Autumn Jackets 2026: The Top 3 Styles to Buy Right Now

By Ella Blake — Senior Fashion Stylist & Founder | TellarAlways honest, unbiased, & unsponsored

The three autumn jacket styles that matter most for 2026 are the military jacket, the shearling aviator, and the leather biker — and right now, all three are having their most compelling moment in years. I say this having spent the better part of February watching the AW26 runway shows with a growing sense of excitement, because for once the trends the designers were pushing are genuinely wearable, genuinely investment-worthy, and — crucially — not just rehashing what we all wore three years ago.

Jacket season is, let's be honest, the best season. I have a vivid memory of spending an entire summer holiday lusting after a shearling I'd spotted in an editorial, only to sprint to the shops the moment the September chill arrived and discover it had sold out everywhere. Lesson learned: the time to buy your autumn jacket is now, not when you can actually feel the cold. Here's your edit.

THE TREND OF THE SEASON

The Military Jacket

If there was one jacket silhouette that dominated the AW26 runways with the most collective force, it was the military jacket. Celine, McQueen, Ann Demeulemeester, and a string of London Fashion Week designers — including Conner Ives and Labrum — all sent out structured, heritage-influenced jackets with epaulettes, high protective collars, hardware details, and that quietly authoritative, structured shoulder. The Napoleon jacket (a cropped, high-collared military silhouette with frogged or buttoned closures) is the most talked-about variant, but there's room in this trend for every version from the tailored officer jacket to a more utility-inflected field style.

What makes this trend so exciting for real dressing is its versatility. A military jacket works over a simple white tee and straight-leg jeans for an off-duty weekend look that feels genuinely current. It works over a slip dress for evening. And worn with tailored trousers and boots, it has an authority and elegance that a blazer simply can't match right now.

The military jacket is one of those rare trend moments where the history and the fashion feel genuinely aligned. This isn't a gimmick — it's structured tailoring with a heritage lineage that goes back centuries. Invest in a good one and you'll be wearing it for a decade.

How to style it: Keep everything else clean and unfussy. A military jacket has plenty of visual interest on its own — it doesn't need competition. Dark slim jeans or tailored trousers, a fine-knit crew neck, ankle boots. Done. For something more fashion-forward, try it over a floaty midi skirt to create that deliberate hard-soft contrast the runway stylists kept reaching for.

THE INVESTMENT PIECE

The Shearling & Aviator Jacket

I'll be honest: I resisted the shearling trend for a long time. It felt too costume-y, too bulky, too much. And then I borrowed one from a friend — a caramel shearling aviator with a deep collar that you could turn up against the wind — and I wore it every single day for a fortnight. I was a convert. The shearling jacket is the autumn piece that genuinely earns the word "investment." Buy a good one and you're buying something you'll still be wearing in fifteen years.

For AW26, Burberry, Joseph, and Toga were the standout references at London Fashion Week for this category — full-length faux-fur coats and shearling-lined aviator bombers in tactile, deeply textural fabrications. The designers' message was clear: being cosy doesn't have to mean looking boring. The best versions for this season have a slightly oversized, dropped-shoulder quality — less 1970s pilot, more quietly luxurious autumn dressing.

Key styling rules for shearling:

Let the jacket be the hero. Everything underneath should be sleek and neutral — slim dark jeans, a thin knit, simple boots.
Proportions matter more here than with any other jacket style. A voluminous shearling needs a streamlined bottom half. Always.
Don't underestimate faux shearling options — the quality of faux at mid-market and premium price points has improved dramatically and the environmental case for it is strong.
Caramel, tan, and off-white are the most wearable colourways. Black shearling reads slightly costume-heavy; the naturals look effortless.

THE WARDROBE CLASSIC

The Leather Biker & Oversized Bomber

The leather jacket is never not relevant in autumn, but for 2026 it has evolved into something genuinely worth reassessing even if you already own three. The key update this season is one of proportions: the oversized bomber and the softer, more ladylike leather biker are the two shapes that feel current. The stiff, fitted moto jacket of previous years has given way to something more relaxed — slouchy bombers inherited from menswear, and biker styles with a more refined, less aggressive silhouette.

Leather was enormous on the SS26 runways — in coloured versions particularly — and those same pieces are transitioning beautifully into autumn. Classic black and warm tan are the most wearable anchors, but I've been noticing a lot of chocolate brown and deep burgundy in the shops this season, and both feel fresh and extremely relevant right now.

If I had to buy just one leather jacket this autumn, it would be an oversized bomber in tan or chocolate brown. It goes with literally everything, it softens as it ages, and it hits that sweet spot between laid-back and properly stylish that is so hard to find in a single garment.

How to style it: The oversized leather bomber is your workhorse — throw it over everything from a midaxi dress and trainers on the weekend to a blazer and tailored trousers for a layered, fashion-forward workwear look. The ladylike biker pairs brilliantly with wide-leg trousers and loafers for that effortlessly put-together Parisienne energy everyone is chasing this season.

Where to Shop — Brand Picks at Every Budget

Here's where I'd actually spend my money, across all three jacket styles and every price point. Chosen based on what's genuinely performing well this season — not just what's top of a list.

