Joy Jackets: How To Style Spring’s Quilted Jacket Trend

By Charlie Colville

1 day ago

Fashion's happiest spring trend has arrived – say hello to the joy jacket


Spring hasn’t quite sprung in the UK – no surprise there – which makes transitional layers a confusing topic for the masses. Our best option? We’d say the newly fashionable quilted jacket, which the style set are now dubbing the joy jacket.

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What Are Joy Jackets?

As the name suggests, joy jackets are outerwear pieces that give you a boost of happiness just looking at them – think dopamine dressing. While there aren’t really any specific rules on what constitutes a joy jacket, they seem to generally follow the trend of being quilted, colourful and/or beautifully patterned.

There’s also a greater element of wardrobe functionality, with some of these quilted jackets even being reversible, meaning you can get more outfit options from one item.

@jennagaskinn my patchwork quilted jacket collection from @Kindred Grove 🎀🧸🫶🏻 #quiltedjacket #falljackets #fyp #jackettryon #falloutfitinspo ♬ original sound – HBO

We noticed joy jackets starting to pick up with the style brigade last year at Copenhagen Fashion Week AW24, where fashion forward crowds took to the streets in a multicoloured patchwork of quilt, pastels and florals. Since then, the trend has made its way further afield, just in time for the arrival of spring.

It’s also a big win for cottagecore fans. The joy jacket is something of an updated take on the trend, that blends its signature staples – florals, soft fabrics and spring-fresh colour palettes – with a more street style-ready aesthetic. It’s what happens when you bring the cottage to the city.

How To Wear The Trend This Spring

Colour Pop

Nothing says ‘dopamine’ quite like a vibrant pop of colour. A boldly patterned quilted jacket can instantly boost the mood of your outfit, and let you get away with sticking to capsule wardrobe basics underneath.

 

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Dressed-Up Dressed-Down

What makes jeans and trainers instantly look smarter? A staple piece of outerwear. A joy jacket, while playful, can instantly elevate a more casual fit into something you can wear for multiple occasions – brunch, coffee date, a walk in the park, you name it.

 

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Layered Up

Quilted jackets aren’t just for the cottagecore girlies – they’re one for the cool girls too. Those averse to print can still get involved in the trend by sticking to block colours (although the more vibrant, the better, we say) and making the trend their own. We love this street style fit that blends a neutral coloured base, with the jacket offering a pop of green; the wearer brings more of a ‘city look’ to the outfit with the addition of textural layers (like the sheer skirt layered over a black slip) and matching accessories.


Joy Jackets: The Edit

Patterned joy jacket

Farm Rio

Glam Tapestry Quilted Printed Cotton Jacket, £290

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Blue jacket | spring capsule wardrobe

Damson Madder

Reversible Claudia Jacket, £130

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Patterned joy jacket

Boden

Chelsea Quilted Jacket, £146

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Floral jacket

Liberty

Pavilion Quilted Jacket In Poppy Poem, £295

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Gingham jacket

Barbour

Check Monroe Quilted Jacket, £169

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Floral jacket

KITRI

Theodora Green Garden Floral Reversible Quilted Jacket, £98

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