Spring’s coming soon which means it’s time to relegate thick coats and parkas to the back of the closet and replace them with a selection of light jackets. Denim jackets are an obvious choice for casual occasions, while blazers will be popular among those of who have to stay smart.
A common alternative that has gained popularity over the past couple of years is the overshirt, aka, the shacket. Yes, you heard us right, the shacket.
What is a Shacket?
Shacket is a portmanteau of the words shirt and jacket. The item is basically an oversized shirt that tends to be made from thicker, more jacket like material. They are typically thin which makes them great for layering and a staple of a workwear-inspired look.
Features they have in common with shirts tend to include buttons, pockets, and a collar. Although these are often far larger than the ones you’d see on a regular shirt. The material is typically cotton or wool, although you can grab them in thicker fabrics for more warmth.
My shacket is a thin cotton one in beige. It has large buttons and oversized pockets.
How to Wear a Shacket?
There aren’t many items with quite as many uses as a shacket. You can wear them as your outermost layer. E.g. as your jacket.
As they tend to be super thin you can wear them over a sweater on colder days or a shirt or t-shirt when it’s warm. They’re are especially good for those days when swings in temperature is quite large and you aren’t sure what type of outerwear you need.
You can also wear them under other pieces. They’re thin enough to be worn under a thicker jacket or a coat, which is something I’ve been doing a lot this winter.
I also often wear my shacket as less of a jacket and more of a shirt. What I mean is I’ll wear it buttoned up and with the intention of continuing to keep it on even when inside. As they can be really thin you can do this without it appearing like your constantly waiting to go out.
What to Wear With a Shacket? 5 Outfits for Men
Shackets go best with casual or even workwear inspired outfits. I tend to wear mine most often with denim, chinos, casual sweaters, corduroy, and checked shirts. All this materials have a similar aesthetic to that of a shacket.
With Chinos and a Check Shirt
Pairing a shacket with navy chinos and a check shirt is one of my favorite looks. The checks are the same level as the jacket making it a stylish casual look. I like the colouring of this outfit, with the blue chinos, off-white jacket, and neutral checks fitting together nicely.
With Corduroy
Corduroy goes well with shackets. I don’t have any corduroy pants at the moment but pairin the jacket with a shirt is an outfit I love. The brown colour shirt fits well with the neutral shade off the jacket too.
With a Sweater and Black Jeans
I really like this monochrome shacket outfit which the outerwear really brings to life. Work boots finish the look off in a stylish and practical way.
With Jeans and Canvas Shoes
Indigo jeans go well with a shacket in a similar way to the chinos in the first outfit on this list. On this day I went for a short hike and the shacket was the perfect choice as it kept me cool despite some steep sections.
With Blue Jeans and Desert Boots
This is a cool casual outfit I wear often in spring. The desert boots are my favorite part and I think they fit the sensibility of the shacket really well. Did I mention that I thnk shackets look great with sleeves rolled up, too?