HIGH STREET

Zara — Always one of the first high street brands to translate runway military and leather trends into genuinely wearable pieces at speed. Their structured jackets and leather bombers this season are well-cut and priced to allow experimentation. The quality has improved markedly in recent years — worth checking new arrivals regularly.
All Saints — For leather specifically, All Saints is the undisputed high street champion. It's their whole world, their entire identity — and it shows. Their biker and bomber jackets are made with real leather, are sized generously, and age beautifully. An absolute first stop for anyone serious about leather outerwear.
Mango — Quietly one of the best high street options for military styling and leather bombers right now. Alexa Chung was spotted in a Mango leather bomber this season for good reason — the brand is producing considered, well-finished pieces with good proportions at a fair price. Their military-inflected jackets are particularly strong.
Massimo Dutti — If you want something that genuinely reads premium on the high street, Massimo Dutti is consistently the answer. Their leather and suede jackets use better materials than most at the price point, the tailoring is clean and restrained, and their military-adjacent structured styles are exactly right for this moment.
Reiss — A brilliant option for polished, refined leather and structured jackets. Reiss occupies a smart space between high street and premium and their jacket quality is genuinely excellent. Their biker and bomber silhouettes are cut to flatter rather than overwhelm, which isn't always a given.
Barbour — For shearling and heritage outerwear, Barbour remains one of the most reliable names on the British high street. Their waxed and shearling-lined styles have a classic quality that transcends trend cycles, and they're built to last years rather than seasons. The Corbridge and Tyne waxed jackets with sherpa lining are perennial bestsellers for good reason.
Phase Eight — Often overlooked for outerwear but shouldn't be. Phase Eight produces some of the most beautifully finished shearling-style and structured jackets at mid-market prices. Particularly good for women who want a slightly more sophisticated, less overtly streetwear-influenced approach to these trends.
Whistles — Clean, considered, grown-up. Whistles does jackets with a quiet confidence that suits women who want the trend without the noise. Their leather options in particular are well-proportioned and use decent materials. Reliable fit, consistent quality.

PREMIUM

Stand Studio — The Swedish brand that essentially set the template for the modern faux-shearling coat and jacket market. If you want shearling quality without the ethical and financial weight of the real thing, Stand Studio is where the conversation starts and ends. Their aviator and cocoon styles are extraordinary.
Ganni — For leather jackets with personality and a directional, fashion-forward feel. Ganni consistently produces the kind of outerwear that gets photographed at street style shows — considered, slightly playful, very now. Their bombers and bikers are worth every penny.
Me&Em — Brilliant for military-style and structured jackets with a British sensibility. Me&Em understand wearability in a way that some premium brands don't — their pieces are stylish without being impractical, and the quality justifies the price point.

LUXURY & DESIGNER

Toteme — The Swedish brand has become the definitive reference for quiet luxury leather in recent years. Their grain-embossed long blazers and oversized leather bombers are among the most coveted pieces in fashion right now, and for good reason. Clean, considered, and built to last a lifetime. If you can stretch to one luxury jacket this season, this is it.
Nour Hammour — A Paris-based brand that has built a serious cult following among fashion editors for extraordinary shearling and leather outerwear. The quality is exceptional, the cuts are flattering, and the brand feels genuinely independent and thoughtful in a landscape full of obvious luxury references.
Burberry — For the military and heritage-inflected jacket story, Burberry's AW26 collection was one of the most referenced of the season. Daniel Lee's take on structured outerwear has a distinctly British authority and the craftsmanship is impeccable. An investment that carries cultural weight as well as quality.

INDEPENDENT & NICHE PICKS

Deadwood — A Berlin-based brand with a cult following making leather jackets from upcycled and deadstock leather. Every piece is genuinely unique, the quality is extraordinary, and the sustainability credentials are unimpeachable. If you want a leather jacket with a real story behind it — and one you'll never see on someone else — Deadwood is the place. Increasingly stocked by premium UK retailers and absolutely worth seeking out.
Shrimps — The London indie brand built its entire identity on extraordinary faux-fur and shearling-adjacent outerwear with a distinctly whimsical, editorial point of view. Their jackets are playful, considered, and beautifully made — the kind of piece that immediately communicates that you know exactly what you're doing stylistically. Not for the faint-hearted, but absolutely brilliant for those who want something that stands apart.

Get Your Size Right Before You Buy

Jacket sizing is notoriously inconsistent — a size 12 at Barbour wears completely differently to a size 12 at Toteme or All Saints, especially when you're layering underneath. Before you order, use Tellar.co.uk to find your precise size across all these brands in seconds.

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My Final Verdict

If I had to pick just one jacket to buy this autumn, it would be the military jacket — because it feels like the freshest story of the three, it's enormously versatile, and the runway-to-high-street pipeline means there are genuinely excellent options at every price point right now. The shearling is the most romantic choice and the leather is the most reliable long-term investment.

But honestly? All three work. They're all having a moment, they all translate to real wardrobes, and they all have the staying power to justify the spend. Buy the one that makes you feel most like yourself when you put it on — that instinct is rarely wrong.