIEKH

SHIEKH Men Dreamers Club Varsity Jacket Heather Grey Jackets Heather Grey $219.99 SHIEKH

HARVEY NICHOLS US Ice Cream Collegiate Padded Felt Varsity Jacket - Navy $208.66 HARVEY NICHOLS US

DTLR-VILLA Pro Standard NBA Chicago Bulls Triple Black Wool Varsity Jacket $175.00 DTLR-VILLA

W CONCEPT (US) Padded Wool Relaxed Fit Varsity Jacket [Charcoal] $432.00 W CONCEPT (US)

SHOEBACCA PUMA Chivas Varsity Full Zip Jacket $109.95 SHOEBACCA

W CONCEPT (US) Padded Wool Varsity Jacket [Taupe] $432.00 W CONCEPT (US)

W CONCEPT (US) Super Balloon Wool Varsity Jacket $190.00 W CONCEPT (US)

The Zip Softshell Jackets Worth Knowing About

There is a gap in most men's wardrobes between a proper outerwear coat and a fleece that belongs on a hiking trail, and the zip softshell is exactly what fills it. Worn over a midlayer on a cold morning or thrown on with a shirt when the temperature drops without warning, it earns its place in rotation in a way that more seasonal pieces simply do not. The problem is that a lot of softshells look like they were designed for someone who needed fourteen pockets and a place to clip a carabiner. We have been looking specifically for the ones that solve the weather problem without creating a style one. Clean lines, a proper collar, a zip that sits flush, and a fit that works over a shirt without pulling across the shoulders. These are jackets that move easily between a weekend walk and a casual Friday without asking you to overthink the transition. That versatility is exactly why we rate them.

SUPERDRY US Superdry Men's Hooded Storm Softshell Jacket Brown $125.96 SUPERDRY US

W CONCEPT (US) Softshell Fleece-Lined Hooded Zip-up Men's Jacket HOK $221.00 W CONCEPT (US)

CERQULAR JACK WOLFSKIN Mens Yellow Outdoor Softshell Jacket M Polyester Blend Zip Hooded $72.79 CERQULAR

CERQULAR ENGELBERT STRAS Mens Red & Black Softshell Jacket S Polyester Blend Zip $49.39 CERQULAR

SUPERDRY US Superdry Men's Hooded Softshell Colourblock Jacket Green $154.95 SUPERDRY US

CERQULAR COLUMBIA Mens Red Hooded Softshell Jacket S Polyester Outdoor Zip Pocket $58.49 CERQULAR

JUNOACTIVE Hooded Softshell Jacket - FINAL SALE, X Amethyst Purple $79.95 JUNOACTIVE

DTLR-VILLA Timberland TBL ESSENTIAL SOFTSHELL JACKET $29.98 DTLR-VILLA

JUNOACTIVE Hooded Softshell Jacket - FINAL SALE, Amethyst Purple $79.95 JUNOACTIVE

SHOEBACCA PUMA Scuderia Ferrari Team Softshell Full Zip Jacket $89.95 SHOEBACCA

SUPERDRY US Superdry Men's Hooded Softshell Trekker Jacket Green $154.95 SUPERDRY US

SUPERDRY US Superdry Men's Storm Popper Softshell Jacket Black $164.95 SUPERDRY US

Wool Varsity Jackets That Feel Properly Made

The varsity jacket has spent a long time being done badly. Thin synthetic wool that pills after a season, leather sleeves that crack inside a year, proportions that look borrowed from a teenager's closet. When it's done right though, it's one of the more interesting pieces a grown man can wear. The weight of the wool body tells you everything immediately. It should feel substantial in your hand before you even put it on. What we've been looking for specifically are jackets where the wool blend is dense enough to actually insulate, the sleeve leather is full grain rather than bonded, and the rib trim sits cleanly without stretching out of shape. These are pieces that work with dark denim and a clean sneaker, or thrown over chinos when you want something with a bit more character than a standard overshirt. The varsity jacket's reputation got damaged by cheap versions. These are the ones that repair it.

MAHETRI LLC Black Wolf Varsity Jacket $150.00 MAHETRI LLC