The Most Underrated Layer in Your Closet? A Lightweight Jacket

Too hot for a coat, too stylish for just a tee. Enter: the lightweight jacket

By Sanika Achrekar | LAST UPDATED: SEP 26, 2025

Let’s not kid ourselves. India doesn’t really have jacket weather in the traditional sense. Outside of Delhi’s two winter months, the rest of us are just playing dress-up. But sometimes, between seasons – when it’s 32°C during the day and vaguely breezy at night – you get a rare opening. Those shoulder weeks between summer and monsoon, or monsoon and not-quite-winter, offer just enough of a blur for a jacket to make sense.

That’s when the lightweight jacket stops being optional and starts feeling essential. Just ask Justin Bieber. The singer was recently spotted in Italy wearing a red-and-beige jacket from Found, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Did he need it? Doubtful. Did it work? Absolutely. Because sometimes it’s not about staying warm, it’s about adding that one sharp layer that pulls everything together.

And that kind of styling ease? Very much intentional. That’s exactly what Found’s creative director Faraz Zaidi had in mind when designing the piece.

“I’m always thinking about those in-between months where the weather moves through the day,” says Zaidi. “That’s where I try to land, finding that middle ground between wearability and design. I want the jackets to feel natural enough to reach for every day but still have details that make you stop and think about how you’re wearing them.”

What Exactly Is a Lightweight Jacket?

In Indian weather, it’s anything that adds shape without sweat. Think chore coats, shackets, denim or trucker staples, nylon layers, and bombers with a bit of puff but none of the padding. Suede or faux suede? Yes. Those utility-style jackets with more pockets than you will ever need? Also, yes.

These are jackets built for chaos: the kind of days when it’s humid by noon and randomly drizzling by six. Or those delusional January nights in Mumbai when you're dressing for 'winter' just for the aesthetic.

How They’re Being Worn

Pay attention and they are literally all over. Timothée Chalamet courtside in Chrome Hearts. Logan Lerman made the shacket look smart at Thom Browne. Kylian Mbappé, Lewis Hamilton, and Charles Leclerc each gave the jacket a different spin. Back home, Siddhant Chaturvedi keeps it classic, and Ahaan Panday leaned towards a glossy-sleek jacket.

On the runway, designers are stretching the form in their direction. Louis Vuitton, Zegna, Dior, Prada, Sacai, and Hermès – they all are tweaking the silhouette.

Why Lightweight Jackets Work So Well

The beauty of a lightweight jacket lies not only in its appearance but also in how it feels. Think of it this way: soft cotton twill that breaks in beautifully, denim with just enough structure, breezy Tencel that moves with you, or upcycled khadi that breathes without breaking a sweat. Linen works too, as long as the cut is relaxed. And if you’re after a sportier edge? Nylon and satin have your back. It’s all about adding structure, minus the bulk.

“Lightweight jackets are perfect for those in-between days when it’s not too hot and not too cold,” say Tanvi and Harsh Somaiya, founders of The Bear House. “They’re easy to throw on, feel good, and add just the right touch without doing too much. We design ours to work with whatever you’re wearing, over a T-shirt for a morning coffee run, or with trousers if you’re heading out later. It’s an easy way to look pulled together without overthinking it.”

How to Actually Wear One

Styling a light jacket is all about knowing when to reach for what.

Daytime: Go for a printed or a denim zip-up over a crisp white tee, joggers, and clean sneakers. Add sunglasses and a takeaway coffee, and you’ve nailed off-duty celeb energy.

Work: A suede shacket layered over a fine-knit polo and paired with drawstring linen trousers hits the sweet spot.

Weekends: Keep it relaxed with an open chore jacket worn over a printed tee and loose denim. Roll up the sleeves, and add a cap or a tote to finish the look.

Night outs: Reach for a satin bomber and build around a black-on-black base. Throw in a chain or two, and pick a scent that makes an entrance.

Still on the fence? Isha Bhansali, the stylist behind some of India’s best-dressed men, breaks it down: “Light jackets instantly sharpen a look,” she says. “Style it over a vest with pleated or wide-leg trousers, throw on leather sandals, and finish with layered pendants or stacked bracelets. It adds an elevated touch but still makes a statement.”