One trend that’s making a strong comeback, as both a functional but fashion-forward outerwear piece, are windbreakers. What is reminiscent of swishy-sounding jackets of the 80s and 90s, has a new, elevated athleisure look that makes for a fun light jacket to style.
These are more versatile than you think too. While you can wear this more casually with jeans or with your athleisure, the way I’m loving it, and to make it feel more trendy, is to juxtapose it with something dressy. Here’s a roundup of ways to style a windbreaker if you want to give this trend a style.
How To Style A Windbreaker
Say hello to your new favorite lightweight jacket for that in-between spring weather. While a good windbreaker is a functional and technical jacket, it’s having a trendy moment and there are so many great ways to style this piece. It adds that contrast that some outfits need to create balance.
What Is A Windbreaker
This is a lightweight technical jacket that is designed to protect against the wind and light rain. Typically, it’s made out of materials like nylon and polyester to help give you protection from the elements. While you don’t have to find one in these exact fabrics, it’s also the style of this jacket, the athleisure preppy 80s and 90s look, that is having a big moment, regardless of the fabric composition.
What Do Windbreakers Do?
- Protect against wind and light rain
- A lightweight layering jacket without overheating
- Easy to carry and style on the go
How Do Windbreakers Work?
Windbreaker jackets are technically designed for keeping wind out by utilizing tightly woven synthetic fabrics. While they’re wind resistant, they are also typically water-resistant or fully waterproof to keep rain out as well so you stay dry. A good windbreaker should be designed to let moisture escape so you don’t overheat or feel clammy.
What Are the Different Types of Windbreakers
There are several different styles of windbreakers to choose from. And there are also options that may not be true windbreakers, but give that same 80s and 90s track jacket windbreaker look.
Cropped Windbreakers
I think this is the ideal style for making it feel trendy. Cropped windbreakers are a bit on the shorter side, and may even have a cinched waist too. These can also be a bomber style which we’re seeing a lot of right now for spring.
If you’re also wondering how to style a cropped jacket, you can explore more of my styling tips and outfit ideas here. It’s all about proportions and creating balance. I find the cropped jacket to be a favorite to style these days.
Anorak Style
The anorak style is a really common fit and silhouette of a windbreaker. And we are even seeing them worn as a fashion statement too.
Oversized Windbreakers
The other style is to choose a more oversized one. I think these are less fashion forward, and for the sake of today’s post, we’re mostly sticking to the cropped or shorter options. These also feel more like a rain jacket when they’re more oversized or longer.
What To Wear With A Windbreaker
There are a few distinct looks that come to mind when thinking about what to wear with a windbreaker. From your everyday jeans and sandals for cool casual looks, to more trendy combinations like leggings, capris, or lace trim mini skirts or shorts.
Straight Leg Jeans Or Wide Leg Jeans For Casual Looks
When in doubt, just pair your windbreaker with denim. You can easily keep this cool and casual with a fashion sneaker, or try a simple thong sandal.
Leggings or Biker Shorts For Casual Looks
We’re seeing the windbreaker get paired with leggings, capri length specifically, if you dare, or biker shorts for a casual look. You can even add some interesting contrast by adding a thong high heeled sandal to give it that dressy yet cool balance.
Mini Skirts Or Dresses For Contrast
I think my favorite thing to pair with a windbreaker is mini skirts or dresses. It’s the juxtaposition of an athleisure style jacket styled with something really sexy or feminine that creates an interesting look from head to toe. Let the windbreaker be your new go-to lightweight spring jacket.
How To Wear A Windbreaker
While you may think you can just throw this over an outfit and call it a day, there are some tips to keep in mind on how to wear a windbreaker so you don’t look like you just walked off a 90s rap music video set.
Half Zip Or Fully Zipped For More Structure
I like to fully or mostly zip up a windbreaker to give it some structure. It almost acts as the top for your outfit so you can also worry less about what you wear underneath. Just wear a light layer underneath like a simple fitted tee or tank.
Push Up The Sleeves to Add Interest And Intention
With any looser fitting top, I always love to push the sleeves up a bit. It adds some interest and intention to your look. Plus, the boxier fit of the jacket can feel shapeless, so pushing up the sleeves and showing off your wrists goes a long way.
Offset The Sportiness With Structured Pieces Or Overly Feminine Details
When in doubt, offset the sportiness with either structured pieces like a structured bag or sharp skirt and even pointed toe shoes. Or you can always balance it out with more feminine details even down to the accessories and your hair styling. Think long necklaces over the sporty jacket, slicked back bun and a bold lip to make the look feel trendy instead of athletic.
Use Accessories To Elevate Simple Outfits
Try adding great accessories like long necklaces, bold earrings and cool bags to round out the look. What we aren’t doing is wearing a nylon tote, or boring bag with these jackets. We want to contrast the casual, athleisure and technical look of this jacket with a fashion bag. Try something small like a rounded bag, or woven leather.
And don’t overlook your shoe choices either. A dressier shoe adds the contrast the windbreaker jacket needs for a cool look. This can. bea pointed-toe shoe, a strappy sandal, or something with a heel. You can always go more casual with a sneaker, but try a slim fashion one like an Adidas Samba.
Windbreaker Outfits
Night Out With Lace Shorts Or Mini Skirts
If you’re looking to ease into this trend, I think this combination is so easy to recreate. I bought this Uniqlo windbreaker and was just so excited to style it. Just take your favorite dressy shorts or mini skirts, and pair it with a heel and the windbreaker for a balanced look.
Dresses Paired With Windbreakers
Forget the denim jacket you paired with every single dress in your closet. You can now swap it out for the cool girl jacket, the windbreaker. It adds such a cool and edgy look to a simple slip dress, or cotton dress. Add a sleek sandal or fashion sneaker and an unexpected bag. You can also do this with a poplin midi skirt that are having a big moment now too. The trick here is to have the jacket hit at your waist to create some shape. You can also style it with some simple accessories like a thong sandal or strappy heel, and a fashion forward bag.
Windbreakers With Jeans
There’s a few popular trends happening here. But whether you want to wear it with or without the lace detail, the outfit still works. The lace dress, or even just a silk scarf tied around the waist, is a popular trend that adds instant interest and texture to your outfit. And the windbreaker is the perfect third piece to complement it all.
Sporty Windbreaker Outfits
You don’t necessarily have to pair your functional windbreaker jacket with something dressy or feminine to make an outfit work. You can definitely go sporty from head to toe! Pair your jacket with a pair of track pants and a baseball hat for a cute casual off-duty look.
Windbreakers With Capris And Sandals
If you’re wanting to go ultra trendy, this is going to be your look. A lightweight windbreaker with capris and a thong-heeled sandal. Bonus points for an oversized plaid shirt tied around your waist. It feels like a total mashup of trends both old and new, but I’m here to tell you, it is in fact, on trend.
Windbreakers With Trousers Or Cargo Pants And A Stylish Shoe
This is going to be your new go-to light jacket to pair with trousers or cool cargo pants. Go for a wider, relaxed fit, and you can truly pair it with so many shoe options. Easily dress this up with a heel if you want. Again, we’re basically treating this like our go-to denim jacket!
The windbreaker is such a new and fun unexpected jacket and topper for looks this season. I am loving the trend and the contrast of something more functional and technical, paired with more dressy or trendier pieces. Whether you want to style a windbreaker with lace shorts, or just some casual jeans, there are so many ways you can incorporate your new jacket to your closet.
